Vicar of Christ

American  

[vik-er uhv krahyst] / ˈvɪk ər əv ˈkraɪst /

Also Vicar of Jesus Christ

noun

Roman Catholic Church.

1. the pope, with reference to his claim to stand in the place of Jesus Christ and possess His authority in the church.

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Vicar of Christ British  

noun

1. RC Church the Pope when regarded as Christ's earthly representative

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Etymology

Origin of Vicar of Christ

First recorded in 1475–85

Example Sentences

But it comes with all the skullduggery, wheeling and dealing, and conspiracy one would expect, as the frontrunners try to improve their chances of becoming the Vicar of Christ.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2025

“He’s making sure that they engage with him, not treat him like a sacred relic. He’s the Vicar of Christ, not a Roman emperor,” tweeted the papal biographer, Austen Ivereigh.

From The Guardian • Mar. 29, 2019

Papal biographer Austen Ivereigh, a supporter of Francis, countered by Tweeting: “He’s making sure that they engage with him, not treat him like a sacred relic. He’s the Vicar of Christ, not a Roman emperor.”

From Reuters • Mar. 26, 2019

In 1965, when Pope Paul VI became the first Vicar of Christ to visit New York, the police used gray wooden sawhorses to line the papal route through the city’s streets.

From New York Times • Sep. 25, 2015

The shock of defeat to a "Vicar of Christ" would have been very great.

From Peter the Hermit A Tale of Enthusiasm by Goodsell, Daniel A.