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Basil Osborne

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[[Image:Basil Osborne.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Bishop Basil (Osborne)]]
His Grace the Right Reverend Bishop Dr. '''Basil (Osborne) of Amphipolis''' is , formerly of Amphipolis, was a [[titular bishop]] under the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] from 2006 until February of 2010, and is was formally known as one of "the bishops of the Throne." He serves served as an assistant bishop in its [[Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe]], charged with the care of its flock in Great Britain and Ireland, until his retirement in late 2009 and his subsequent defrocking in February of 2010. He previously served as the temporary administrator of the [[Moscow Patriarchate]]'s [[Diocese of Sourozh]] (August 2003 - May 2006) with the title ''Bishop of Sergievo''.
In his position in the Ecumenical Patriarchate's Exarchate in Western Europe, Bishop Basil's had authority is over a newly-formed vicariate of parishes in the British Isles entitled the [[Episcopal Vicariate in Great Britain and Ireland]], which currently consists consisted of a small number of parishes and some smaller Eucharistic Communities that elected to follow him in his departure from the Diocese of Sourozh (these are enumerated and discussed [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episcopal_Vicariate_of_Great_Britain_and_Ireland#Parishes_and_Communities here]).<ref>[http://www.exarchate-uk.org/Parishes/parishes_index.html Parishes of the Vicariate]</ref> As part of this role, he sits on the council of the Exarchate.<ref>[http://exarchat.eu/article.php3?id_article=563 Communiqué N° 12-06 du Conseil de l'Archevêché et Déclaration]</ref>
He was forcibly retired from his position as administrator of the Sourozh diocese after seeking incardination into the Ecumenical Patriarchate without receiving release from Moscow.<ref name="Innokenty1">[http://www.sourozh.org/info/letters/letter230706.html Letter "To all the clergy and faithful of the Diocese of Sourozh"] - Abp. Innokenty of Korsun, July 23, 2006</ref> In a letter sent to the Patriarch of Moscow without notice to his clergy, Bishop Basil requested that he and the whole of the Diocese of Sourozh (and not simply those members who wished to follow him) be released from the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate, to be received into the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch as a new diocese existing alongside Constantinople's Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe.<ref>See Bishop Basil's letter of 24 April, 2006.[http://www.sourozh.org/archives/docs/BB2Patr240406_en.html] On taking this decision without consulting his clergy or diocesan council, see his statements online.[http://www.dioceseinfo.org/DOCUMENTS/Diocese/BB160506.htm]</ref> Without awaiting a full response from the Patriarchate of Moscow, he wrote to the Ecumenical Patriarch on May 2, 2006, again repeating his desire to establish a new diocese under Constantinople.<ref>So the text of his brief letter to the Ecumenical Patriarchate.[http://orthodoxe.free.fr/files/BBtoEcPatr01.pdf] In this letter, unlike his original letter to the Moscow Patriarchate, he indicates that the new diocese would be made up of himself, "together with those clergy and parishes that wish to follow me."</ref> Announcement of Bishop Basil's retirement by the Synod of Moscow followed upon his refusal to withdraw this letter to Constantinople. Following announcement of his retirement in the Sourozh cathedral in London, Basil immediately appealed the decision to the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the basis of Canons 9 and 17 of the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council]] and also Canon 28 of the same Council. Such canons, some argue, endow the Constantinopolitan Patriarch with the privilege of the "ekkliton" (read, hearing appeal) and granting it jurisdiction over regions not already subject to the other four senior Patriarchates, Rome, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem. It should be noted, however, that this interpretation of these canons is not undisputed, and runs contrary to the classical interpretations of the canons found in the canonical commentaries of the Church.<ref>For a canonical commentary on this canon, see: [[Prerogatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate]]. As an example of the variances in interpretation, regarding Canon 9 of Chalcedon, St. Nicodemos of the Holy Mountain comments: "[This canon] did not say that if any clergyman has a dispute or difference with the Metropolitan of any diocese or parish whatever, they must be tried before the Bishop of Constantinople…." Zonaras likewise says that the Bishop of Constantinople is not necessarily entitled to sit as judge over all Metropolitans, but (only) over those who are judicially subject to him, and that "The Bishop of Constantinople must hear the appeals only of those who are subject to the Bishop of Constantinople, precisely as the Bishop of Rome must hear the appeals only of those who are subject to the Bishop of Rome." In D. Cummings, trans., ''The Rudder of the Orthodox Catholic Church: The Compilation of the Holy Canons Saints Nicodemus and Agapius'' (West Brookfield, MA: The Orthodox Christian Educational Society, 1983), p. 255.</ref>
In March of 2007 negotiations took place in Geneva between representatives of the two patriarchates. These concluded with the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate releasing Bishop Basil from its jurisdiction on March 27. Commenting to the media on the synod's decision, Metropolitan Kyrill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department of External Church Relations, "The problem arose because Bishop Basil went over to Constantinople illegally, without any request from Constantinople and without any consent from the Moscow Patriarchate. Now Constantinople has requested his documents, which customarily include a letter of release. This means that the Moscow Patriarchate has granted Bishop Basil a canonical leave".<ref>So the [http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=2812 report of the Metropolitan's remarks by Interfax], also available [http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=17389 in Russian].</ref>
 
In late 2009, Bishop Basil requested retirement, which was granted him, and in February of 2010, at the age of 72, he requested to be defrocked and laicized in order to have the option of marrying and starting a family, a request which was then granted.
 
Dr. Osborne was returned to the laity and the parishes which he formerly lead as a Vicariate were then demoted to the status of a deanery.
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