Tenens

Tenens is a Latin term meaning "holding" or "holder," and it appears in classical and later Latin to describe someone who holds a position, property, or office. The word is the present active participle of tenere, “to hold,” and can function as a noun meaning a holder or possessor, or as part of compound titles indicating temporary or interim authority.

In ecclesiastical and civil administration, tenens is commonly encountered in phrases that designate an interim officeholder. In church contexts, a person may be described as an administrator tenens or as holding a see tenens during a vacancy, indicating that the authority is temporary and exercised until a permanent appointment is made. In secular administration, the term is used to flag interim leadership, such as a president tenens or governor tenens, where the person exercises the duties of the office for a limited period or while a successor is chosen.

The usage of tenens emphasizes the transitional nature of the authority rather than permanent tenure. It is often contrasted with terms that denote a full, permanent appointment, and with words that indicate vacancy or absence. In law and historical documents, tenens appears as a formal descriptor that signs a temporary state of governance, often governed by specific rules about the scope and duration of the interim power.

Overall, tenens reflects a long-standing Latin tradition of precisely labeling transitional or interim authority in both religious and civil contexts. It remains a recognizable marker in legal Latin, ecclesiastical records, and historical texts for describing individuals who hold office in a temporary capacity.