Liturgical east and west refers to the idea that the end of a church which has the altar, for symbolic religious reasons, is traditionally on the east side of the church (to the right in a diagram). However, frequently the building cannot be built to match liturgical direction. In parish churches, liturgical directions often do not coincide with geography; even in cathedrals, liturgical and geographic directions can be in almost precise opposition (for example, at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, Seattle, liturgical east is nearly due west).