what is a cathedral student booklet.pdf

7/27/2019 what is a cathedral student booklet.pdf

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A resource bookfor teachers and

students

Schools & Families Department


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/what-is-a-cathedral-student-bookletpdf 2/22 Front Cover photograph by Graham Lacdao



ContentsIntroduction 4

What is a Cathedral? 5

The Uses of a Cathedral 6

Parts of a Cathedral:

Altar 7

Apse and Ambulatory 8

Crypt 9

Nave 10

Quire & Sanctuary 11

Side Chapels 12

Transepts 13

Objects in a Cathedral:

Cathedra 14

Chalice and Paten 15

Font 16

Lectern 17

Pulpit 18

Vestments 19

Glossary 20



Introduction

We hope you will enjoy exploring St Paul’s! St. Paul‘s Cathedral is not only the Cathedral church of theLondon diocese, but it can also be called the Nation‘sCathedral. Dominating the London skyline for hundreds ofyears, St. Paul‘s has been the scene of many importantevents. From its earliest days as the home of the Shrine ofSt. Erkenwald, people have been attracted to the site onLudgate Hill to worship God, and to see the spectacle of the

building itself. Destroyed by the Great Fire of London in1666, St. Paul‘s was rebuilt according to the radical plans ofSir Christopher Wren, and stands today as a symbol of faithand an object of beauty in the City of London.

This booklet aims to cover both the history and symbolism ofthe various parts of the Cathedral, as well as some of theobjects which can be seen during an act of worship. It

attempts to explain how these features relate to theChristian faith as practised in St. Paul‘s, but could also beused to explain key features common to all Cathedrals andmany churches.

St. Paul‘s is a Cathedral of the Church of England, part of theworldwide Anglican Communion. It is the Cathedral of theLondon Diocese, and is the seat of the Bishop of London.

About two million people visit the Cathedral every year, bothas tourists and worshippers.

With grateful thanks to Laura Arends who producedthis booklet.

Janet MarshallHead of Schools & Families Department

4



The person in charge of a Cathedral is called the Dean. Heor she is a priest, and is assisted by Canons, some priestsand some lay (not ordained) people, who make up theChapter. Since Cathedrals are also tourist attractions

today, they employ a vast range of staff, from IT toCustomer Services. St. Paul‘s employs about 150 people,making it a medium sized business as well as a place ofworship.

What is a Cathedral?

A Cathedral is the

main church in a

diocese, and

contains a ca thed ra ,

or bishop’s chair.

Every person in the country lives in aparish. Parishes usually have severalthousand parishioners, people wholive in the parish even if they don‘tgo to the church. They are under thecare of the parish priest, or

Each diocese has a large churchcalled a cat hedr al . This is wherepeople from all over the diocese cancome and worship together, usuallyon special occasions. ManyCathedrals in Britain are very old,dating from the 11th or 12th centuries, and are built on evenolder foundations.

Parishes are grouped together

under the care of a bishop. It isthe bishop‘s task to oversee therunning of all these parishes,and this large area is called adiocese. There are 43 Anglicandioceses in England.

S t . P a u l ’ s C a t h e d r a l i s t h e m a i n c h u r c h

o f t he Ang l i c an L o nd o n D i o c e s e and w as

c o mp l e t e d i n t he 17 10 . I n t he Q u i r e y o u

c an s e e s p e c i al c hai r o r c a t h e d r a o f T he

B i s h o p o f L o n d o n . H a v i n g a b i s h o p ’ s

c hai r i s w hat mak e s a C at he d r al mo r e

t han j u s t a l ar g e c hu r c h.

T he re ha s be

e n a Ca t hed r

a l o n t he

s i t e o f S t. P

a u l ’ s i n L o n

d o n s i n c e

604 A D . T h

a t mea n s t ha t

God ha s

bee n wo r s h i

p ped o n t h

e s i te,

E V E R Y DA

Y fo r o ve r f

o u r tee n

h u nd red yea r s

!

