student asking question

What's the main difference between a "church", "cathedral" and "Basilica?"

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Sometimes a "church" is considered a group of people rather than a building. When it is considered a building, it doesn't always mean a specific type of building, depending on the type of church it is. A "cathedral" is quite a large building and has a "bishop." A "basilica" is a title given to church buildings defined by their architecture, antiquity, or role as centres of worship. It's usually in reference to Ancient Roman architecture. Ex: My friend goes to church in somebody's house. Ex: We saw the cathedral 'Notre-dame de Paris' during our vacation. It was beautiful. Ex: St Peter's Basilica is a church in Vatican City and is quite well known.

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