Anglican Diocese of Worcester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Diocese of WorcesterDioecesis Wigorniensis |
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| Location | |
| Ecclesiastical province | Canterbury |
| Archdeaconries | Dudley, Worcester |
| Coordinates | 52°11′31″N 2°13′26″W / 52.192°N 2.224°W |
| Statistics | |
| Parishes | 180 |
| Churches | 284 |
| Information | |
| Cathedral | Worcester Cathedral |
| Language | English |
| Current leadership | |
| Bishop | John Inge, Bishop of Worcester |
| Suffragan | Martin Gorick, Bishop of Dudley |
| Archdeacons | Nikki Groarke, Archdeacon of Dudley Mark Badger, Archdeacon of Worcester |
| Website | |
| cofe-worcester.org.uk | |
The Diocese of Worcester is a special area within the Church of England. It is part of the Province of Canterbury in England. Think of it like a region that a bishop oversees.
This diocese was started around the year 679. St Theodore of Canterbury founded it in Worcester. Its main job was to serve the people of the Hwicce kingdom. This was one of many small kingdoms in Anglo Saxon times. The diocese's first boundaries likely followed this old kingdom.
Today, the Diocese of Worcester covers about 1,738 square kilometers (671 square miles). It includes many local church areas called parishes. These parishes are found in:
- Worcestershire County
- The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
- Northern Gloucestershire
- Some towns near the south-east of Wolverhampton
- The Sandwell area
Currently, the diocese has 190 parishes and 281 churches. It also has 163 full-time paid clergy members. The diocese is split into two main areas called archdeaconries:
- The Archdeaconry of Worcester
- The Archdeaconry of Dudley
Over time, the diocese's borders have changed. In 1837, parts of Warwickshire joined it. Later, in 1905, a new area became the Anglican Diocese of Birmingham. In 1918, another part became the Diocese of Coventry.
Contents
Who Leads the Diocese of Worcester?
Besides the main Bishop of Worcester, John Inge, there is also a special bishop called the Bishop of Dudley, Martin Gorick. This role was created in 1974.
There are also four retired bishops who help out. They live near the diocese and serve as honorary assistant bishops:
- Christopher Mayfield (since 2002): He was once the Bishop of Manchester.
- Mark Santer (since 2002): He used to be the Bishop of Birmingham.
- Jonathan Ruhumuliza (since 2005): He is a bishop from Rwanda. He also works as a local priest.
- Michael Hooper (since 2009): He was the Bishop of Ludlow.
Since 1994, some churches in the diocese have a different bishop. This is for parishes that do not agree with women serving as priests. The Bishop of Ebbsfleet helps these churches.
A Look Back: History of the Diocese
The Diocese of Worcester started around 679–680. It was first known as Episcopus Hwicciorum. Its first borders were likely the same as the old Hwicce kingdom.
In the 700s, the diocese got strong support from the kings of Mercia. This royal help allowed the bishops to gain control over important churches called minsters. These churches were first owned by the Hwicce royal family. But over time, they became part of the bishopric. This helped the Mercian kings too, as it weakened local rivals.
The church in Worcester grew powerful in the 800s. It became the most important church power in Mercia. With its wealth, the church could buy special rights from the Mercian kings. Later, King Alfred asked priests from Mercia, especially Worcester, to help rebuild the church in Wessex. These priests brought new ideas about the church's role in society. This led to a new way of thinking for the Anglo-Saxon church.
Between 900 and 1060, the church lost some land. This happened because of leases and lost records. By the time of the Domesday Book, about 45% of the diocese's church lands were leased out.
Bishop Roger and Thomas Becket
Bishop Roger tried to help Thomas Becket. Becket was in a big disagreement with King Henry II. Becket wanted the Church to be independent from the king. Bishop Roger wrote to the King to support Becket. This made Henry II angry, and he told Roger to stay away from Becket. Roger did not listen and was also sent away from England. He stayed away even after the Pope tried to help. After Becket was killed, Roger was sent to Rome by the King. He had to try and convince the Pope that the King was not involved.
The Diocese and the Jewish Community
Worcester had a small Jewish community in the late 1100s. It was one of the few places allowed to keep debt records in a special locked chest. This chest was called an archa. Jewish life in Worcester likely centered around what is now Copenhagen Street.
The diocese was often unfriendly towards the Jewish community. Around 1190, Peter of Blois wrote a strong anti-Jewish book. He was asked to do this by a Bishop of Worcester, probably John of Coutances.
William de Blois, as Bishop of Worcester, set very strict rules for Jews in 1219. Like in other parts of England, Jews had to wear square white badges. In most places, people could pay a fine to avoid this rule. But Blois made sure the badges were worn. He also tried to stop usury (lending money with high interest). He wrote to Pope Gregory in 1229 asking for stricter rules. The Pope then demanded that Christians not work in Jewish homes. He also insisted that the badges be worn.
Changes During the Reformation
The priory (a type of monastery) in Worcester closed during King Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries. This was a time when many monasteries were shut down. Before this, in 1535, the prior William More left his role. Henry Holbeach took his place.
Hugh Latimer became bishop in 1535. He was a Protestant and wanted to change the church. He left his role in 1539. This was because King Henry VIII changed his mind about some religious ideas. John Bell became bishop from 1539 to 1543. He was a moderate reformer. He was bishop when the priory was dissolved.
In the early 1500s, Worcester had about 40 monks. This number went down before 1540. On January 16, 1540, there were 35 Benedictine monks plus Prior Holbeach. Eleven monks were given pensions right away. The rest became priests in the new Royal College. Holbeach became the first dean.
The old monastery library had many old books and papers. These are now in libraries like Cambridge, London (British Library), Oxford (Bodleian Library), and Worcester Cathedral. You can still see parts of the old Priory from the 1100s and 1200s.
Nicholas Heath became bishop after John Bell. He was much more traditional and Catholic in his beliefs.
The Diocese of Gloucester was separated from Worcester in 1541. But it was briefly rejoined with Worcester on May 20, 1552. John Hooper was called "Bishop of Worcester and Gloucester." But he was removed from his role by Queen Mary in 1554. Worcester and Gloucester were then separated again.
Worcester Archive: Old Records
The Charters of Worcester are very important for historians. They help us learn about the early Anglo-Saxon church. The Worcester archive is the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon records of its kind. It has many texts from the late 600s to the 1000s. These records give us a continuous history of the church.
The archive is mainly found in two large books called cartularies. The first one, Cartulary A, has most of the charters. These charters help us understand land ownership and social duties in the Anglo-Saxon period. For example, Charter No. 95 in Cartulary A shows King Ceolwulf II giving the bishopric of Worcester freedom from royal taxes. He did this in exchange for money. This shows the king's power and the church's wealth. It also shows the complex system of trade and the legal way of recording important deals back then.
See Also
Images for kids
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Coat of arms of the Diocese of Worcester
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Flag of the Diocese of Worcester
