Why is it called a "see"? As in Holy See

[Big_Ro]

This may not be the right place for this but it’s a start. I kind of get it but would appreciate an explanation historical or otherwise. Brevity would be appreciated. I can’t see how this thread could start an argument, but people on this forum are creative. You’ll figure it out.

 

[LilyM]

‘See’ comes from the word for ‘seat’ (as in a bishop’s chair, a symbol of his power as a throne is for a King or Queen).

I think it’s ultimately from Latin (‘sedem’) - though Latin also gives us ‘cathedra’ (throne) from where we get the word ‘cathedral’.

 

[IrishAm]

A see is the seat within a bishop’s diocese where his cathedral is located. The “Holy See” (Sancta Sedes, in Latin). According to our friends at Wikipedia

While all episcopal sees are “holy”, the expression “the Holy See” (without further specification) is normally used in international relations, as a metonym, (as well as in the canon law of the Catholic Church)[2] to refer to the See of Rome viewed as the central government of the Catholic Church.

 

[Big_Ro]

Well, it’s not exactly what I thought, but makes a lot of sense. It’s essentially derived from a latin phrase. Shoulda guessed. Thanks so much.

 

[bpbasilphx]

In German, it’s called the “Heilege Stuele” (cf “stool”), meaning the same thing.