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 (usually suffragan) diocese.

The Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church counterpart is an (apostolic, patriarchal, or archiepiscopal) exarchate.

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".^[1] 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.^[2]

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 (or even archdiocese). See also apostolic exarch for an Eastern Catholic counterpart.

The apostolic vicariate is distinguished from a territorial abbacy (or "abbey nullius")—an area not a diocese but under the direction of the abbot of a monastery.

Starting in 2019, new vicars apostolic, although they are (or become) bishops, are no longer assigned titular sees.

Current apostolic vicariates

Historical apostolic vicariates

(incomplete)

Inactive apostolic vicariates (and/or former names, often promoted to diocese) are in italics. Eastern Catholic (mostly Byzantine Rite) 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 (erected 1830, promoted to Diocese 1878)
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 (renamed Yurimaguas), 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 (was suppressed in 1956 by erection of three new vicariates)

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^[3]
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

Europe

Apostolic Vicariate of Bosnia, former Ottoman Empire
Bulgarian Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Constantinople, former Ottoman Empire
Apostolic Vicariate of Gibraltar
Apostolic Vicariate of Herzegovina, former Ottoman Empire
Bulgarian Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Macedonia, former Ottoman Empire
Apostolic Vicariate of Marča, Croatia
Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Germany
Apostolic Vicariate of England
Apostolic Vicariate of Scotland
Bulgarian Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Thrace, former Ottoman Empire

Oceania

Apostolic Vicariate of Alexishafen
Apostolic Vicariate of Central Oceania
Apostolic Vicariate of Fiji
Apostolic Vicariate of the Gilbert Islands
Apostolic Vicariate of Marquesas Islands
Apostolic Vicariate of New Pomerania
Apostolic Vicariate of Oriental Oceania
Apostolic Vicariate of Sandwich Islands
Apostolic Vicariate of Tahiti
Apostolic Vicariate of Western Oceania

[1]
Code of Canon Law, Book II, Canon 371§1
[2]
Fanning, William. "Vicar Apostolic." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 8 March 2023 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
[3]
Cheney, David M. "Archdiocese of Seoul". catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 20 August 2015.^{[self-published source]}

List of current Apostolic Vicariates at GCatholic.org (regularly refreshed)

[1] [1]
Code of Canon Law, Book II, Canon 371§1

[Fanning-2] [2]
Fanning, William. "Vicar Apostolic." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 8 March 2023 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

[catholichierarchy_seoul-3] [3]
Cheney, David M. "Archdiocese of Seoul". catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 20 August 2015.^{[self-published source]}

[1]

[2]

[3]