Westminster Abbey verses St Pauls Cathedral

[Stephen L Smith]

Is there any difference in constitutional status between Westminster Abbey and St Pauls Cathedral in London? I understand Kings and Queens can get married and have their funerals in both places?

 

[iainduguid]

Is there any difference in constitutional status between Westminster Abbey and St Pauls Cathedral in London? I understand Kings and Queens can get married and have their funerals in both places?

I don't think there is any difference in status. St Paul's seats more people (3500 vs 2000), so would be used for events more open to the public such as Winston Churchill's funeral, or Charles and Diana's wedding. More "private" royal events might well be at Westminster.

 

[Stephen L Smith]

I don't think there is any difference in status. St Paul's seats more people (3500 vs 2000), so would be used for events more open to the public such as Winston Churchill's funeral, or Charles and Diana's wedding. More "private" royal events might well be at Westminster.

Thank you Iain. I was wondering if there was any difference between a Cathedral and an Abbey. I assume the differnce is historical rather than status.

 

[iainduguid]

Thank you Iain. I was wondering if there was any difference between a Cathedral and an Abbey. I assume the differnce is historical rather than status.

Cathedrals have bishops (and historically in England you needed a cathedral to be a city); abbeys have monastic roots, though all of that was swept away in the reformation. So St Paul's is the cathedral of the bishop of London; Westminster Abbey has no similar status in the CofE hierarchy.

 

[Stephen L Smith]

Cathedrals have bishops (and historically in England you needed a cathedral to be a city);

Historically this was also true in some cities in my country; a former British colony.

So St Paul's is the cathedral of the bishop of London; Westminster Abbey has no similar status in the CofE hierarchy.

Yes, I am fascinated because her majesty the Queen being the head of the C of E, got crowned in the Abbey. However, though as you say it does not have a similar status in the C of E hierarchy.

 

[Tom Hart]

her majesty the Queen being the head of the C of E, got crowned in the Abbey.

Since William the Conqueror on Christmas Day 1066, all of England's monarchs have been crowned at Westminster Abbey (save Edward V and Edward VIII, both exceptional circumstances).

 

[SolaScriptura]

Just think: thanks to multiculturalism, it won’t be long before kings are crowned in Baitul Futuh Mosque!