Arms of the Archbishop of Canterbury

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop of the state Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion, outranking the other English archbishop, the Archbishop of York. His episcopal see is the Diocese of Canterbury and his episcopal chair ('cathedra') is at Canterbury Cathedral. He functions as the Metropolitan of the Province of Canterbury and as the Primate of All England. His see is considered one of the "five great sees," the others being York, London, Durham and Winchester. His diocese covers Eastern Kent. Like the incumbents of the other "great sees," the Archbishop of Canterbury is, ex officio, a member of the House of Lords. A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who holds a specific position of authority in any of a number of Christian churches. ... See also civil religion. ... The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... The Anglican Communion is a world-wide organisation of Anglican Churches. ... The Archbishop of York, Primate of England, is the metropolitan of the Province of York, and is the junior of the two archbishops of the Church of England, after the Archbishop of Canterbury. ... A see (from the Latin word sedem, meaning seat) is the throne (cathedra) of a bishop. ... Canterbury Cathedral, N.W., ca. ... In hierarchical Christian churches, the rank of metropolitan bishop, whose incumbent is usually called simply a metropolitan, appertains to the bishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of an old Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital. ... A primate in the Western Church is an archbishop or bishop who has authority not just over the bishops of his own province, as a Metropolitan does, but over a number of provinces, such as a national church. ... The current Bishop of London is Richard John Carew Chartres, who is the 132nd Bishop, and was installed on January 26, 1996. ... Arms of the Bishop of Durham The Bishop of Durham is the officer of the Church of England responsible for the diocese of Durham, one of the oldest in the country. ... The diocese of Winchester is one of the oldest and most important in England. ... Kent is a county in England, south-east of London. ... This article is about the British House of Lords. ...

Since Henry VIII broke with Rome the Archbishops of Canterbury have been selected by the English (latterly British) monarch. These days the choice is made in his or her name by the prime minister, from a shortlist of two selected by a committee of clergy and laity. Henry VIII King of England and Ireland by Hans Holbein the Younger His Grace King Henry VIII (28 June 1491–28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) from 22 April 1509 until his death. ... Location within Italy The Roman Colosseum Rome (Italian and Latin: Roma) is the capital city of Italy and of its Latium region. ... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ...

The current Archbishop of Canterbury, the 104th, is the Most Reverend Rowan Douglas Williams, previously Archbishop of Wales. Dr Williams succeeded Dr George Leonard Carey in 2003. In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated bishop heading a diocese of particular importance due to either its size, history, or both, called an archdiocese. ... The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Rowan Douglas Williams, FBA, (born 14 June 1950) is the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, a theologian, poet and lecturer. ... The Province of Wales in the Anglican Communion was created in 1920, as the Church in Wales, independent from the Church of England (of which the four Welsh dioceses had previously been part). ... The Right Reverend and Right Honourable George Leonard Carey, Baron Carey of Clifton, PC (born 13 November 1935), was the 103rd Archbishop of Canterbury, from 1991 to 2002. ...

History

The first Archbishop of Canterbury was Saint Augustine who arrived in Kent in 597. He was appointed by King Ethelbert, on his conversion to Christianity, about the year 598. Since then the Archbishops of Canterbury have been referred to as occupying the Chair of St Augustine. Augustine of Canterbury (birth unknown, died May 26, 604 (traditional) or 605 (Thorn)) was the first Archbishop of Canterbury, sent to Ethelbert of Kent, Bretwalda of England by Pope Gregory the Great in 597. ... Kent is a county in England, south-east of London. ... Events Saint Augustine is created Archbishop of Canterbury. ... Ethelbert (or Æthelbert) (c. ... Events Aethelfrith of Northumbria possibly defeats the northern British in a major battle at Catraeth. ... Augustine of Canterbury (birth unknown, died May 26, 604 (traditional) or 605 (Thorn)) was the first Archbishop of Canterbury, sent to Ethelbert of Kent, Bretwalda of England by Pope Gregory the Great in 597. ...

Before the break with Papal authority in the 16th Century the Church of England could also be understood as being part of the Roman Catholic Church. As an established national church it still considers itself part of the broader Western Catholic tradition and also the 'Mother Church' of the international Anglican Communion. The Roman Catholic Church is the largest religious denomination of Christianity with over one billion members. ...

