Greater honour was to come to Archimandrite Vasily when, in 1951, Patriarch [[Alexei I (Simansky) of Moscow|Alexei I]] offered Archim. Vasily the bishopric of Tianjin, but this was declined by Archim. Vasily, who gave the reasons of unworthiness and infirmity (being 69 years old). At this point, Archimandrite Vasily was the dean of the Holy Dormition [[Cathedral]], Beijing, and was temporary administrator of the [[Diocese]] of Beijing. In February of this year, Archim. Vasily was appointed a member of the Council of the Spiritual Mission.
HoweverAs a result of political agreements, during 1956, between the People’s Republic of China and the Soviet Union, all foreign members of the episcopacy was not church in China were required to be deniedleave the country. On Implementing this political edict the [[May 17Holy Synod]] of the Church of Russia, on [[November 23]], 19571956, granted autonomy to the Church of China. With agreement of the government of the People’s Republic of China, Archimandrite Vasily Arch. Basil was consecrated Bishop of Beijing in on [[May 30]], 1957 at the Holy Transfiguration church, Cathedral in Moscow, by Metr. Nikolai Metropolitan Nicholas of Krutitsk and Kolomensk, Abp. Archbishop [[Victor (Svyatin) of Krasnodar and Kuban|Victor of Krasnodar and Kuban]](who was the last head of the Russian Mission to China), and Abp. Archbishop Makary of MozhaiskMozhiak.
The first head of the Autonomous Chinese Orthodox Church was not to rule this post very longBp. On Basil reposed on [[January 3]], 1962, Bp. Vasily reposed, with no successorHe was not succeeded due to the anti-Orthodox Christian position of the Chinese government and the persecutions of the Cultural Revolution in 1960s.
==External link==
*[http://orthodox.cn/localchurch/beijing/basil_en.htm Biography Bishop Vasily (Yao Shuanglin)] on Orthodoxy in China.*[http://www.orthodox.cn/contemporary/20071227synod_en.htm Journal of the Russian Holy Synod Meeting of December 27, 2007]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Orthodoxy in China]]
