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What is the difference between a basilica and a cathedral?

This past week my wife and I took a road trip to Pensacola, Florida to visit her uncle who was celebrating his 90th birthday. Having some free time, we visited both the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and the Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel, two miles apart in the city of Pensacola. Beth asked the question, “What is the difference between a basilica and a cathedral?”

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart



Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel

In the United States, there are 86 basilicas spread throughout the country. Historically, a basilica was a rectangular building with the width being neither greater than one-half nor less than one-third the length. At one end was the entrance with a portico, and at the other end was the apse. The apse was traditionally the place where a Roman judge or emperor would sit. In fact, it is called “basilica” for a political reason: in Greek, a basileos is a king. Thus, a basilica is the place of the sovereign, where the sovereign sits, speaks, and commands.

Christians adapted this style of public building for the place where the sacrifice of the Mass was celebrated, associated to Jesus’ own Kingship. Christ was seen as the true judge and ruler, supplanting the role of the Roman leaders.

Later the term basilica was used to identify churches of historic and spiritual importance. Usually, these churches are built in the basilica style, but the key criterion is that they are places of historic and spiritual importance. The Holy Father officially designates a church as a “basilica.” It is the highest permanent designation for a church building. Once a church is named a basilica, it cannot lose its basilica status. The three signs that a church has been named a basilica are the Ombrellino (umbrella), Tintinnabulum (Bells), and the Papal Cross Keys.

A cathedral is the chief church of a diocese and in itself is also a parish church. The bishop is technically the pastor of the cathedral parish and appoints a rector to manage its spiritual and temporal affairs. The word cathedral comes from the Latin cathedra, meaning “throne.” The cathedra represents the position and authority of the bishop, and the place where he resides in the territory of his jurisdiction. The cathedra is located within the cathedral near the altar, oftentimes in the apse. Note: a cathedral may also be a basilica.

In each diocese, there is usually only one cathedral, while there can be more than one basilica. Today, in dioceses with a very large geographical area, an additional church may be designated as a co-cathedral. Such is the case of our diocese: St. Agnes Cathedral in Springfield and the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Annunciation in Cape Girardeau.

Interestingly, the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome — the pope’s cathedral as the Bishop of Rome — is not St. Peter’s Basilica, though the pope celebrates many Masses there. Why? St. Peter’s is not technically in the Diocese of Rome. It is located in the independent state that is Vatican City. The cathedral of the Diocese of Rome is St. John Lateran. Early popes resided in the Lateran Palace next to the Basilica of St. John Lateran before the Vatican papal residence was built.

The next time you take a road trip, check Google Maps to see if there is a nearby basilica or cathedral (or catholic church) to visit. You can’t go wrong with learning a little local history or saying hello to Jesus in the Tabernacle.



Author Bio:
Deacon Dan Vaughn