5



The Uses of a Cathedral

A Cathedral is the

main church of a

diocese., used by

Christians from all

over the area.

All Cathedrals are places to worshipGod. They hold several services

every day. St. Paul‘s has four serviceson weekdays: Mattins at 7.30am,Eucharist at 8am, Eucharist at12.30pm, and Evensong at 5pm.Anyone can come to these services.

Cathedrals will also celebratespecial days, such as Saints‘Days. During the week beforeEaster, there will be specialservices to mark the events asthey are told in the Bible.

Some organisations such asschools and charities mayhold special services inCathedrals.

On Remembrance Sunday,important people join withold soldiers to rememberpeople who died in wars.

Many Cathedrals also hold concertsand lectures. St. Paul‘s hostsHandel‘s Messiah each year inDecember, and regularly invitesfamous speakers to give lectures on

a wide range of topics.

Ca t hed ra l s a

l so ho ld se r

v ice s s uc h a s

ba p t i s m s, wed

d i ng s, a nd f

u ne ra l s o f

i m p o r t a n t p

e o p l e. S t. P a

u l ’ s C a t h e d r a

l

wa s c ho se n a s t he s i te fo r

t he f u ne ra l o

f

S i r W i n s to n

C h u rc h i l l i n 1 96 5,

a nd i n

1 9 8 1 t he wed

d i ng o f P r i nc

e C ha r le s a nd

L ad y D ia na S

pe nce r wa s a

l so co nd uc ted

a t S t. P a u l ’ s.

A Ca t hed ra l i

s p lace o f wo

r s h i p,

b u t ha s ma n y

o t he r ro le s.

S i nce

mo s t Ca t he

d r a l s a r e a l so

bea u t i f u l p lac

e s to v i s i t, to

u r i s m

i s a l so no w ve

r y i m po r ta n t,

too.

Cathedrals may holdother, importantservices when alarge building isneeded.

6



The Victorians replaced thesimple wooden altar at St. Paul‘s,in 1888, with a large, ornate one,topped with a marble screen. In1940, this altar was damaged by a

bomb and the present altar wascompleted in 1958. It is based ona design by Sir Christopher Wren.

Parts of a Cathedral: Altar

T he altar is a table

used whenChristians share

bread and wine in

the Communion.

T he J e w i s h T

e m p le u sed to

s ta nd i n J

e r u sa le m. T he

a l ta r wa s u sed to

sac r i f ice

a n i ma l s to G

od a s pa r t o f

t he i r wo r s h i p

. M a n y o f t h

e

f i r s t C h r i s t ia n

s we re J e w s.

Most Cathedrals in Britain werebuilt before the Reformation, sotheir altars tend to be quite

ornate. However, many wereattacked by Puritans during the17th Century and much of thedecoration was destroyed.

7

The idea of the altarcame from Judaism.

When the first Christiansbuilt churches, they putin altars. They brokebread on them as a re-minder of the death ofJesus, as a sacrificefor all people.

Altars reflect the beliefs ofgroups of Christians. For exam-ple, Roman Catholics see com-munion, or Mass, as the centralact of worship. The Altar in aCatholic church is highly deco-rated. It also contain relics ofsaints. Protestant Christians tend

to have a simple wooden table,often with a Bible on top, to re-flect their belief in the impor-tance of Scripture.

Quak er Chr ist ians place emphasis on quiet pr ay er . T heir alt ar is a simple t able, in t he cent r e of t he r oom.

P uri tans belie ved tha t e ver y thing

should be ver y plain and

simple so tha t

you could concen tra te on pra ying.

T he y des tro yed decora t

ions such as

s ta tues and wall pain ti

ngs.



Parts of a Cathedral: Apse and Ambulatory

Cathedrals have always been places ofpilgrimage, with a shrine to a saint. Anambulatory made it possible forpilgrims to move all around the shrine,without entering the Sanctuary, whereonly Priests could go.

