SUBSTITUTE. – The substitute (substitutus, subrogatus, vicarius) is one who holds the place of another.
In the offices of the Roman Curia, there are officials thus designated with a permanent appointment subordinate to the higher prelates who head the various dicasteries. In the past, there were a greater number of them with higher or lower duties; today, besides the substitute of the Secretariat of State for ordinary affairs, who is also secretary of the Cifra, the following substitutes are found in the Curia: the substitute of the assessor of the Sacred Congregation of the Consistory, the substitute of the assessor of the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Church, and the secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Rites. The Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office has among its officials six substitute notaries. The Apostolic Penitentiary has one substitute in its tribunal section and another among the officials of its indulgence section. The tribunal of the Sacred Roman Rota has a substitute for the defender of the bond, and finally the Apostolic Camera has two notaries of the Camera, one of whom is the substitute of the other in the office of secretary and chancellor.