vicaire

Vicaire is a clerical title used in the French-speaking branches of the Catholic Church, and it also appears in some Protestant contexts as a direct translation of the English “vicar.” The term derives from the Latin vicarius, meaning substitute or deputy. In parish life, a vicaire is a priest who assists the curé (parish priest) and carries out pastoral duties under the curé’s authority. A vicaire may celebrate Mass, administer the sacraments, hear confessions, and oversee catechesis and other parish activities, especially in larger parishes or circumstances where additional clergy are needed.

In diocesan governance, several formal offices use the title vicaire. A vicaire général (vicar general) is the bishop’s principal deputy for governing the diocese and administering its affairs. A vicaire épiscopal (episcopal vicar) is a priest or bishop’s delegate charged with overseeing a specific geographic portion of the diocese or a particular aspect of diocesan work. A vicaire apostolique (apostolic vicar) governs a mission territory that has not yet been constituted as a diocese. There are also specialised forms such as the vicaire judiciaire (judicial vicar), who assists in church tribunals.

The vicaire is distinct from the curé, who is the legally appointed parish priest responsible for the parish’s spiritual leadership and administration, and from the abbé, a title used in various historical and regional contexts for a priest or abbot. While “vicaire” remains a standard ecclesiastical term in French, its precise role varies by church, diocese, and historical period.