Church Dispute Temporarily Halts Services at Moscow’s Sole Anglican Congregation
A longstanding place of worship in Moscow has come to a standstill as St. Andrew’s Anglican Church faces an internal power struggle. This rare Anglican church in Russia is at the center of a controversy regarding authority over its operations.
The Church of England-affiliated St. Andrew’s Anglican Church recently announced that it is unable to proceed with worship services due to legal stipulations. This decision emerges amidst discord about ecclesiastical leadership.
“The administration of St Andrew’s Church regrets to inform you that services will not be held in the next few weeks due to the absence of persons authorized to conduct them in accordance with Russian Law,” stated the church.
Additional clarification was provided, indicating that any services conducted by individuals connected to foreign religious organizations, including the Church of England’s Diocese in Europe, would contravene Russian legislation.
Further, church authorities reiterated that the Diocese in Europe lacks jurisdiction over Russian religious entities.
The cessation of services follows accusations from Rev. Canon Arun John, who claimed unauthorized church members had seized control of administrative tasks and finances. Rev. John, serving as chaplain since December 2024, alleged these individuals manipulated church communications to disseminate false information.
Rev. John, in a newsletter, accused this group of obstructing his re-entry to Russia by interfering with his visa, further complicating the church’s management.
He praised the congregation’s resilience, acknowledging Warden Nicolette Kirk and Treasurer Suresh Rose for standing firm amidst threats.
According to The Moscow Times, St. Andrew’s holds the distinction of being Russia’s sole purpose-built Anglican church, contrasting with other congregations that rent spaces.
St. Andrew’s, established in 1825, saw its building consecrated in 1885. Seized in 1920 by Communist forces, it returned to the Anglican fold in 1994.
The role of property disputes in the current suspension remains uncertain, as noted by The Times.
Historically, Russia has strictly regulated religious organizations, with measures often perceived as efforts to bolster Russian Orthodoxy, which dominates the religious landscape, comprising a significant portion of Russia’s religious demographics.
Only a small fraction, about 1.3%, of Russians identify as Protestant. Recent years have witnessed numerous closures of Baptist churches, and tighter regulations have been enforced on missionary activity under laws enacted by President Putin in 2016.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
