The first Christians in the era of Ancient Rome gathered in underground shelters (catacombs), where they also arranged primitive prayer rooms. Subsequently, when Christianity ceased to be persecuted and became the dominant religion, the need for such precautions disappeared. For the administration of religious rites, temples began to be built. Their size and decoration depended on many reasons: economic, political, social. It is not uncommon for the construction to take a very long time.
Instructions
Step 1
From the point of view of religion, any consecrated temple, up to the most modest roadside chapel, is equally dear and pleasing to God. Nevertheless, an unspoken "table of ranks" operates here as well. If the temple for some reason has a special status, then it can be awarded the title of the cathedral. Well, if it is in this church that the bishop - the head of the local administrative-territorial unit (diocese), for whom a special place of honor - the pulpit - is performing church services, such a council is called “cathedral”.
Step 2
Formally, the bishop can choose as his residence any temple at his discretion, even the most ordinary, unremarkable. However, since the very status of a cathedral automatically implies that a large number of people will be in it during services, bishops usually opted for the most spacious and stately buildings. Many of them are real masterpieces of architecture, historical monuments that still attract a huge number of not only believers, but also lay people, tourists from all over the Earth.
Step 3
Most of the cathedrals in Western Europe were built in the Gothic style. Perhaps the most famous of them, glorified in many books and films, is Notre Dame de Paris - Notre Dame Cathedral. Another French cathedral is amazingly beautiful - Notre Dame de Reims, where the coronations of the kings of France took place in the Middle Ages. The magnificent cathedral in Florence is Santa Maria del Fiore. Contrary to popular belief, the most "important" Catholic Cathedral - St. Peter's in Rome - is not a cathedral. That does not in any way reduce the number of visitors who want to see this miracle.
Step 4
In Russia, many cathedrals have the status of a cathedral. For example, in Moscow - the famous Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Epiphany - the residence of the Patriarch. In St. Petersburg - Kazan Cathedral, the creation of the architect Voronikhin. In Novgorod the Great - St. Sophia Cathedral. Most of the Russian cathedrals were built in accordance with Byzantine traditions, in stricter, sustained colors, but also magnificent.