Before the invasion of England by the Saxons, the Christian Britons had three Archbishops, seated in London, York, and Caerleon, an ancient city of South Wales. The Archbishop of London became extinct when the Britons were driven out of eastern and southern Great Britain. When Pope Gregory the Great sent Augustine to convert the Saxons, the archbishopric was located at Canterbury, which was the capital of the Kingdom of Kent. King Ethelbert was baptised at Canterbury, and embraced the doctrines of Christianity before the rest of the Heptarchy. The Archbishopic of Caerleon was relocated to St David's in Pembrokeshire, and was later absorbed into the See of Canterbury. This article is about the Saxons, a Germanic people. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... York is a city in Northern England, built at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss. ... Caerleon is a village situated on the river Usk on the northern outskirts of Newport. ... Saint Gregory I, or Gregory the Great (called the Dialogist in Eastern Orthodoxy) (circa 540 - March 12, 604) was pope of the Catholic Church from September 3, 590 until his death. ... The Kingdom of Kent was a kingdom of Jutes in southeast England, one of the seven traditional kingdoms of the so-called Anglo-Saxon heptarchy. ... A map showing the general locations of the Anglo-Saxon peoples around the year 600. ... St Davids ( Welsh: Tŷddewi) is the smallest city in the United Kingdom, with a population of under 2,000 people. ... Pembrokeshire (Welsh: Sir Benfro) is a county in the southwest of Wales in the United Kingdom. ...

Province

The Archbishop of Canterbury exercises metropolitical (or supervisory) jurisdiction over the Province of Canterbury, which encompasses thirty of the forty-four dioceses of the Church of England. (The remaining fourteen dioceses, in northern England, fall within the Province of York.) Formerly, the four dioceses of Wales were also under the Province of Canterbury; in 1920, however, the Welsh dioceses transferred from the established Church of England to the disestablished Church in Wales. The Province of Canterbury consists of the following dioceses of the Church of England: Their archbishop is the Archbishop of Canterbury. ... 1920 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... The Church in Wales is a member Church of the Anglican Communion. ...

The Archbishop of Canterbury has a ceremonial provincial curia, or court, consisting of some of the senior bishops of his province. The Bishop of London—the most senior cleric of the Church with the exception of the two Archbishops—serves as Canterbury's Provincial Dean, the Bishop of Winchester as Chancellor, the Bishop of Lincoln as Vice-Chancellor, the Bishop of Salisbury as Precentor, the Bishop of Worcestor as Chaplain and the Bishop of Rochester as Cross-Bearer. The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury. ... The Bishop of Salisbury is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury. ... The Bishop of Worcester controls the see of Worcester and has his seat in Worcester Cathedral. ... The Bishop of Rochester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury. ...

The question of whether the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Archbishop of York should take precedence was once a cause of a long struggle. The dispute was temporarily resolved in 1071 after Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Thomas of Bayeaux, Archbishop of York, submitted the matter to the Pope. Pope Alexander II decided that Canterbury was to have precedence, and that future Archbishops of York would have to be consecrated by, and swear allegiance to, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Events Byzantine Empire loses Battle of Manzikert to Turkish army under Alp Arslan. ... Lanfranc (d. ... The Pope is the Catholic Bishop and patriarch of Rome, and head of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches. ... Alexander II, born Anselmo Baggio (d. ...

In 1119, however, the Archbishop-Elect of York, Thurstan, refused to acknowledge the pre-eminence of Canterbury. As a consequence, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Ralph d'Escures, refused to consecrate him. When Thurstan appealed to Rome, Pope Callixtus II not only personally consecrated him, but also issued a papal bull repudiating the supremacy of Canterbury. The matter was finally settled by Pope Innocent VI during the fourteenth century. Under Pope Innocent's arrangement, which lasts to this day, the Archbishop of Canterbury would be recognised as superior to the Archbishop of York. The former would be acknowledged as "Primate of All England", and the latter as "Primate of England". The pre-eminence of the Archbishop of Canterbury is acknowledged by an Act of Parliament passed during the reign of Henry VIII. Events February 2 - Callixtus II becomes Pope August 20 - Henry I of England routes Louis VI at the Battle of Bremule. ... Thurstan, or Turstin (d. ... Ralph (d. ... Callixtus II, né Guido of Vienne (d. ... The Papal bull is the most formal form of patent issued by the Vatican Chancery in the name of the pope. ... Innocent VI, né Stephen Aubert (1282 - September 12, 1362), pope at Avignon from 1352 to 1362, the successor of Clement VI, was a native of the diocese of Limoges, and, after having taught civil law at Toulouse, became bishop successively of Noyon and of Clermont. ...

