Human beings have always had the need to believe in someone. A few thousand years ago, when we were still very much in contact with nature, we thought that the gods were reincarnated in the forces that governed it, whether they were animals, plants or meteorological phenomena. Later, we began to build sacred places to worship them, but it was not until the arrival of Christianity that humanity was able to contemplate some of the most wonderful architectural works.
Yes, I admit it: I am fascinated by old buildings, especially cathedrals. The arches, the large windows. Everything is reminiscent of an ancient world that I find at least curious. But I am not going to tell you only about these magnificent works, but also about the basilicas so that among other things, at the end of the post you know what is the difference between basilica and cathedral.
What is the difference between church and cathedral?
Church
Although both cathedrals and basilicas are churches, there are a number of differences that we need to be aware of:
The term "iglesia»Refers more to the congregation of the Christian faithful, while the cathedral It is the temple where the bishop has the seat or chair. They exist in all parts of the world with very varied architectural forms.
The oldest ones date back to the origin of Christianity but today modern and very original Christian temples are built.
What is the difference between basilica and cathedral?
Basilica of the Pilar
Both the basilica and the cathedral are two of the main architectural constructions of Christianity; however, they have several differences:
All the basilicas they began to be built before the Christian religion existed. They are large, very striking buildings that are used to transmit religion. On the other hand, cathedrals They are the religious buildings in which the seat or chair of the bishop takes place.
But let's look at it in more detail.
What is a basilica?
At first, the basilica is a public building used by the Greeks and Romans as a court, but since the rise of Christianity (XNUMXth century), It is a church that has obtained the honorary title of basilica by the Pope. A basilica is considered an outstanding church, due to the fact that it has developed a particular event, that many worshipers go on pilgrimage, that it contains unique relics or because of its architectural value.
In Spain we can see many really beautiful ones, such as the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia (Barcelona), that of the Cathedral of Granada, the Basilica of San Vicente (Ávila), the Basilica of San Francisco el Grande (Madrid), or the one that started to be built around 1229 and finished in 1601 in the capital of the island where I was born (Mallorca), the Cathedral-Basilica of Santa María de Palma, better known as the Cathedral of Palma or La Seu in Catalan.
Although it is not usually very common, a cathedral can also have the title of basilica, since the latter is above all an honorary and not an administrative title.
What is a cathedral?
Segovia Cathedral
A cathedral, in full term Iglesia Catedral, it is a church in which the bishop places his seat, that is to say, from where it governs a geographic and administrative region that depends on this cathedral. Therefore it is the main church on which the other churches in this region depend, hence the fact that they are normally imposing buildings and richly decorated.
They began to be built during the Middle Ages, in the beginnings of Christianity, but at that time they did not differ much from other cult temples, such as those that were dedicated to martyrs for example. But this did not last long: from the XNUMXth century, coinciding with the emergence of Gothic art, they were acquiring the characteristics that would end up defining them.
When we see a cathedral today we see a huge, imposing building, which is nevertheless a little smaller than it must have been before the Protestant Reformation (century XVI). Even so, it is one of those works that, when you see them, you don't have many doubts about what it is, regardless of whether you are a believer or not.
What is a co-cathedral?
A co-cathedral or co-cathedral It is a Christian temple with the rank of a cathedral that shares the seat or chair of the bishop with another cathedral temple. This rank is granted by the Holy See, but once it is obtained, it will have the same rights and privileges as the cathedrals.
The co-cathedral rank was created in 1953 for those buildings that were never cathedrals. Although it is a word that is not usually heard said much, they are more common than you would expect. In Spain there are several, one of the best known being the Co-Cathedral of Santa María (Mérida), the Co-Cathedral of Santa María de La Redonda (Logroño) or the Co-Cathedral of San Pedro (Soria). But we can also see them in other parts of the world, such as Canada, France, and even in some Latin American countries (Brazil, Guatemala, Venezuela and Colombia).
Has this topic been interesting to you? Do you already know what is the difference between basilica and cathedral? We hope that from now on it will be easier for you to identify the cathedrals, cathedrals and basilicas, but if you have any questions, ask 🙂.