The Vatican has strongly criticised the Church of England for pressing ahead with the ordination of women bishops.

After hours of negotiation on Monday members of the Church of England General Synod voted to continue with the ordination of women bishops but without the legal safeguards demanded by traditionalists.

The Synod members instead voted to start a statutory national code of practice to accommodate parishes and clergy who object to women bishops on grounds of conscience.

More than 1,000 clergy threatened to leave if sufficient safeguards were not put in place for those who objected to women bishops.

And the Vatican has described the plan as a historic break from Christian doctrine that will drive Anglicans and Catholics further apart.

The Vatican office for promoting Christian unity said in a statement: "For the future, this decision will have consequences for dialogue, which until now had borne much fruit."

It said: "Such a decision is a break with apostolic tradition maintained in all of the Churches in the first millennium, and is therefore a further obstacle for reconciliation between the Catholic Church and the Church of England."

The Roman Catholic Church says women cannot enter the priesthood because Christ chose only men as his apostles.

The decision to go ahead with work on the code came after more than six hours of debate by the General Synod at the University of York which saw extraordinary scenes, with one bishop in tears as he spoke of being "ashamed" of the Church of England.

The Rt Rev Stephen Venner, Bishop of Dover, who is in favour of women's ordination, said: "I have to say, Synod, for the first time in my life, I feel ashamed.

He said: "We have been given opportunities for both views to flourish. We have turned down every, almost every, realistic opportunity for those who are opposed to flourish."

Calls by the Bishop of Durham, Dr Tom Wright, for the Synod to postpone making a decision were also rejected.

Women's campaigners welcomed the vote, saying the result was "very good" for the Church.

Christina Rees, chairwoman of pro-ordination group Women and the Church (Watch) said: "It is very good for the church and very good for women and also good for the whole nation."

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