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An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat (in Latin, sedes) of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral.^[1] The seat is also called the bishop's throne, especially in the Eastern Orthodox Church.^[2]

The term is also used of the town or place where the cathedral is located,^[1] giving rise to expressions such as "the episcopal see of Gibraltar".^[3]

The bishop's seat is the earliest symbol of bishop's authority,^[1] and the word "see" is thus often applied to the area over which the bishop exercises authority. This usually corresponds to a diocese, as in the expression "within the see of Ebbsfleet"^[4] and "built within the see of the bishop of Worcester".^[5] But it is sometimes given a wider significance, referring for instance to an area under patriarchal authority.^[6]

A particular episcopal see is the Holy See, presided over by the Bishop of Rome.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Oxford University Press 2005, ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3), s.v. see
^ For instance, Communiqué of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
^ Hansard report
^ The Lay Council and Congress of the See of Ebbsfleet
^ Priory of Little Malvern
^ Christianity in Crete (to 827)

[ODCC-0] The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Oxford University Press 2005, ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3), s.v. see

[1] For instance, Communiqué of the Ecumenical Patriarchate

[2] Hansard report

[3] The Lay Council and Congress of the See of Ebbsfleet

[4] Priory of Little Malvern

[5] Christianity in Crete (to 827)

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