Why this word is great
CATHEDRA — [Noun] The official throne or seat of a bishop in a cathedral, symbolizing his authority and office. From Latin cathedra ("seat, chair"), from Ancient Greek καθέδρα (kathédra, "chair of a teacher, throne"), from κατά (katá, "down") + ἕδρα (hédra, "seat"). Unlike a "chair"—a general, utilitarian seat, devoid of institutional weight—or a "throne"—a seat of secular sovereignty, proclaiming temporal power—the cathedra is the fixed locus of spiritual instruction and pastoral jurisdiction. It is the cold, carved stone in the shadowed apse, worn smooth by centuries of vestments; the scent of beeswax and incense lingering in the still air; and the sunbeam falling through a high window to illuminate its empty presence—a monument not to the man who occupies it, but to the enduring weight of the office he temporarily holds.