T he Apse is the semi-

circular chapel behind

the H igh Altar.

T he Ambulatory is the

area which links the

North and South Aisles.

A t St . P a ul’ s, t he A mb ula t o r y r uns behind t he Quir e st alls. I t is made u p o f t w o sid e a isle s: t he De a n’ s Aisle (t o t he sout h) and t he M inor C a no n’ s A isle ( t o t he no r t h ), jo ine d by t he Apse chapel behind t he H igh Alt ar .

Behind the High Altar is a semi-circular area called the apse. This isa found in the earliest of churchbuildings. In many Cathedrals, thisarea is a chapel, often dedicated toJesus‘ mother, Mary, and known as

the Lady Chapel.

High

Altar

T h e c ha p e l i n t h e a ps e o f

S t . Pa u l ’s wa s

buil t a f ter World War 2, and is

kno wn

as the American M emorial Chapel. I t

remembers all the Nor th American

soldiers, based in B ri tain, who

died

during the Second World War.

8



Parts of a Cathedral: Crypt

Crypts were used to bury the dead.People were either buried under theground, or placed in vaults with family

members.Early Christians dug undertheir churches and putthe bodies of martyrsthere. Crypts became

important resting placesfor the relics of saints.

Later, churches were built with crypts inwhich important people could be buried.The Chapel of St. Faith in St. Paul‘s Crypt

T he word,‘crypt’ comes

from a word

meaning ‘hidden

place’. A ‘ m a

r t y r ’ i s s o m

e o n e

w ho ha s bee

n k i l led fo r

t he i r fa i t h.

was first created in the MedievalCathedral after a rebui lding

programme required the demolition ofthe Parish Church of St. Faith. It wasrebuilt by Christopher Wren. Today, itis used as a venue for the weddingsand baptisms of members of the Orderof the British Empire (OBE).

The floor was originally plain earth.Coffins were buried with a stone slab,or ledger, on top. A proper floor waslaid by the Victorians, who addedmemorials to the crypt, making it aplace to visit as much as the buildingabove. The Victorians also heated theCathedral by burning charcoal in the

crypt beneath vents in the Cathedralfloor.

‘ R e l i c s ’ a r e p h y s i c a l

r e mi nd e r s o f s ai nt s .

T he y ar e o f t e n b i t s o f b o ne , c l o t h i ng , o r p e r s o nal o b j e c t s

S t. P a u l ’ s C r y p t h a s t h

e t o m b s o f

Ne l so n a nd W

e l l i ng to n, no t ma r t y r s,

b u t g rea t me n

f ro m t he pa

s t. T oda y,

t h e C r y p t o f

S t. P a u l ’ s h o

u s e s m a n y

e s se n t ia l e l

e me n t s: t h

e W o r k s

De pa r t me n t,

m u s ic p rac t ic

e a rea s,

t he Ed uca t io

n Ce n t re, T

rea s u r y,

T o i le t s, Ca fé

a nd R e s ta u

ra n t, a nd

Co n fe re nce fa

c i l i t ie s.

9

The Duke of Wellington‘s tomb inthe Crypt of St. Paul‘s



St. Paul‘s Cathedralnave was designed to

hold thousands ofpeople. Originally,there would not havebeen seats, so it

could have held even more thantoday. Today, there are seats for 859people in the nave itself, althoughmore can be seated elsewhere in the

Cathedral.

Parts of a Cathedral: The Nave

T he nave of a Cathedral

is the main area in

which people sit during

worship.

T he w or d n a v e comes f r om L at in n a v i s a nd me a ns ‘ shi p ’ . T his may r ef er t o t he ear ly Chr ist ian idea t hat t he Chur ch w a s t he ‘ shi p o f St . P e t e r ’ .

Most churches and cathedrals arebuilt in a cross-shape. Thisreminds Christians that Jesus diedon a cross. The nave is lined bycolumns or piers and strictlyspeaking refers only to the centralaisle.

