What makes a Cathedral?

Did you know that St. Peter's Basilica in Rome is not a cathedral, but a shrine? Just what makes a church a cathedral, anyway? Find out the answers, plus beautiful photographs and drawings and detailed histories of California's cathedrals at the blogging project by author and Roman Catholic deacon Eric Stoltz and Los Angeles photographer Francesco Curá, "Cathedrals of California." The duo set out to document the state's 36 identified cathedrals in a "virtual pilgrimage," and the blog so far contains entries on 25 of them. These include the largest and the oldest Roman Catholic cathedrals in the U.S., both of which are located in California. The site also provides maps, trivia and a list of former cathedrals and "almost cathedrals."