Apostolic vicariate


An apostolic vicariate is a territorial jurisdiction of the Catholic Church under a titular bishop centered in missionary regions and countries where dioceses or parishes have not yet been established. The status of apostolic vicariate is often a promotion for a former apostolic prefecture, while either may have started out as a mission sui iuris. It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more. The hope is that the region will generate sufficient numbers of Catholics for the Church to create a diocese one day.
It is exempt under canon law, directly subject to the missionary Dicastery for Evangelization of the Vatican in Rome. Like the stage of apostolic prefecture which often precedes it, the vicariate is not part of an ecclesiastical province. It is intended to mature in developing Catholic members until it can be promoted to a diocese.
The Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church counterpart is an exarchate.

Institution

An apostolic vicariate is led by a vicar apostolic, who is usually a titular bishop. While such a territory can be classed as a particular church, according to canon 371.1 of the Latin Code of Canon Law, a vicar apostolic's jurisdiction is an exercise of the jurisdiction of the pope—the territory comes directly under the pope as "universal bishop", and the pope exercises this authority through a "vicar".
This is unlike the jurisdiction of a diocesan bishop, whose jurisdiction derives directly from his office.
Like any ecclesiastical jurisdiction, an apostolic vicariate may be administered by the bishop of a neighbouring diocese, or by a priest appointed transitionally as an apostolic administrator. As in a regular diocese, the vicar apostolic may appoint priests as vicars exercising limited jurisdiction over the apostolic vicariate. Normally, a titular bishop is appointed to administer the apostolic vicariate. When someone who does not qualify or has not been ordained as bishop is appointed ad interim, he may be styled Pro-vicar.
An apostolic vicariate is to be distinguished from an apostolic prefecture, a similar type of territory whose chief distinction from an apostolic vicariate is that its prefect is not a titular bishop, but a priest. The prefecture is not considered organised enough to be elevated to apostolic vicariate. The less developed instance is the mission sui iuris, which other than the ones mentioned before is not a particular church, although it shares some similarities to one; at its head, an ecclesiastical superior is named. The usual sequence of development is mission, apostolic prefecture, apostolic vicariate, and finally diocese. See also apostolic exarch for an Eastern Catholic counterpart.
The apostolic vicariate is distinguished from a territorial abbacy —an area not a diocese but under the direction of the abbot of a monastery.
Starting in 2019, new vicars apostolic, although they are bishops, are no longer assigned titular sees.

List

Current apostolic vicariates

Africa

Inactive apostolic vicariates are in italics.
Eastern Catholic apostolic vicariates are in bold.

Africa

  • Apostolic Vicariate of Bomadi, Nigeria
  • Apostolic Vicariate of the Congo
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Dahomey
  • Apostolic Vicariate of French Congo, or Lower Congo
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Francistown, Botswana
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Isiolo, Kenya
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Kamerun, Cameroon
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Kenia, Kenya
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Kimberley in Orange, South Africa
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Kontagora, Nigeria
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Mauritius
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Victoria Nyanza
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Sahara
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Senegambia
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Shire
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Sudan or Central-Africa
  • ''Apostolic Vicariate of Unyanyembe''

    The Americas

  • Apostolic Vicariate of Alaska
  • Apostolic Vicariate of San José de Amazonas
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Athabasca
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Beni
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Bluefields, Nicaragua
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Casanare
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Dakota Territory
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Goajira
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Izabal, Guatemala
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Keewatin
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Limón, Costa Rica
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Lower California
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Machiques, Venezuela
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Marysville
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Mackenzie
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Nebraska, United States
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Minnesota
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Riohacha, Colombia
  • Apostolic Vicariate of San Gabriel de la Dolorosa del Maranon, Peru
  • Apostolic Vicariate of San José del Guaviare, Colombia
  • Apostolic Vicariate of San Vicente del Caguán, Colombia
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Iles Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, in 2018 merged to Diocese of La Rochelle and Sainte
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Sucumbíos
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Ucayali, Peru

    Asia

  • Apostolic Vicariate of Amoy, China
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Batavia, Indonesia
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Changanacherry, India
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Ernakulam, India
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Kiang-nan, China
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Korea
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Kottayam, India
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Lhasa, Sikkim and Tibet
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Madras, India
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Kan-Su, China
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Kienchang, China
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Shan-Si, China
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Shantung, China
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Patna, India
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Shan-Si, China
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Shan-Tung, China
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Shen-Si, China
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Shunking, China
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Szechwan, China
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Szechwan, China
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Southeastern Szechwan, China
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Tibet-Hindustan, India and Tibet
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Trichur, India
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Wanhsien, China
  • Apostolic Vicariate of Yachow, China