The image of the ship being heldfirmly by God despite the windsand waves, also explains the useof the ship as a symbol for thechurch which still sometimessuffers persecution in some parts

The nave was where the ordinary

people sat. The main focus ofworship was at the High Altar. Thiswas hidden from the nave by therood screen so only the choir andpriests could see.

10

T he nav e w as long so t hat t he choir and cler gy could pr ocess up it as par t of t heir ent r ance and exit .



In many older Cathedrals and churches,the Quire was separated from the rest ofthe Cathedral by a decorated roodscreen.

At St. Paul‘s, this screen was topped bythe organ. The Cathedral‘s architect, Sir

Christopher Wren disliked this as it spoilt the view down the fulllength of the building. In 1871, it was removed and the organsplit in two. It can now be seen on either side of the West end ofthe Quire.

If you look at the Quire of St. Paul‘s you willsee that the back row on each side isdivided up into stalls, and the name of the

member of the clergy who sits there iswritten in gold lettering in Latin. The frontrows are used by the choir.

Parts of a Cathedral:The Quire and Sanctuary

T he Quire is where

the choir and clergy

sit during services.

T he Sanctuary is

the area around the

H igh Altar.

A cat hedr al get s it s name f r om t he c a t h e d r a , t he b isho p ’ s c ha ir , w hic h is f ound in t he Quir e. Y ou w ill see t his is t he biggest chair .

T h e C h o i r o f S

t. P a u l ’ s C a t h

e d r a l i s

made u p o f me

n a nd bo y s. T h

e y p rac t i se

fo r t wo ho u r s

a da y a nd lead

t he se r v ice

o f E ve n so ng ea

c h e ve n i ng a t 5

p m.

11

The Sanctuary is the area around the altar which is generallynot entered, except by priests when presiding over theEucharist. It is considered a holy (separate) area surroundingthe altar. At St. Paul‘s, the Dome altar is surrounded by a

wooden dais which is considered a Sanctuary, and so access tothe Quire is from the Ambulatory.

Quire

S a n c t u a r y

S a n c t u a r y



Parts of a Cathedral: Side Chapels

Cathedrals usually have a

number of side chapels

with altars. T hey are

usually set slightly apart

from the main areas and

are often dedicated to

specific saints.

There are different kinds of

Side Chapels.

Lady Chapels remember theVirgin Mary, Jesus‘ mother. Manycathedrals have beautiful LadyChapels near the High Altar.

Saint‘s Chapels remember particularsaints. They were usually createdusing money from a rich person whoparticularly liked the saint for somereason. They will often have astatue or painting of the saint.

St . P a ul’ s d o e sn’ t ha v e a L a d y Chapel, but t her e is a st at ue of ‘ M o t he r & C hild ’ b y t he f a mo us sculpt or , H enr y M oor e. I t is in t he M ino r C a no n’ s A isle , t o t he lef t of t he H igh Alt ar .

A t S t . Pa u l ’s, t h e r e a

r e t w o

sa i n t ’s c ha p e ls: S t . D u

ns t a n ’s

and S ts. Michael and

George.

T here is also a chapel

in the

cr yp t, dedica ted to S t.

F ai th,

which is se t aside for th

e use o f

people wi th an OB E .

Military Chapels remember soldiers,sailors or airmen. They have flagsfrom the forces they serve. In St.Paul‘s you can see the MiddlesexRegiment‘s Chapel in the Northtransept.

Before the Reformation, Chantry chapelswere built by the rich as a place wherepriests would pray for their souls whenthey died. There are no chantry chapelsin St. Paul‘s, as it was built later.

S o me C hr i s t i ans b e l i e v e t hat

P u r g at o r y i s a p l ac e w he r e y o u

g o af t e r d e at h t o b e p u r i f i e d o f

y o u r s i ns b e f o r e y o u c an g o t o

he av e n. S o me C hr i s t i ans

b e l i e v e t hat s ay i ng p r ay e r s f o r a

p e r s o n ’ s s o u l w i l l h e l p t h e m t o

g e t t o he av e n mo r e q u i c k l y .

