Russian Orthodox Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe

The origins of the Western Europe Diocese stretch back to the founding of the first Russian Orthodox parishes in Switzerland which led to the construction of the Geneva Cathedral in 1863. Founded as the Archdiocese of Paris and Western Europe, it has had a varied history, being reorganised several times, with its headquarters moving to Brussels, to Geneva and, most recently, to London. History of the Diocese of Great Britain and Ireland The Diocese of Great Britain was founded in 1929 under Bishop Nicholas (Karpoff) of London, as part of the Archdiocese of Paris and Western Europe. In 1962 Bishop Nikodem (Nagaieff) was elevated to become Archbishop with the episcopal seat of Richmond. However, following the retirement of Bishop Constantine (Essensky) of Richmond in 1985, the diocese was without a resident bishop. The diocese was placed under the omophorion of Metropolitan Mark (Arndt) of Berlin and Germany until his retirement as ruling bishop of the Diocese of Great Britain in December, 2016. Subsequently the diocese was placed directly under Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) of New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Outside of Russia and administered by Bishop Irenei of Sacramento, vicar bishop of the Western American Diocese. At a meeting of the ROCOR Synod of Bishops on 20 September 2018, the British Diocese was reunited with that of Western Europe with Bishop Irenei appointed as ruling bishop. == Cathedrals and places of importance==

The Cathedral Parish, now served by the Diocesan Cathedral of the Nativity of the Mother of God (formerly Dormition of the Mother of God) was the mother parish of the diocese, having grown out of the original Russian Orthodox parish in London which met initially in the Church of the Dormition in Welbeck Street, London W1 and then for many years at Emperor's Gate, London SW7. The property in Emperor's Gate was owned by the Church of England which in 1989 evicted the Russian Orthodox parish. In 1990 the parish purchased land in Gunnersbury, Chiswick, London, W4 and plans were drawn up for a new cathedral to be built in the Pskov style. On 21 September 2018 the cathedral was consecrated, having been frescoed throughout. The parish has an active sisterhood and a parish school. == Bishops of Western Europe (former) ==

Paris and Western Europe • Metropolitan Eulogius (Georgievsky) • Metropolitan Seraphim (Lukianov) Brussels and Western Europe • Archbishop Nathaniel (Lvov) (1946-1950) • Archbishop St John the Wonderworker (1950-1962) Geneva and Western Europe • Archbishop Anthony (Bartochevitch) (1962-1993 [reposed]) Brussels and Western Europe • Archbishop Seraphim (Dulgov) (1993-2002) Geneva and Western Europe • Bishop Ambrose (Cantacuzène) (2002-2006) • Archbishop Michael (Donskoff) (2006-2017) == Bishops of Great Britain (former) ==

Diocese of London • Bishop Nicholas (Karpov) (30 June 1929 – 11 October 1932) • Locum tenens, Archimandrite Vitaly (Ustinov) (1947-1951) • Archbishop Nathaniel (Lvov) (1951) • Bishop Nikodem (Nagaieff) (18 July 1952 – 1962) Diocese of Richmond and Great Britain • Archbishop Nikodem (Nagaieff) (1962 – 17 October 1976) • Bishop Constantine (Essensky) (1981 - January 1986) Diocese of Great Britain • Archbishop Mark (Arndt) of Berlin, Germany and Great Britain (January 1986 - 8 December 2016) Diocese of Great Britain and Ireland • Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral), locum tenens (December 2016 - 20 September 2018) == Bishops of Great Britain and Western Europe ==

Diocese of London, Great Britain and Western Europe • Bishop Irenei (Steinberg) (September 2018-current) ==See also==