Why Washington's "National Cathedral" Isn't: A Matter of Dioceses and Definitions

The majestic Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, perched atop Mount St. Alban in Washington D.C., is often referred to as the "Washington National Cathedral." While its grandeur certainly lends itself to such a title, the reality is far more nuanced, and frankly, more diocesan.

Let's cut to the core: there is no such thing as a "national cathedral" in the way many people assume. To understand why, we need to understand what a cathedral is. A cathedral is the seat of a bishop within a diocese. Notre-Dame in Paris is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Paris, St. Paul's in London is the cathedral of the Diocese of London. These are diocesan, not national, landmarks.

The Washington Cathedral, despite its grand name, is the seat of the Episcopal Bishop of Washington and the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States. However, the Presiding Bishop is not a "national bishop," and the Episcopal Church is not the "national church." The United States, like most countries, does not have a national diocese.

Therefore, calling it the "national cathedral" is a misnomer, a piece of "Washingtonian hyperbole," as some might say. It’s a bit like calling a particularly large and important public library the "national library" simply because it's in the capital.

This mislabeling is only one piece of a larger issue. The Washington Cathedral, like some Anglican cathedrals in the UK, has increasingly become an "event space." Corporate holiday parties, complete with light shows, dance floors, and bars, have transformed the sacred nave into a secular venue. This commercialization raises serious questions about the respect for sacred space and the purpose of a cathedral.

This secularization of what is called a "national cathedral" highlights a deeper absence: the lack of a strong synthesis between culture, society, and the Church, a synthesis once embodied by the great cathedrals of the past.

As Pope Benedict XVI eloquently stated in a homily at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, the beauty of a cathedral, and of the Church itself, is best understood "from the inside." He used the analogy of stained-glass windows: from the outside, they appear dark and dreary, but from the inside, they are vibrant and luminous.

The unity of a cathedral, like the unity of the Church, is a dynamic tension, a harmonious interplay of diverse elements pointing toward Heaven. We, as members of the Church, are called to invite others "inside," to experience the radiant beauty of God's presence.

A true cathedral, functioning as intended, serves as a powerful call to evangelization. It's a reminder of our spiritual heritage and an invitation to participate in the life of grace. The Washington Cathedral, by blurring the lines between sacred and secular, risks losing this essential function.

Ultimately, the issue isn't simply about semantics. It's about understanding the true purpose of a cathedral and preserving its sacred character in a world increasingly dominated by secular values.