12



Parts of a Cathedral: The Transepts

T he T ransepts,

North and South, join the nave and the

quire. L inking the

transepts is an area

known as the

Cr ossi n g .

Many churches and Cathedrals are builtin a cross shape to remind Christians thatJesus died on the Cross. The North andSouth Transepts are the ‗arms‘ of thecross.

Side chapels are found inthe transepts of cathedrals.St. Paul‘s has only one sidechapel in the transepts.

The Middlesex Chapel in theNorth Transept is for privateprayer. A famous painting ofJesus, The Light of the World ,by Holman Hunt is there.

It is also often used forexhibitions

13

The CrossingNorthTransept

SouthTransept

P eo p le ca n s i t i n t he T r

a n se p t s, a nd

t he re i s u s u

a l l y a n a l ta r i n

t he

C ro s s i ng. T h i

s i s u sed w he n

t he Q u i re

a nd H ig h A l t

a r a re co n s id

e red too fa r

a wa y f ro m t h

e peo p le s i t t i

ng i n t he

Na ve.

St. Paul‘s calls The Crossing the ‗Dome Area‘ as it is directlybeneath the Dome.



Objects in a Cathedral: The Cathedra

A Cathedra is the

Bishop’s throne,found in a Cathedral.

The Cathedra is the official seat of abishop, and is what distinguishes a

Cathedral from a church, and gives itits name.

A bishop is t he ov er seer of a lar ge number of cler gy w ho w or k w it hin his ar ea, called a diocese. A C a t he d r a l is t he b isho p ’ s c hur c h

and t he main chur ch w it hin t he diocese. I t is big enough t o f it in lot s of people f or lar ge ser v ices.

When there is an importantservice, the Bishop will come tothe Cathedral and sit in the

cathedra. In the past, bishopswould also preach from thecathedra, but these days, mostbishops move to the pulpit togive their sermon.

The Cathedra in St. Paul‘s is found on

the North side of the Quire. It isbeautifully carved with cherubs, flowersand plants, the work of GrinlingGibbons, a very famous carver. It wascompleted in 1697, for Bishop Compton,and Bishop Richard Chartres, the currentBishop of London, sits there.

T he diocese o f L ondon is spli t up in to

fi ve

areas. F our o f these a

reas ha ve their o wn

bishop, who helps the B

ishop o f L ondon wi th

his du ties. T hese bisho

ps ha ve sea ts a t S t.

Pa u l ’s. I f y o u l o o k ca r e f

u l l y i n t h e Q u i r e y o u

will see the names o f the ar

eas wri t ten in

gold in the appropria te p

lace. T hese are no t,

s tric tl y speaking, c a t h e d r a .

14



Objects in a Cathedral:Chalice and Paten

T he Chalice is the

cup and the Paten

is the plate used at

H oly Communion.

Holy Communion reminds Christiansof Jesus‘ death. Before he was killed,Jesus had a meal, the Last Supper,with his disciples. During that meal,he took bread and wine and gavethem to his disciples saying that thewine was his blood and the bread washis body. Christians remember this bysharing bread and wine with eachother during some of their services.

Chalices can be made from pottery or wood, but the ones at

St. Paul‘s are gold and silver. Some even have precious stonesdecorating them. This is because people wanted to show howimportant their faith was to them. Using the best materialsdemonstrates this.

T he b r e ad u s e d d u r i ng

c o mmu ni o n c an b e f r o m an

o r d i nar y l o af . T he b r e ad at S t .

P a u l ’ s i s t h i n w a f e r s . O n t h e

s u r f ac e i s a p i c t u r e o f J e s u s o n

t he c r o s s . T hi s he l p s C hr i s t i ans

r e me mb e r t hat he d i e d f o r t he m.

