What is the difference between the Westminster Abbey and the cathedral?
What is the difference between the Westminster Abbey and the cathedral? Westminster Abbey is an Anglican Church. Westminster Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Church, situated about 400 m (437 yd) west of the Abbey. The Cathedral site was reclaimed by the Benedictine monks who were the builders of Westminster Abbey and used as a market.
Who is buried inside Westminster Abbey?
Around 3,330 people are buried at the abbey, among them some of the great figures of British history. They include Charles Dickens, Geoffrey Chaucer, Samuel Johnson, Rudyard Kipling, Alfred Tennyson, Henry Purcell, William Wilberforce, Laurence Olivier, Thomas Hardy and eight prime ministers.
What is the difference between an abbey and a cathedral?
An abbey is a monastery wherein which monks and/or nuns live, work, and worship. The word abbey derives from the Latin word which means father, abbatia. Most abbeys are comprised of various buildings used by the inhabitants. A cathedral is a principal church of a regional diocese and is a place where people worship.
Why is Westminster an abbey not a church?
Although it is named Westminster Abbey, the church isn't officially an abbey. It falls into the category of 'Royal Peculiar' because instead of belonging to the Church of England, it belongs to the Sovereign. Its official name is the Collegiate Church of St. Peter.
What is so special about Westminster Abbey?
Westminster Abbey is perhaps the most famous church in the UK noted for its royal weddings, coronations, and burials. With a long and varied history, the Abbey has functioned as a working religious site for nearly 1000 years. What began as Benedictine Monastery, has become one of the most popular London attractions.