The Archbishop of Canterbury also has a precedence of honour over the other archbishops of the Anglican Communion. He is recognised as primus inter pares, or first amongst equals. The Archbishop of Canterbury, however, does not exercise any direct authority in the provinces outside England.

Style and privileges

Both the Archbishops of Canterbury and York are styled "The Most Reverend"; retired Archbishops as "The Right Reverend". Archbishops are, by convention, appointed to the Privy Council, and may therefore also use "The Right Honourable" for life. In formal documents, the Archbishop of Canterbury is referred to as "The Most Reverend Father in God, Forenames, by Divine Providence Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England and Metropolitan". In debates in the House of Lords, the Archbishop is referred to as "The Most Reverend Primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury". "The Right Honourable" is not used in either instance. He may also be formally addressed as "Your Grace" - or, more often these days, simply as "Archbishop", "Father" or "Dr Williams" (in the current instance). This article concerns the British Sovereigns Privy Council. ... The Right Honourable (abbreviated The Rt Hon. ... A given name specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name. ...

The surname of the Archbishop of Canterbury is not used in formal documents; only the forenames and see are mentioned. The Archbishop is legally permitted to sign his name as "Cantuar" (from the Latin for Canterbury). He shares the right to use only a title in the signature with the Archbishop of York, other bishops and Peers of the Realm. Latin is the language that was originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ...

In the order of precedence, the Archbishop of Canterbury is ranked above all individuals in the realm, with the exception of the Sovereign and Royal Family. Immediately below him is the Lord Chancellor, and only then comes the Archbishop of York. The Order of precedence in the United Kingdom is different for each region. ... The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor and in former times Chancellor of England, is one of the most senior and important functionaries in the government of the United Kingdom. ...

The Archbishop of Canterbury's official residence in London is Lambeth Palace. Until the 19th century, the Archbishops also had major residences at Croydon Palace and then Addington Palace. The following Archbishops have died at Lambeth: Wittlesey, in 1375; Kemp, 1453; Dean, 1504; all buried in Canterbury Cathedral: Cardinal Pole, 1558, after lying in state here 40 days was buried at Canterbury; Parker, 1575, buried in Lambeth Chapel; Whitgift, 1604, buried at Croydon; Bancroft, 1610, buried at Lambeth; Juxon, 1663, buried in the chapel of St. John's College, Oxford; Sheldon, 1667, buried at Croydon; Tillotson, 1694, buried in the church of St. Laurence Jewry, London; Tennison, 1715; and Potter, 1747, both buried at Croydon; Seeker, 1768; Cornwallis, 1783, and Moore, 1805, all buried at Lambeth. In 1381, the Archbishop, Simon of Sudbury, fell a victim to Wat Tyler and his followers, when they attacked Lambeth Palace. Lambeth Palace Lambeth Palace is the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, located in Lambeth, beside the Thames opposite the Palace of Westminster. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Croydon Palace was the summer residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury for over 500 years, located in Croydon. ... Addington Palace is a 19th Century Palace in Addington near Croydon, South London. ... Walter Tyler, commonly known as Wat Tyler (died June 15, 1381) was the leader of the English Peasants Revolt of 1381. ...

See also

• List of Archbishops of Canterbury
• Religion in the United Kingdom

Roman Catholic Archbishops of Canterbury Saint Augustine of Canterbury (597–605) Saint Laurence of Canterbury (605–619) Mellitus (St) (619–624) Justus (St) (624–627) Honorius (St) (627–653) Deusdedit (St) (655–664) Theodore (St) (668–690) Bertwald (St) (693–690) Tatwin (St) (731–734) Nothelm (St) (734–740) Cuthbert... Categories: Stub | Religion in the United Kingdom | Religion by country ...

External links

• Official web site (http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/)