CHURCH OF ENGLAND

the official Protestant church in England, which became independent of the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century at the time of Henry VIII . The king or queen is the Supreme Governor of the English, or Anglican Church and it is led by the Archbishop of Canterbury and governed by the General Synod of bishops, clergy and laity (= ordinary church members). England is divided into 13 000 parishes , each based around a parish church and with a vicar or rector in charge. Parishes are grouped into 43 dioceses each led by a bishop . Church of England priests are allowed to marry and members of the clergy usually wear a white circular collar, informally called a dog-collar . Services are given in English, the most important of them being Holy Communion , often just called Communion , at which people take Communion (= share bread and wine in memory of Christ). People become members of the Church at a christening ceremony, usually when they are babies. Later, when they are old enough to understand the Church’s teachings, they are confirmed and are allowed to take Communion. Many people are christened but are not confirmed and do not go to church regularly, but they use the church at important times in their lives such as when they get married or when members of their family die.