Vicariantie

Vicariantie (vicariate) is a term used in ecclesiastical governance to denote a jurisdiction or office exercised by a vicar who acts on behalf of a higher authority, most often a bishop.

Within the Roman Catholic Church, vicariates come in two main forms. A territorial vicariate is a defined geographic area within a diocese or archdiocese that is administered by a vicar in charge under the authority of the diocesan bishop. An apostolic vicariate, by contrast, is a missionary or transitional jurisdiction in regions where a diocese has not yet been established; it is led by a vicar apostolic (often a titular bishop) who exercises episcopal authority in the name of the pope.

Common features include delegated executive power, responsibility for pastoral care and administration, and coordination of parishes, clergy, and liturgical needs. Vicariates can also exist at higher levels within church governance, such as vicariates general or regional vicariates, under the supervision of a bishop or metropolitan authority.

Etymology: the word derives from Latin vicarius, meaning deputy or substitute.

Outside strictly liturgical use, the term vicariate is employed in civil or administrative contexts to denote a jurisdiction or office held by a representative acting in place of a superior, reflecting the core idea of vicarial authority as a substitute for the principal officeholder. See also: vicar, vicar general, apostolic vicariate, territorial vicariate.