John Paul II defined "Vicar of Christ" when asked what it meant an interview published in Crossing the Threshold of Hope:

The Pope is called the "Vicar of Christ." This title should be considered within the entire context of the Gospel. Before ascending into heaven, Jesus said to the apostles: "I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Mt 28:20). Though invisible, He is personally present in His Church. He is likewise present in each Christian, by virtue of baptism and the other sacraments. It was usual to say, as early as the era of the Fathers, "Christianus alter Christus" ("The Christian is another Christ"), meaning by this to empahasize the dignity of the baptized and his vocation, through Christ, to holiness.

Furthermore, Christ brings about a special presence in every priest, who, when celebrating the Eucharist or administering the sacraments, does so In Persona Christi.

From this perspective, the expression "Vicar of Christ" assumes its true meaning. More than dignity, it alludes to service. It emphasizes the duties of the Pope in the Church, his Petrine Ministry, carried out for the good of the Church and the faithful. Saint Gregory The Great understood this perfectly when, out of all the titles connected to the functions of the Bishop Of Rome, he preferred that of Servus servorum Dei (Servant of the Servants of God).

The Pope is not the only one who holds this title. With regard to the Church entrusted to him, each bishop is Vicarius Christi. The Pope is Vicar of Christ with regard to the Church Of Rome and, through that Church, of every Church in communion with it -- a communion in faith as well as an institutional and canonical communion. Thus, if with this title one wants to refer to the dignity of the Bishop Of Rome, one cannot consider it apart from the dignity of the entire college of bishops, with which it is tightly bound, as it is to the dignity of each bishop, each priest, and each of the baptized.

What supreme dignity those men and women have who are consecrated, who, as their vocation, have chosen to embrace the nuptial dimension of the Church -- Christ's bride! Christ, Redeemer Of The World and of humanity, is the Bridegroom Of The Church and of all those who belong to it: "The bridegroom is with them" (cf. Mt 9:15). One duty of the Pope is to profess this truth and to render it present to the Church In Rome as well as to the entire Church, to all humanity, and to the whole world.

To allay to some degree your fears, which seem to arise from a profound faith, I would suggest a reading of Saint Augustine, who often repeated: "Vobis sum episcopus, vobiscum christianus" ("I am a bishop for you, I am a Christian with you"; cf., for example, Sermon 340.1: J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Latina 38.1483). On further reflection, christianus has far greater significance than episcopus, even if the subject is the Bishop of Rome.

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Resources

• Crossing The Threshold of Hope by His Holiness John Paul II (entire book free online)
• Catholic Encyclopedia (1913): Vicar of Christ
How an ordained Catholic minister acts for Christ when presiding over a Sacrament.
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Encompasses the body of work of English editions of encyclopedia's which call themselves the Catholic Encyclopedia
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