W e ne v e r k no w e x ac t l y ho w many

p e o p l e w i l l c o me f o r c o mmu ni o n

s o hav i ng w af e r s i s mo r e p r ac t i c al

t hat hav e a l o af o f b r e ad .

T he chalice tha t J esus drank

from is called the H ol y Grail.

No one kno ws wha t happe

ned

to i t, bu t there are man y

s tories o f people searchi

ng for

i t.

The Paten is a small round plate.During communion the priest putsthe bread on the paten. Mostpatens are quite simple.

15



Objects in a Cathedral: The Font

T he font is a

container for holywater used when a

person is baptised

as a Christian.

Baptism is a sacrament, and is the

sign of becoming a Christian. In theChurch of England, many parentschoose to have their babies baptised.Water is placed in the font andblessed.

The priest wets his finger and draws across on the baby‘s forehead. Then he

pours water over the baby‘s head threetimes saying,

I baptise you in the name of the Father,and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.Amen.

A sa c r a me nt is ‘ a n o ut w a r d a nd v isible sign of an inw ar d and s p ir it ua l b le ssing ’ . T his me a ns it is a cer emony w hich br ings y ou closer t o God.

The water has two meanings. Firstly,it is a sign that a baptised person isspiritually clean. Secondly, it showsthat a Christian has died with Christ,and come back to life with Him.

The font is usually placed near thedoor, as a symbol of entry to the

Christian faith. The font at St.Paul‘s is made from Italian marble.

B a p t i s m i s a l

so ca l led

C h r i s te n i ng,

a nd i s t he t i me

w he n a ba b y i

s g i ve n h i s o r

he r Chr i st i an ( f i r s

t ) na me.

16



Objects in a Cathedral: Lectern

T he lectern is a

special desk from

which the B ible isr ea d d u r i n g

services.

Christians call the Bible―The Word of God‖ It

contains teachings andaccounts of God‘s dealingswith people.

Short passages from the Old Testament and theNew Testament are read aloud during a service.A talk or sermon is usually given which explains

some of the themes contained in the readings.

The Bibles in churches are often very large andheavy. To make it easier to read it is placed ona reading desk, or lectern. Many lecterns areshaped like eagles. The Bible is placed on theoutstretched wings of the eagle.

T he B ible w as w r it t en ov er t housands of y ear s, and by many dif f er ent people. I t is div ided int o t w o sect ions. T he Old T est ament , t ells t he hist or y of t he J ew ish people. T he New T est ament cont ains t he lif e of J esus and t he hist or y of t he ear ly Chr ist ians.

There idea is that the words of God arecarried all over the world by the wingsof the eagle and everyone can hearthem. Also, an eagle is a traditionalsymbol of the Gospel of John, one ofthe books of the New Testament. TheLectern at St. Paul‘s Cathedral is a verylarge eagle.

T he B i b le i s

ac t ua l l y a

co l lec t io n o f 66

boo k s: 3 9 i n

t he O ld T e s

ta me n t a nd 2

7 i n

t he Ne w T e s

ta me n t. T he

y co ve r a w h

o le

ra nge o f d i f f

e re n t k i nd s o

f l i te ra t u re f r

o m

poe t r y to h i s

to r y, a nd f ro m

le t te r s to

p ro p hec y. I t

i s mo s t l y w r

i t te n i n H e b

re w

a nd G ree k,

b u t ha s bee n

t ra n s la ted

i n to

nea r l y a l l t he

la ng uage s o f t

he wo r ld.

Some Christians think that the

B ible is a bit unclear and that you

need to interpret it in order to

understand how its teachings can be

put into practice in the modern

world. Other Christians think it is

perfectly clear and you must take

what it says literally, no matter how

difficult it might sound.

17



To help them learn about their faith,Christians have a sermon, or talk, as part of

their worship. Sermons can help Christiansunderstand the Bible, and can give themideas about how to behave, or think.

