The Cathedral Steps
The name of this imaginary Web site, The Cathedral Steps, reflects the fact that cathedrals were gathering spots for people in medieval times. A medieval cathedral -- the home church of a Christian bishop -- was a secular gathering place as well as a religious one. The inside was devoted to worship and prayer, but outside, often on the front steps, people enjoyed markets, meetings, performances, and social events. Even weddings occurred on the steps; afterward, the couple and their guests went inside for Mass.