The vicar is who?

In the broadest sense, the vicar is a substitute, from the Latin word "vicarius". In the Christian Orthodox and Catholic churches, he has different powers and duties as a spiritual person. This ecclesiastical post assumes the performance of the duties of an assistant or deputy church administrator. He does not have his own diocese. The Christian Orthodox Church specifically establishes this post so that he can help the bishop in the administration of his diocese.

Meaning of the word

In different explanatory dictionaries the meaning of the word "vicar" is explained approximately the same way:

• According to Ephraim. Deputy or assistant bishop, who manages the diocese in the Orthodox Church and has the title of bishop. In the Catholic Church, he is defined as an assistant to a parish priest or bishop.
• According to Ozhegov. In the church of Protestants - assistant priest, in the Orthodox - assistant bishop. The vicar is a bishop without a diocese.
• According to Ushakov. The vicar is treated as a bishop, who is subordinate to the diocesan bishop, in the Orthodox Church. In the Catholic - an assistant to a parish priest or bishop.
• According to Dal. The vicar is an assistant, deputy, comrade. Senior official.
• Encyclopedic Dictionary. The meaning of the word "vicar" is interpreted as "vicegerent" or "deputy". In Protestant is considered an assistant priest, in the Orthodox Church - deputy bishop.

History

Vicar - a designation that has been specifically applied to officials since the Roman Empire. Even during the reign of Constantine the Great, it was divided into four huge administrative districts - prefectures. They were subdivided into smaller administrative units - diocese. Management was carried out as follows: the prefecture was governed by the prefect, and the dioceses were the vicar, who was directly subordinate to the prefect.

The vicars were appointed by the emperor, and within their diocese they had the power to control the actions of the provincial governors. But they had no right to remove the latter from power.

If the prefect himself was on the territory of the diocese, the vicar lost his power. In fact, he was an authorized person from the prefect.

Vicar in the church

In the church, the position of the vicar has the same character. He replaces the priest during his absence, and with him plays the role of assistant.

The Roman Catholic Church defines the vicar bishop as an assistant to the diocesan bishop. At the suggestion of the diocesan bishop, he is appointed by the pope. His duties include assisting in the exercise of his right of hierarchical priesthood.

Vicar

In the Orthodox Church, the vicar is a bishop who does not have his own diocese. It is also called: vicar bishop or vicar bishop. He is made responsible for assisting the ruling diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese.

Under certain conditions, it may be entrusted, within certain limits, to administer a part of the diocese - vicariate, or vicariate. The reigning bishop bears the title in accordance with the place of his residence and territory. The bishop's assistant, under his canonical jurisdiction, may be given the following title:

• By the name of the vicariate given to him in administration;
• By the name of the city standing on the territory of the diocese in which the vicar (but this is not an obligatory condition) resides or holds a ministry;
• By the name of the previously abolished department, which has no relation to the diocese or the locality where it actually serves.

In the Roman Catholic Church, the vicar is the bishop of the Sufragans (from medieval Latin "suffragium" - "help", "support"), appointed to help the clergy head.

The General Vicar

A completely different definition is the General Vicar. He is an assistant to the bishop, but in the sphere of his government rights. According to the canons of the church, the bishop has the authority and duty to personally administer the diocese without outside help.

The pope may forcefully appoint a vicar general only if the bishop has insufficient knowledge of canon law, or with a large diocese.

For the appointment, the applicant is presented with a number of requirements, without which he can not hold this ecclesiastical office. He must have a degree of licentiate or doctor of canon law, theology. Understand the jurisprudence, belong to the clergy, while not taking into account the degree of spiritual rank.

Both positions are considered as one legal entity. If the actions of the general vicar are appealed, the paper is not sent to the bishop, but to the archbishop as to a higher authority. This same principle of unity works if the bishop makes a decision or commits any government act. However, the vicar general does not exist legally.

A variant of the separation of powers is possible, when administrative affairs are assigned to the vicar, and the judicial ones are administered by another assistant, the official. Legally they have equal rights.

With the termination of the bishop's rights, the rights of the vicar general automatically terminate.