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The Tablet (UK) / 14 April 2007

Uneasy peace between Moscow and UK Orthodox

By Isabel de Bertodano

The leader of the Orthodox Church in Britain and Ireland has been  released from the Moscow Patriarchate, following his request to transfer to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Bishop Basil (Osborne) of Amphipolis requested permission to transfer to Constantinople from Moscow in April 2006 but Moscow  refused his release, accusing him of acting unilaterally.

Since 2002 it had become increasingly difficult for the traditionally West-leaning Diocese of Sourozh, founded in 1957, to maintain its place within the Moscow Patriarchate, which is seen as being  influenced by Russian political interests. The row polarised opinion in Bishop Basil's former diocese of Sourozh, pitting the small but long-standing Anglo-Russian community against the large group of new arrivals from former Eastern bloc countries. The former are faithful to their liberal minded bishop, while the newcomers prefer a more traditional approach.

With the danger of schism, Moscow has now released the bishop, in what has been seen as a face-saving exercise, after Constantinople  agreed to the transfer. At a press conference following the decision, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad said: "The problem arose because Bishop Basil moved to the Patriarchate of Constantinople of his own accord … the Moscow Patriarchate has  granted canonical release to Bishop Basil." However, in an indication of his continuing displeasure Metropolitan Kirill added: "The canonical conflict has come to an end. Unfortunately the human one remains." 

Bishop Basil's diocese also remains without a permanent place of worship after its cathedral in Knightsbridge was taken over by those loyal to Moscow. In the meantime, the bishop is using the Anglican church of St Andrew's in Holborn, London. Keen to come to an  agreement satisfactory to all, he has appealed to the Charity Commission.

Speaking to The Tablet last week, the bishop said he hoped that life would soon get back to normal. "The Moscow Patriarchate has really  allied itself with the state recently, even outside Russia, and has publicly said it is carrying out the policy of the Government," he  explained. "It meant one was being drawn into the whole world of oligarchs and politics which is not the place to be."