What is a Moretus in the Catholic Church?

Moretus is a term used in the context of the Roman Catholic Church to refer to a person who has been appointed by the Pope to oversee the administration of a diocese or other ecclesiastical territory. The term "Moretus" comes from the Latin word "moret," which means "to die," and was originally used to describe a bishop who had died or was absent from his see.

The role of a Moretus was to act as a temporary administrator of a diocese until a new bishop could be appointed. This might happen if the previous bishop had died, resigned, or been transferred to another diocese. The Moretus would have the same authority and responsibilities as the regular bishop, but his appointment was intended to be temporary and he did not have the same level of jurisdiction as a regularly appointed bishop.

The use of the term "Moretus" is now largely historical, as the practice of appointing temporary administrators has largely been replaced by other mechanisms for managing vacant sees. However, the term can still be found in some historical documents and records from the Middle Ages and earlier periods.