Cathedral

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The chief church of a diocese, in which the bishop has his throne (cathedra) and close to which is his residence; it is, properly speaking, the bishop's church, wherein he presides, teaches, and conducts worship for the whole Christian community. The word is derived from the Greek kathedra through the Latin cathedra, throne, elevated seat. In early ecclesiastical literature it always conveyed the idea of authority. Christ Himself spoke of the scribes and Pharisees as seated on the chair of Moses (Matthew 23:2), and it suffices to recall the two feasts of the Chair of St. Peter (at Antioch and Rome) to show that, in the language of the Fathers as well as among the monuments of antiquity, the cathedra was the principal symbol of authority. (Martigny, Dict. des antiq. chrét., Paris, 1877, s.v. Chaire) In the Latin Church the official name is ecclesia cathedralis; nevertheless, this expression is not wholly identical with that of ecclesia episcopalis, also an official title, which indicates the church of one who is only a bishop, while the churches of the higher-ranking prelates take their names from the dignity of their incumbents; ecclesiae archiepiscopalis, metropolitanae, primatialis, patriarchalis. In the East the word cathedral does not exist, the episcopal church being known simply as "the church" or "the great church". (L. Clugnet, Dictionnaire grec-français des noms liturgiques en usage dans l'Eglise-grecque, Paris, 1895, s.v. Ekklesia). What seems to predominate is the name of the city; at the consecration of a bishop it is simply said that he is destined for the church of God in a given city. In popular usage the cathedral is variously named. In France, England, and English-speaking countries the word cathedral is general; occasionally it gives way to the expression, metropolitan church (la metropole). In Lyons it is known as the primatial church, in reference to the special dignity of the archbishop. In Spain it is called la seo or la seu (the see). In one instance the city itself is thus known, Urgel being called la seo d'Urgel or simply la seo. In Italy the cathedral is called il duomo, and in some parts of Germany, especially in the ecclesiastical province of Cologne, der Dom (whence the German term Domherr, canon), the episcopal church being looked on as preeminently the house of god or of the saint of whom it was named (DuCange, Glossar., med. et inf. latin., s.v.v. Ecclesia, domo, and domus). At Strasburg and elsewhere in Germany the cathedral is called Münster (monasterium), because some cathedrals were served by monks, or, rather, were the abode of canons living in community, the church being thus converted into a sort of monastery, especially where the reform of St. Chrodegang (d. 766) had been adopted. (DuCange, Glossar., s.v. Monasterium). Medieval documents and writers offer other names for the cathedral church. The following are found in the above mentioned work of Du Cange (s.v. Ecclesia): ecclesia major, ecclesia mater, ecclesia principalis, ecclesia senior, more frequently ecclesia matrix. The last appellation was current in Northern Africa (Fulgentius Ferrandus, Breviatio canonum, nos. 11. 17, 38, in Migne, P.L., LXVII, 950) and has been consecrated y the canon law; Innocent III says quite explicitly (e. Venerabili, 12, de verb. signif.): Per matricem ecclesiam cathedralem intelligi volumus.

Hence the juridical character or standing of the cathedral does not depend on the form, dimensions, or magnificence of the edifice, since, without undergoing any change a church may become a cathedral, especially when a new diocese is founded. What properly constitutes a cathedral is its assignment by competent authority as the residence of the bishop in his hierarchical capacity, and the principal church of a diocese is naturally best adapted to this purpose. Such official designation is known as canonical erection and necessarily accompanies the formation of a new diocese. At present, and for a long time past, new dioceses are formed by a division (dismembratio) of older ones. Erection and division being what are known in canon law as important affairs (causae majores) are reserved to the sovereign pontiff, and the erection of cathedrals likewise belongs to him. Very often the Apostolic Letters by which a new diocese is created expressly designate the cathedral church; again, however (and such is usual in the United States), the episcopal city being named the bishop is left free to select his church (III Conc. Balt., n.35). The transfer of a cathedral can occur in two ways:

First, the episcopal residence may be moved from one city to another within the same diocese, in which event the cathedral also would have to be changed; such a transfer would require the intervention of the Holy See, since it created the diocese and assigned the bishop to his first residence.
Second, the cathedral may be transferred from one church to another within the same city, either to a church already in use or to one built specially for the purpose. As the mere act of rebuilding does not necessitate the removal to another city and hence a change of episcopal title, this second kind of transfer requires no papal authorization. The consent of the bishop and the clergy of the cathedral would therefor