Origin of religious positions and title

Facts about Position/Title

Date Founded	325 CE	Place Founded	Constantinople
Founder(s)	Byzantine Emperor Constantine (309-337)
Etymology	From Latin vicarius meaning "substitute or deputy". Derived from vicis meaning "change, alternation, stead".
Original Function	A vicarius was the imperial deputy responsible for lawfulness and administration of a Roman provinces called a diocese. Under Emperor Constantine, this role was enhanced to also be responsible for the administration of Presybteroi and Deacons under the newly formed Christianity within the diocese.
Superior Position(s)	Tetrachs, later Magister Militum and Praetorian Prefects
Inferior Position(s)	Presbyter and Deacons

The positions of vicarius, (written as vicar in English) were first instituted as purely civil positions under the massive reforms of Emperor Diocletian in 293 in which he established the "Tetrachy" and twelve super provinces known as "diocese".

Each Tetrach in turn chose a new capital, the four new capitals of the Roman Empire being Nicomedia (modern Izmit in Turkey), Sirmium (modern Sremska Mitrovica in Serbia), Mediolanum (modern Milan in Italy) and Augusta Treverorum (modern Trier in Germany).

Emperor Constantine (309-337) retained the position of one "vicar" per diocese when he undertook a number of major changes to the structure of Diocletian, ending the concept of Tetrachs and replacing the most senior positions with Praetorian Prefects and a new role called Magister Militum.

Under Constantine, the empire was divided into four (4) "eparchy" or prefectures being Galliae, Western (Italy and Africa), Illyricum and Oriens.

The diocese of the Praetorian Prefecture of Galliae included: Galliae (Northern France), Viennensis (France), Hispaniae (Iberian Peninsula) and Britanniae.

The diocese of the Praetorian Prefecture of Western (Italy and Africa) included: Suburbicaria (Rome and outlying region), Italia annonaria (Northern Italy) and Africa.

The diocese of the Praetorian Prefecture of Illyricum included: Pannonia (Greece/Croatia), Dacia (Romania) and Macedonia.

The diocese of the Praetorian Prefecture of Oriens included: Thrace, Asiana, Pontus, Oriens and Aegyptus.

When in 325, Constantine completed his Council of Nicaea and the creation of the Imperial religion known as Christianity, the Vicarii were given the added administrative and ceremonial duties of overseeing the various Presbyter per province and their Deacons. Under this first structure of Christianity, Emperor Constantine was also technically the first "Pope" in history, claiming supreme spiritual leadership of Christianity as Pontifex Maximus.

However, continued resistence by leaders of the major religious sects to adopt the newly formed Imperial religion of Christianity, led to continued tension between the Vicarii and the assorted magi,hiereus, hierarches, kohen, iereus and episkopoi who refused to adopt the title of Presbyter.

By the 5th and 6th Century, the whole administrative system has well and truly begun to crumble -- along with the temporal-spiritual role of the Vicarii so that by the 7th Century, this key and original role in the original structure of Christianity was effectively extinct.

Under the Roman rebellion against Byzantine rule in the 8th Century, the former Exarch dynasty of Ravenna called themselves Vicarius Christi or "the Vicar of Jesus Christ" - clearly seeking to sustain the temporal power and importance of the original role under the founder of Christianity -- Emperor Constantine.

The position would once again rise in popular use under the Reformation against the Popes of Rome when in 1534 England separated from the Vatican under King Henry VIII and the position of vicar was reborn as an ordinary priest of the Church of England.


Home
Titles