vicariate

noun

1. The office, authority, or district of a vicar.

   “His next was to claim, in virtue of this vicariate, the mediatorial “power in heaven and in earth””

2. The office, authority, or district held by a person as deputy for a bishop, or similar ecclesiastical authority.

   “Upon ye late remove of our patriarch's vicar there hath fallen vacant a benefice annexed to ye vicariat.”

   “Vigilius gave his Vicariate to this Arch-Bishop in the Provinces.”

   “St. Charles established a vicariat, that things might be done with deliberation and counsel, which many other bishops imitated.”

3. The office, authority, or district managed by someone appointed as deputy to a secular political leader.

   “If he should chance to fayle, the vicariate of Upper Germany must neades fall upon the Palatin.”

   “He has accepted and taken upon him‥his part of the Vicariate of the Empire during the present Vacancy.”

   “The vicariat of that part of Germany which is governed by the Saxon laws, devolved to the elector of Saxony.”

adj

1. (archaic, rare)delegated; relating to a representative; vicarious.

   “To the Bishops of Arles had the Holy See deputed a vicariate power there.”