A Cathedral is the home church for the bishop or archbishop within his diocese,
and a Basilica is the highest title given to a church by the pope. The word “cathedral”
comes from the Latin “cathedra” meaning “seat” and refers to the official seat of the
bishop within his diocese. There are two types of basilicas, major and minor. There are
only 4 major basilicas in the world, all located in Rome: St. John Lateran, St. Peter’s,
St. Paul Outside the Walls, and St. Mary Major. All other basilicas are considered minor,
and often receive this designation due to their historical or architectural significance.
Being named a basilica gives a church special privileges, namely international recognition
and the ability to designate its high altar for service of the pope or cardinals.