Cathedra

This article is about a bishop's throne. For the planthopper genus, see Cathedra serrata.

The cathedra of the Pope in the apse of St. John Lateran, the cathedral of Rome
Modern cathedra at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles
Cathedra (19th century) showing arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, at the Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania)

A cathedra is the raised throne of a bishop in the early Christian basilica.[1] When used with this meaning, it may also be called the bishop's throne. With time, the related term cathedral became synonymous with the "seat", or principal church, of a bishopric.[1]

The word in modern languages derives from a normal Greek word καθέδρα [kathédra], meaning "seat", with no special religious connotations, and the Latin cathedra, specifically a chair with arms.[citation needed]

It is a symbol of the bishop's teaching authority in the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion churches.[citation needed]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Brit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).