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25-410: The term is also used in a generic sense, and may then equally refer to an apostolic prefecture , an apostolic vicariate , a permanent apostolic administration (which are pre-diocesan, often missionary, or temporary), or a territorial abbacy (see there). A territorial prelate exercises quasi- episcopal jurisdiction in a territory separate from the territory of a diocese. In many cases the prelature

50-457: A colonial authority, depending on the circumstances under which the prefecture was established. If a prefecture grows and flourishes, it may be elevated to an apostolic vicariate , headed by a titular bishop , in the hope that with time the region will generate enough Catholics and stability for its Catholic institutions, to warrant being established as a diocese. Both these stages remain missionary, hence exempt , that is, directly subject to

75-682: A bishop. They may dispense from the proclamation of matrimonial banns , grant faculties for hearing confessions and preaching, reserve certain cases to themselves, publish indulgences and jubilees , exercise full jurisdiction over the enclosure of nuns , and invite any bishop to confirm in their quasi-diocese. They may, even if priests only, confirm themselves by papal privilege as expressed in canon 883 No. 1 CIC whenever they find it appropriate; however, even as local ordinaries they are in that case only extraordinary ministers of confirmation and should thus prefer to invite bishops if possible. These prelates may not, however, without special permission of

100-507: A publication now in the public domain :  Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). " Prefect Apostolic ". Catholic Encyclopedia . New York: Robert Appleton Company. 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

125-483: Is a certain portion of the people of God which has not yet been established as a diocese due to special circumstances and which, to be shepherded, is entrusted to an apostolic vicar or apostolic prefect who governs it in the name of the Supreme Pontiff." Can. 371 §1. A prefect apostolic is of lower rank than a vicar apostolic. The prefect's powers are more limited and do not normally possess the episcopal character, as

150-426: Is a priest who heads what is known as an apostolic prefecture , a 'pre-diocesan' missionary jurisdiction where the Catholic Church is not yet sufficiently developed to have it made a diocese . Although it usually has an (embryonal) see, it is often not called after such city but rather after a natural feature, or administrative geographical area, which may be a name in use by the local inhabitants, or one assigned by

175-538: Is exempt from diocesan oversight and instead subject to the jurisdiction of the Holy See . As a rule, territorial (and personal) prelates are consecrated as bishops, though not bishops of their diocese, as expressed by the title Bishop-prelate. Most were/are missionaries, outside Europe (mainly Latin America and a few Asian countries) or in countries with a Protestant majority (notably Lutheran Norway). The territorial prelate

200-400: Is expressly denied to them by canon law . If they have not received episcopal consecration , such prelates may not confer holy orders . If not consecrated episcopally, they have not the power to exercise those functions of consecrating oils , etc., which are referred to the episcopal order only analogously. Prelates nullius may take cognizance of matrimonial causes within the same limits as

225-460: 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

250-578: 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

275-467: 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

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300-462: Is ordinarily the case with a vicar apostolic. The duties of a prefect apostolic consist in directing the work of the mission entrusted to his care; his powers are in general those necessarily connected with the ordinary administration of such an office, for instance: the assigning of missionaries and the making of regulations for the good management of the affairs of the mission. Prefects apostolic govern independent territories and are subject only to

325-451: Is sometimes called a prelate nullius , from the Latin nullius diœceseos , prelate "of no diocese," meaning the territory falls directly under the 'exempt' jurisdiction of the Holy See or Pope (Bishop of Rome) and is not a diocese under a residing bishop . The rights of prelates nullius are quasi-episcopal, and these dignitaries are supposed to have any power that a bishop has, unless it

350-412: 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

375-582: The Holy See , convoke a synod or institute synodal examiners. Neither may they confer parochial benefices. They are not allowed to grant indulgences, or absolve from the reserved cases and secret irregularities whose absolution is restricted to the pope ordinarily, but allowed to bishops by the Council of Trent , nor promote secular clerics to orders, nor grant dimissory letters for ordination, nor exercise jurisdiction over regulars as apostolic delegates . Prelates nullius are, however, bound to residence, to preach

400-462: The Holy See , specifically the Dicastery for Evangelization , rather than, as a diocese normally would, belong to an ecclesiastical province . The full sequence of development is: independent mission, apostolic prefecture, apostolic vicariate, apostolic diocese; however steps may be skipped at the papal discretion, so the next steps may be bishopric or even archbishopric. The apostolic prefecture and

425-526: The pope . When a vicariate or a diocese extended over a very large territory in which the Catholic population was unequally distributed, the Holy See sometimes placed a portion of the territory in charge of a prefect apostolic; in which case the faculties of the prefect were more limited, and in the exercise of his office he was supervised by the vicar apostolic or the diocesan bishop. With a view to better protecting

450-513: 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

475-502: The Word of God, to offer Mass for their people, to make the visit ad limina to the Roman Curia , and in concurrence with the neighbouring bishop to perform a visitation of their quasi-diocese. As of November 2022, there were 39, all Latin Church : (incomplete?) (probably quite incomplete; all Latin) Apostolic prefecture An apostolic prefect or prefect apostolic

500-415: The apostolic vicariate are to be distinguished from the territorial abbacy (formerly called an " abbey nullius "). During the last centuries of the second millennium it was the practice of the Holy See to govern either through prefects apostolic or apostolic vicariates , many territories where no dioceses with resident bishops were erected and where local circumstances, such as the character and customs of

525-413: 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

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550-677: The authority of the local vicar apostolic or bishop, it was proposed in the First Vatican Council to abolish prefects apostolic having jurisdiction over districts within a vicariate or diocese of the Latin Church, but the Council was interrupted and the practice continued until Pope Leo XIII abolished them within the Oriental Churches by a decree of Propaganda Fide on 12 September 1896, and established superiors with special dependence on

575-731: The government. The 10 other prefectures included a newly created one for Azerbaijan, 4 more in Asia, 3 in Africa, 1 in the Americas and 1 in Oceania. Most former apostolic prefectures were promoted to apostolic vicariate or territorial prelature (under a titular bishop ) or (mostly later) to a diocese or even an archdiocese (under a residential bishop), but some ceased to exist (at least under their name or extent) being suppressed or sometimes dismembered. [REDACTED]  This article incorporates text from

600-756: The papal representatives of the areas concerned. In 1911 there were 66 prefectures apostolic: 5 in Europe; 17 in Asia; 3 in North America (e.g., the Yukon); 11 in South America; 23 in Africa and 7 in Oceania. As of 2024, the prefectures apostolic were only 38, of which the vast majority (28) were in China (many vacant), where development of the Catholic Church, including that of the prefectures, had long been hindered by actions of

625-409: The people or hostility of civil powers, made it doubtful whether an episcopal see could be permanently established. The establishing of a prefecture apostolic in a place supposes that the Church has attained only a small development in the area. Fuller growth leads to the foundation of an apostolic vicariate as an intermediate stage to becoming a diocese. "An apostolic vicariate or apostolic prefecture

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