Anglicanism

===Ordained ministry===
{{further|topic=the Anglican priesthood|Anglican ministry}}
[[File:Chasublepurple.jpg|thumb|An Anglican priest in Eucharistic [[vestment]]]]
Like the Roman Catholic Church and the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] churches, the Anglican Communion maintains the threefold ministry of [[deacon]]s, [[presbyter]]s (usually called "priests"), and bishops.

====Episcopate====
{{Main|Bishop}}
Bishops, who possess the fullness of Christian priesthood, are the successors of the [[Apostles in the New Testament|apostles]]. [[Primate (bishop)|Primates]], archbishops, and [[metropolitan bishop|metropolitans]] are all bishops and members of the [[historical episcopate]] who derive their authority through [[apostolic succession]] – an unbroken line of bishops that can be traced back to the 12 apostles of Jesus.

====Priesthood====
Bishops are assisted by [[Episcopal priest|priests]] and [[deacon]]s. Most ordained ministers in the Anglican Communion are priests, who usually work in parishes within a [[diocese]]. Priests are in charge of the spiritual life of parishes and are usually called the [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|rector]] or [[vicar]]. A [[curate]] (or, more correctly, an "assistant curate") is a priest or deacon who assists the parish priest. Non-parochial priests may earn their living by any vocation, although employment by educational institutions or charitable organisations is most common. Priests also serve as chaplains of hospitals, schools, prisons, and in the armed forces.

An [[archdeacon]] is a priest or deacon responsible for administration of an [[archdeaconry]], which is often the name given to the principal subdivisions of a [[diocese]]. An archdeacon represents the diocesan bishop in his or her archdeaconry. In the [[Church of England]], the position of archdeacon can only be held by someone in priestly orders who has been ordained for at least six years. In some other parts of the Anglican Communion, the position can also be held by deacons. In parts of the Anglican Communion where women cannot be ordained as priests or bishops but can be ordained as deacons, the position of archdeacon is effectively the most senior office to which an ordained woman can be appointed.

A [[Dean (Christianity)|dean]] is a priest who is the principal cleric of a cathedral or other collegiate church and the head of the chapter of canons. If the cathedral or collegiate church has its own parish, the dean is usually also rector of the parish. However, in the Church of Ireland, the roles are often separated, and most cathedrals in the Church of England do not have associated parishes. In the Church in Wales, however, most cathedrals are parish churches and their deans are now also vicars of their parishes.

The Anglican Communion recognises [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] and [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] ordinations as valid. Outside the Anglican Communion, Anglican ordinations (at least of male priests) are recognised by the [[Old Catholic Church]], Porvoo Communion Lutherans, and various [[Independent Catholic]] churches.

====Diaconate====
{{Main|Deacon}}
[[File:Stoledeacon.jpg|thumb|The vestments of a [[deacon]], including a [[Stole (vestment)|stole]] over the left shoulder]]
In Anglican churches, deacons often work directly in ministry to the marginalised inside and outside the church: the poor, the sick, the hungry, the imprisoned. Unlike Orthodox and most Roman Catholic deacons who may be married only before ordination, deacons are permitted to marry freely both before and after ordination, as are priests. Most deacons are preparing for priesthood and usually only remain as deacons for about a year before being ordained priests. However, there are some deacons who remain so.

Many provinces of the Anglican Communion ordain both men and women as deacons. Many of those provinces that ordain women to the priesthood previously allowed them to be ordained only to the diaconate. The effect of this was the creation of a large and overwhelmingly female diaconate for a time, as most men proceeded to be ordained priest after a short time as a deacon.

Deacons, in some dioceses, can be granted licences to [[wedding|solemnise matrimony]], usually under the instruction of their parish priest and bishop. They sometimes officiate at [[Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament]] in churches which have this service. Deacons are not permitted to preside at the [[Eucharist]] (but can lead worship with the distribution of already consecrated communion where this is permitted),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zolner |first1=Rev. Eric |title=What is a deacon? |url=http://www.allsaintsspringfield.org/the-rambling-rector/what-is-a-deacon |website=All Saints Anglican Church |access-date=25 February 2019 |archive-date=25 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225103040/http://www.allsaintsspringfield.org/the-rambling-rector/what-is-a-deacon |url-status=live }}</ref> [[absolution (religious)|absolve sins]], or [[blessing|pronounce a blessing]].{{sfn|Moss|1943|p=393}} It is the prohibition against deacons pronouncing blessings that leads some to believe that deacons cannot solemnise matrimony.