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Bishop's Chair
Behind the altar is the Bishop's Chair, or cathedra. This is a
distinctive feature of a cathedral, and is in fact the only thing that marks
this church as different from the other parish churches of the diocese. It is
from this chair that the Bishop presides as our spiritual father and chief
pastor. When the Bishop is not present, a crosier remains by the chair as
a symbol of his Episcopal authority. The
sanctuary area in front of the Bishop's chair has ample space for the large
numbers of participating concelebrants in the many special ceremonies in the
Cathedral and can accommodate up to one hundred fifty people.
The chair bears Bishop Murphy's Coat
of Arms with the motto "No Other Name". This
refers to a remark made by St. Peter: "There is no other name under heaven
given among men by which we can be saved." (Acts 4:12)
Click Here
for an explanation of Bishop Murphy's Coat of Arms. The
Coat of Arms of Bishops Kellenberg,
McGann
and McHugh
can be found on the archways on either side of the main altar. |
