Vicaires

Vicaires is the French plural form of vicaire, a term used for a person who acts as a representative, substitute, or deputy in Christian ecclesiastical contexts. The word derives from Latin vicarius, meaning substitute, through Old French vicaire.

In Catholic and Anglican usage, vicaires are individuals who exercise authority or perform pastoral duties on behalf of a higher church authority. In the Catholic Church, a vicar may be a parish priest known as a parochial vicar, or higher officials such as the vicar general (the bishop’s principal deputy) and the vicar forane (a dean who oversees a group of parishes). These positions are part of the broader structure of vicariates, which denote jurisdictions where a vicar operates under the authority of a bishop or pastor. In Anglican contexts, the term vicar historically referred to a priest in charge of a parish; the precise duties and endowments associated with the role can vary by country and historic regime.

In English, the plural form normally used is vicars, while vicaires appears primarily in French-language texts or translations. The term emphasizes representative or deputy functions rather than a distinct separate office in many contexts.

Today, vicaires are most often encountered in francophone regions and in discussions of Catholic ecclesiastical organization, where the concept of vicariates clarifies how authority and pastoral responsibility are delegated within a diocese. See also vicar, vicariate, vicar general, vicar forane, parochial vicar.