Everything Has Changed

The carriage stopped in front of an imposing cathedral that rivaled the imperial palace. 

There was actually an issue before when it was being built, as people thought it was disrespectful to the crown for a church to be constructed like a castle. It almost got discontinued, but the emperor at that time, the first monarch, permitted the construction of the cathedral despite the concerns of the majority. 

He even said to build something befitting of the gods, one that they would like. He doesn't care whether it will look grander than the palace. The grander it is, the better.

I've read somewhere that the first monarch was really devoted to his god, so maybe that is the reason why he's so supportive of it. He even requested to build a temple specifically for them within the cathedral grounds.