Objects in a Cathedral: The Pulpit

A pulpit is a stand,

raised above the

level of the people. A

priest will preach a

sermon from there.

With the reading of the Bible, the

sermon is a central part of aProtestant service. A sermon canbe a few short comments, or last 1-1½ hours, depending on the typeof church and the skill of thespeaker.

P ulpi t s ar e of t en r ichly decor at ed w it h scenes f r om t he bible. P r ot est ant s place a lot of emphasis on pr eaching, so t he pulpit s in t heir chur ches ar e easy t o f ind.

The first pulpit at St. Paul‘s was a

simple wooden one. Later, twoother pulpits were designed andused. The pulpit you can see todaywas designed and made in the20th century. It was presented toc o m m e m o r a t e t h e 2 5 0 t h anniversary of the completion ofthe Cathedral. You can see it is

carved with cherubs blowingtrumpets and holding flowers.

T he p ul p it a t St . P a ul’ s ha s a r o o f o r canopy . B ef or e t he day s of micr ophones, t he pr eacher had t o speak v er y loudly in or der t o be hear d. T he canopy r ef lect ed his v oice back int o t he nav e and st opped it get t ing lost up in t he high dome.

18

One of the Cherubs on the pulpit at

St. Paul’s



Objects in a Cathedral: VestmentsVestments are the

special clothes worn

by members of theclergy. T hey have

symbolic meanings.

If you visit a Cathedral, you may see somepeople dressed in rather unusual clothes.

Members of the clergy, and some staff wherespecial clothing, or vestments for services.

A dog collar is meant to look like theiron band worn by slaves, by whichthey were chained together. A priestwill wear it to show that he is theservant of God.

Mitre—Worn by a bishop, this hat ismade of two triangles, which aremeant to look like flames. Flames area symbol of the Holy Spirit who gives

Cope—Worn by any member of theclergy for formal processions. This isa semi-circular cloak, embroideredand coloured to match the liturgicalseason.

Underneath the alb isa cassock—this is along, tunic worn bypriests and virgers aspart of their everydaydress. It is black andIt has thirty nine

buttons. A bishopwears a purplecassock.

T he bu t tons s tand for th

e T hir t y-

nine Ar ticles o f fai th s ta

ted b y the

Church o f E ngland.

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Alb– this is a long white tunic, with ahood, which is worn when HolyCommunion is celebrated. It is wornwith a white rope, or cincture, roundthe waist.

Stole—this started out as a simple cloth, usedby priests to wipe the chalice and paten atcommunion. It is now part of the vestmentsworn for services.



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Glossary

A

Alb—

White robe worn for celebrating the Eucharist. Symbolises purityAltar—Table at the front of the church used to celebrate the Holy Communion.Ambulatory—Historically, the area used by pilgrims to move around a shrine. Nowrefers to a passage that runs around and behind the High Altar.Apse—Semi-circular area, often a chapel, at the East end of a church.

BBaptism—Sacrament (symbolic ceremony) marking entry into the Christian faith.Bible—Christian holy book. Refers to a collection on 66 separate books gatheredtogether over many centuries. Often referred to as ‗The Word of God‘.

Bishop—

Priest with authority over the people of a diocese.

CCanon—Priest who is part of the leadership team of a Cathedral.Cassock—Full-length black robe usually worn by a priest or verger. Bishops wear apurple cassock.Cathedra—Bishop‘s chair. Cathedral—Main church of a diocese.Chantry Chapel—Historically, a chapel established to pray for the souls of the

dead.Chalice—Cup used to distribute wine at communion.Chapel—Small ‗church within a church‘. Christening—See Baptism.Church of England—The denomination of Christianity which was formed in 1534when Henry VIII made himself Supreme Head of the Church in England.Communion—Holy Communion. A sacrament (symbolic ceremony) in which breadand wine are blessed and shared a reminder of Jesus‘ body and blood sacrificed onthe cross.

