despite the Church of England's decision to allow the historic change.

This week the Anglican Bishop of Bermuda the Rt. Rev. William Down said he was glad England had finally made a decision.

But he pointed out ordination could not occur here without the approval of the Synod of the Anglican Church of Bermuda.

And ordination was not currently on the Synod's agenda.

"We have already agreed and accepted that women priests from overseas may be invited to take part in church worship here and celebrate holy communion in the presence of the rector,'' he said. "This decision was made about a year ago.'' Bishop Down said any decision on ordination would follow long and careful consideration.

The Church of England's ruling came after a sometimes bitter and hard-fought debate.

Amending the ecclesiastical law to permit the historic change was the last formality in that argument.

"It feels like it is all over now. It is the last legal hurdle,'' said Jan Fortune-Wood, who will be among the first women ordained at Bristol cathedral on March 12.

The vote by the church's governing General Synod came a day after a High Court judge dismissed a suit by a traditionalist priest, the Rev. Paul Williamson, who had sought to charge the archbishops of York and Canterbury with treason.

"We will have the doctrine tested in every court in the land and Europe,'' Mr. Williamson shouted from the gallery as the synod voted.

At least 1,200 women are expected to become priests in the next few months, beginning with the service in Bristol.

Since the General Synod voted in November 1992 to ordain women, 35 Anglican clergymen and several hundred lay people have quit in protest, according to church spokesman Mr. Steve Jenkins.

Many have joined the Roman Catholic Church, which does not permit women priests. More priests are expected to leave when they become eligible for compensation provided for those who cannot accept sharing their ministry with women.

The church's legislation permits dissenting bishops to refuse to ordain women or permit them to serve in their dioceses, and allows individual churches to refuse a woman as priest. The church has also appointed two "flying bishops'' to serve traditionalists in the majority of dioceses which will accept women.

The Church of England is mother church of the Anglican Communion, which has 70 million members worldwide.

According to the Anglican Consultative Council, there are 1,381 women priests in 12 of the 28 self-governing provinces, including the U.S. Episcopal Church, which has ordained 1,031 women.

Bishop Down emphasised he would not try to urge Bermuda's Synod to copy the Church of England's decision. Nor would he lead a campaign.

But he added he would not try to hold up any move towards ordination of women -- if the Synod wanted it.