cathedral

cathedral
cathedrallike, adj.
/keuh thee"dreuhl/, n.
1. the principal church of a diocese, containing the bishop's throne.
2. (in nonepiscopal denominations) any of various important churches.
adj.
3. pertaining to or containing a bishop's throne.
4. pertaining to or emanating from a chair of office or authority.
[1250-1300; ME < LL cathedralis (ecclesia) a cathedral (church). See CATHEDRA, -AL1]

* * *

I
Church, often large and magnificent, in which a residential bishop has his official seat.

Cathedrals are usually embellished versions of early Christian basilicas; their construction, on an ever-larger scale, was a major preoccupation throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. Masonry vaulting replaced the earlier timber roofs, and the basilican plan grew more complex. Above the arches of the nave, and below the clerestory, was the triforium, an arcaded upper story that often contained vaulted tribune galleries open to the nave. The portion containing seats for the choir, usually east of the transept, was called the chancel. Between the chancel and the sanctuary (high altar) was the presbytery, a raised area occupied only by clergy. The chapter house, a popular feature of English cathedrals, was a chamber, typically octagonal, in which business was transacted. Small chapels, including the founder's chantry and the Lady Chapel (dedicated to the Virgin Mary) were often added. Many cathedrals of the Île-de-France region were remodeled to embody a chevet, or arc of radiating chapels, on the eastern wall, a feature reflected in England in Westminster Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral.
II
(as used in expressions)
Pokrovsky Cathedral
Saint Paul's Cathedral

* * *

▪ Christian church
 in Christian churches that have an episcopal form of church government, the church in which a residential bishop has his official seat or throne, the cathedra. Cathedral churches are of different degrees of dignity. There are cathedral churches of simple diocesan bishops, of archbishops or metropolitans, of primates, patriarchs, and, in the Roman Catholic Church (Roman Catholicism), of the pope. A cathedral church is not necessarily large and magnificent, although most cathedrals have become so. Since the territorial organization of the early church followed that of the Roman Empire, cathedrals from the first were established wherever possible in towns, not in villages. In the early European Middle Ages, the town in which a cathedral church was situated became known as the cathedral city.

      In the Roman Catholic church, canon law makes no architectural conditions for a cathedral. The only canonical requirement is that a cathedral should be consecrated and adequately endowed. The pope has the right to designate a cathedral, although the choice of the bishop of the diocese or his decision to build a cathedral is normally approved by the pope. The bishop must be present in his cathedral on certain holy days, and he must normally perform ordinations there.

      In the Eastern Orthodox church (Eastern Orthodoxy) the cathedral is the main church in a city where the bishop resides and where he celebrates the liturgy on festival occasions. In Russia, where the dioceses have always been few and have covered a vast area, the main church in any large town became known as a cathedral (sobor), even though no bishop was in residence there. The principal church of a big monastery also assumed the same name.

      After the 16th-century Protestant Reformation, cathedrals where bishops were rejected became simple churches. In Sweden the cathedral continued to be the seat of the Lutheran bishop. In the Church of England (England, Church of), where the order of bishops was retained, the cathedrals remained as the seat of the bishop.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Cathedral — • The chief church of a diocese Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Cathedral     Cathedral     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • cathédral — cathédral, ale, aux [ katedral, o ] adj. • 1180; lat. médiév. cathedralis, de cathedra « siège épiscopal » ♦ Didact. Du siège de l autorité épiscopale. Église cathédrale. ⇒ cathédrale. « Le vrai saint cathédral est saint Pierre » (Hugo). ●… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Cathedral — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Cathedral Información personal Origen Coventry, Inglaterra Información artística Género(s) …   Wikipedia Español

  • Cathedral — Ca*the dral, a. [LL. cathedralis: cf. F. cath[ e]dral.] [1913 Webster] 1. Pertaining to the head church of a diocese; as, a cathedral church; cathedral service. [1913 Webster] 2. Emanating from the chair of office, as of a pope or bishop;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cathedral — (englisch für Kathedrale) ist der Name mehrerer Musikgruppen: einer englischen Doom Metal Band, siehe Cathedral (Band) einer US amerikanischen Progressive Rock Band, siehe Cathedral (US Band) einer US amerikanischen NeoProg Band …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • cathedral — (n.) 1580s, church of a bishop, from phrase cathedral church (c.1300), translating L.L. ecclesia cathedralis church of a bishop s seat; with adjectival suffix AL (Cf. al) (1), from L. cathedra an easy chair (principally used by ladies), also… …   Etymology dictionary

  • cathedral — ► NOUN ▪ the principal church of a diocese. ORIGIN from Greek kathedra seat (the full term was originally cathedral church, being a church containing the bishop s throne) …   English terms dictionary

  • cathedral — [kə thē′drəl] n. [ME < OFr < LL cathedralis (ecclesia), (church) of a bishop s seat < L cathedra: see CATHEDRA] 1. the main church of a bishop s see, containing the cathedra 2. loosely any large, imposing church adj. 1. of, like, or… …   English World dictionary

  • Cathedral — Ca*the dral, n. [LL. cathedralis (sc. ecclesia): cf. F. cath[ e]drale. See {Cathedra}.] The principal church in a diocese, so called because in it the bishop has his official chair (Cathedra) or throne. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cathedral — [n] large church basilica, bishop’s seat, chancel, holy place, house of God, house of prayer, house of worship, minster, place of worship, sanctuary, temple; concepts 368,439 …   New thesaurus

  • Cathedral — This article is about the history and organisation of the cathedral. For architecture, see Main article: Cathedral architecture of Western Europe A cathedral (Lat. cathedra , seat ) is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop. It is… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”