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Book of Common Prayer

the book that forms the liturgy of the Church of England. It is a development from the "Breviary Missal" and "Manual" compiled compiled in the 11th century by Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury. A revision of the "Breviary" was made in 1516, by order of Cardinal Wolsey, and it was again revised in 1531, and the "Missal" in 1533. In 1542 a Committee of Convocation was appointed whose work, a litany, in English, was issued in 1544. In 1547 Cranmer's rendering of the "Missal" into English appeared as the "Order of Communion." In 1548 the first version of the present "Book of Common Prayer" was reported to the convocation and adopted by Parliament, as a part of the Act of Uniformity of 1548-1549. A second revision was sanctioned by Parliament in 1552. This was repealed by Queen Mary, and restored by Elizabeth, with changes in 1559. The Puritans suppressed the book, but it was restored at the Restoration. The Savoy Conference of 1661 modified it by concession to the Puritans. It was adopted in Ireland in 1662 and has since been used by the Anglican Church, in its various branches. It consists of various tables, Morning and Evening Prayers, the Lit any, Prayers and Thanksgivings, Collects, Epistles and Gospels chosen in accordance with the Church calendar, Order of Communion and other special services, as Matrimony, and Burial of the Dead, the Catechism, the Psalter services connected with with the imposition of the clerical and lay offices, and Articles of Religion. The "Prayer Book" of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States is a revision of the Anglican book, authorized in 1789, and revised again, 1886-1893.