vic·ar / ˈvikər/ • n. (in the Roman Catholic Church) a representative or deputy of a bishop. ∎  (in the Episcopal Church) a member of the clergy in charge of a chapel. ∎  (in the Church of England) an incumbent of a parish where tithes formerly passed to a chapter or religious house or layman. ∎  (in other Anglican Churches) a member of the clergy deputizing for another. ∎  a cleric or choir member appointed to sing certain parts of a cathedral service.DERIVATIVES: vic·ar·ship / -ˌship/ n.

vicar (in the Church of England) an incumbent of a parish where tithes formerly passed to a chapter or religious house or layman; (in other Anglican Churches) a member of the clergy deputizing for another; (in the Roman Catholic Church) a representative or deputy of a bishop; (in the US Episcopal Church) a clergyman in charge of a chapel. The word is recorded from Middle English, and comes ultimately from Latin vicarius ‘substitute’.
vicar apostolic a Roman Catholic missionary; a titular bishop.
vicar general an Anglican official serving as a deputy or assistant to a bishop or archbishop; (in the Roman Catholic Church) a bishop's representative in matters of jurisdiction or administration.
Vicar of Christ in the Roman Catholic Church, a title of the Pope, as Christ's representative on earth, dating from the 8th century.

vicar Priest in the Church of England who is in charge of a parish. In the Roman Catholic Church, the term ‘vicar’ is used to mean ‘representative’. The Pope is called the Vicar of Christ. A Vicar Apostolic was originally a Bishop representing the Pope. Today, a Vicar Apostolic is appointed to govern territories that have not yet been organized into dioceses. A Vicar General is appointed by and represents a Bishop in the administration of a diocese. See also curate; papacy

vicar representative of God on earth XIII; the Pope as Vicar of Christ XIV; person acting in a parish for the parson or rector, (later) incumbent of a parish of which the tithe is impropriated or appropriated; bishop's deputy. — AN. vikere, vicare, (O)F. vicaire (now) assistant curate, deputy — L. vicārius substitute, deputy, f. vicis (g.). etc., change, alteration, time, turn; see VICE4, -AR.
So vicariate (-ATE1) XVII. — medL. vicarious taking the place of another. XVII. f. L. vicārius. Hence vicarage XV.

Vicar (Lat., vicarius, ‘substitute’). Title of certain Christian priests. In the Church of England a vicar is the priest of a parish whose tithes were the property of a monastery in medieval times and thereafter of a ‘lay rector’. Since the time of Pope Innocent III (1198–1216) the title ‘Vicar of Christ’ based on John 21. 15 ff., has been a title reserved to the pope.