Mother Church
Preserved but no longer current.
The Church considered as the central fact, the head, the last court of appeal in all matters pertaining to conscience or religion. St. John Lateran, at Rome (see LATERAN), is known as the Mother and Head of all Churches. Also, the principal or oldest church in a country or district; the cathedral of a diocese.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Mother Church” mean?
The Church considered as the central fact, the head, the last court of appeal in all matters pertaining to conscience or religion. St. John Lateran, at Rome (see LATERAN), is known as the Mother and Head of all Churches. Also, the principal or oldest church in a country or district; the cathedral of a diocese.
Is “Mother Church” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.