Becoming king, Charles III also assumed the role of head of the Church of England. “The role and duties of the monarchy remain the same, as do the special relations and responsibilities of the sovereign towards the Church of England — the church in which my own faith is so deeply rooted, — said the new monarch in his first address to the nation.
Aif.ru figured out why British kings and queens lead the church, as well as what duties they have in the religious sphere.
What is the title of the monarch in the Church of England?
The title of King Charles III — “protector of the faith and supreme ruler of the Church of England.” This title has been held by British monarchs since the time of King Henry VIII, who in 1521 was named “Defender of the Faith” by Pope Leo X. Anglican Church. The title did not exist during the reign of Mary I when the country became Catholic again. He returned to Britain with the accession of Queen Elizabeth I to the throne in 1558.
Anointing takes place during the coronation of the British monarch. He takes an oath “to uphold and preserve inviolably the structure of the Church of England, and doctrine, worship, discipline and government according to the law established in England.”
What are the duties of the head of the Church of England?
On the advice of the prime minister, the monarch appoints archbishops, bishops, and deans of the Church of England, who then take an oath of allegiance and pay homage to the king or queen. Church of England deacons and parish priests also take an oath of allegiance to the monarch.
The Church of England is governed by the General Synod. In 1970, Queen Elizabeth IIbecame the first monarch to personally open the General Synod and speak before it. Since then, she has regularly spoken at the opening of the General Synod after diocesan elections.
How did the Church of England appear?
The Church of England — a state Christian church that considers itself both Catholic and Reformed.
The roots of the Anglican Church go back to the time of the Roman Empire, when the Christian church arose in what was then the Roman province of Britain. The split with the Catholic Church occurred after the Pope refused to annul the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. At that time, the monarch was already cohabiting with his mistress Anne Boleyn. He understood that if he and Anna had an heir, he would be considered illegitimate. Therefore, he needed to end his first marriage and marry a second time. However, the Pope did not give his consent to the annulment of the marriage with Catherine of Aragon. Realizing that Catherine could influence the Pope through her nephew, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Henry VIII created his own church, which he also led.
The website of the Church of England says that another reason for the split with the Catholic Church was “the nationalist Tudor belief that the authority over the English church rightfully belongs to the English monarchy.”
< strong>Sources:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/
https://www.royal.uk/
https://www.churchofengland.org/
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