Cope—Long, semi-circular robe worn by priests when processing.Crossing—Area which links the North and South transepts, and forms the ‗arms‘ ofthe cross of a cruciform (cross-shaped) church.Crosier—Bishop‘s staff, shaped like a crook as a symbol that he is a shepherd tohis people.Crypt—Area beneath the church traditionally used for burials.

DDean—Priest in charge of a Cathedral.Denomination—Branch of Christianity e.g. Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant

etc.Dog collar—White band worn around the neck by a priest.Diocese—Area of the country under the authority of a bishop.



EEucharist— ‗Thanksgiving‘. Generally refers to a service which includes thecelebration of Holy Communion.Evensong—Service in the late afternoon.

FFont—Large container of holy water used to baptise babies. Usually found bythe entrance to a church as a symbol that baptism is the entry to the Christianfaith.

GGospel— ‗Good news‘. One of four books which tell of the life and teaching of Jesus.

Part of the Bible.

H

Holy—Special, or set apart for a particular spiritual purpose.LLady Chapel—Chapel dedicated to Mary, the Mother of Jesus.Lectern—Desk, often in the shape of an eagle, from which the Bible is readduring a service.Ledger—Stone set in the church or crypt floor recording the details of who isburied beneath.

MMartyr—Someone who is killed for their faith.Mary—The name of several female followers of Jesus, most notably his mother.Mass—Service containing the celebration of Holy Communion. Term is moreusually used by Roman CatholicsMattins—Morning service. Can be ‗said‘ or ‗sung‘ by the choir. Mitre—Hat worn by a bishopMinor Canon—One of a group of priests (three at St. Paul‘s) who areresponsible for organising all the services

N Nave—The long part of the Cathedral where most people sit.

OOrder of the British Empire—Order of Chivalry created to reward people whohave done great service to any nation where the Queen is Head of State.Organ—Wind instrument play by a keyboard commonly found in churches forleading the singing during worship.

PParish—Local area allocated to the care of a particular church.Parishioners— Anyone who lives within the parish.Paten—Small plate used to carry the bread at Holy Communion.

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Plate—Name sometimes used to refer to the gold and silver items used at HolyCommunion.Pilgrimage—A significant journey made for a religious reason.Pulpit—Small raised platform used by the priest when preaching.Purgatory—A place of purification after death, between Hell and Heaven. Not

all Christians believe in the existence of Purgatory.

QQuire—Area at the East End of the Cathedral where the choir sit to leadworship.

RRelic—a physical memento of a dead saint, perhaps a bone or fragment ofclothing.Reformation—Movement to reform the Catholic Church which began in 1517,

although its roots can be found much earlier.Rood Screen—Screen separating the Nave from the Quire in many churches andCathedrals. Rood comes from an old word for cross and screens were oftendecorated with images if Jesus‘ crucifixion.

SSacrament—‗The outward and visible sign of an inward, spiritual blessing.‘ Oneof a number of ceremonies which bring God‘s particular blessing. They includeHoly Communion and Baptism.

Saint—A Christian whose life and/or death was so remarkable that they arehonoured as particularly holy people. Many have a particular day of the year onwhich a service is held to remember them e.g. St. Luke‘s Day is October 18th. Sanctuary—area around the altar which is reserved as a holy space.Sermon—Talk given during a service.Shrine—Place of pilgrimage which has a particular connection to a saint. MostBritish Cathedrals had shrines before the Reformation.Stole—Long cloth worn around the neck by a priest.

TTemple—The Jewish Temple in Jerusalem was first built by King Solomon,approximately 3000 years ago, and rebuilt five hundred years later. Jesusworshipped in the Temple, but it was destroyed by the Romans in 70AD.Transept—The ‗arms‘ of a cruciform church, referred to as North and Southrespectively.Testament—‗Promise‘. Refers to the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. Thirty-nine Articles—Statements of belief which define the Church of England.

VVirgers— Team of people responsible for ensuring the services run smoothly.

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Documents

what is a cathedral student booklet.pdf