The Medieval Church at its Height 479) bishop of Rome, the suecessor of the chief of the apostles. Their insignia of office, the miter and crosier, are familiar to every one.^ Each bishop had his especial church, which was called a cathedral, and usually surpassed the other churches of the diocese in size and beauty. Fig. 175. Canterbury Cathedral The bishop's church was called a cathedral, because in it stood the bishop's chair, or throne (Latin cathedra). It was therefore much more imposing ordinarily than the parish churches, although sometinies the abbey churches belonging to rich monasteries vied with the bishop's church in beauty (see below, section 89) In addition to the oversight of his diocese, it was the bishop's The bishop's business to look after the lands and other possessions which duTier^ belonged to the bishopric. Lastly, the bishop was usually a feudal lord, with the obligations which that implied. He might have vassals and subvassals, and often was himself a vassal, not only of the king but also of some neighboring lord. 1 The headpiece of this chapter represents an English bishop ordaining a priest and is taken from a manuscript of Henry IPs time. The bishop is wearing his miter and holds his pastoral staff, the crosier, in his left hand while he raises his right, in blessing, over the priest's head.
