Cathedral

A Christian church that serves as the official seat of a bishop. Its status comes from the bishop’s chair, called a cathedra, rather than from its size or architectural style.

Cathedra: A bishop’s ceremonial chair, which symbolizes his teaching and governing authority. The cathedra is the defining object from which a cathedral takes its name.
Nave: The central part of a church, extending from the entrance toward the crossing or sanctuary. The nave accommodates the congregation during services in a cathedral.
Early Christianity: The Christian movement from its beginnings in the first century through the early centuries of the Roman Empire. The episcopal offices and worship traditions that shaped cathedrals formed in early Christianity.
Chartres Cathedral: A Gothic cathedral in Chartres, France, renowned for its sculpture and stained glass. Chartres preserves an unusually rich ensemble of medieval stained glass.
Parish church: A church serving a local congregation within a parish. A parish church serves a local community; cathedral status depends on the bishop’s seat.
Diocese: A territorial district of a Christian church under the care of a bishop. A cathedral serves as the bishop’s church within the diocese.
Choir (architecture): The part of a church near the altar where clergy and singers traditionally sit. Cathedral clergy and singers often perform the daily offices in the choir.
Basilica: A large public building type in ancient Rome, later adapted for Christian worship. Early Christian churches often adopted the basilica’s spacious plan for congregational worship.
Notre-Dame de Paris: A medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité in Paris. Its construction and restoration illustrate the changing fortunes of a major urban cathedral.
Minster: An honorific title for certain churches, especially in England, without a single universal institutional meaning. A minster may be prominent without serving as a bishop’s cathedral.

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