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I am doing a project on school; a research essay on the construction of all
cathedrals in general. I was kind of hoping if you (you people) could help
me on a question I have difficulty answering. In which types of places can a
cathedral be built in and why? Thank you. |
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Cathedral Church is so named because it is the building in which the bishop
has his ‘cathedra’ or Chair. The presence of the ‘cathedra’ and the presence
of the person of the bishop defines the Cathedral Church. To answer the question where in the Roman Catholic Church such a Cathedral Church might be located is dependent upon a number of factors. Generally, the universal church throughout the world is divided into convenient areas for pastoral care and administration. Such an area is called a diocese. For example to take the City of Rome whose bishop is the Bishop of Rome (and incidentally the Pope). It is in the Cathedal Church of the St John’s Lateran that the bishop of Rome has his Cathedra. It is there that he gathers with the priests and people of the diocese of Rome to celebrate the liturgy and other events. In the Diocese of Clifton, Bishop Declan Lang as Bishop of Clifton has his ‘cathedra’ in the Cathedral Church of Saints Peter and Paul at Clifton in Bristol UK. The Diocese of Clifton covers the civil areas of administration of Bristol, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. ( including Bath & North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and one or two other civil admin areas.) The people of the diocese assemble with their bishop and priests in the Cathedral for major celebrations, and when they do so Church of Clifton is manifest and united in Communion. Clearly the decision about where to place the diocese, may depend upon the number of Catholics living in an area, the ease of communications, the ability to support the diocesan people and financial organisation, the practical ability of the bishop of that church to travel around and minister to the faithful and priests of the diocesan area. You can visit the Cathedral website www.cliftoncathedral.org.uk and on the sidebar menu discover both pictures and text which relate to the ‘cathedra’ and the diocese. I hope that the coursework goes well! Peter Harrison Clifton Cathedral Guides E-mail : fisherpeteruk@yahoo.co.uk www.cliftoncathedral.org.uk |