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Rem'd some redundant lang.; corrected title to 'Asst Bp' (as used by his exarchate). Factual corrections to nature of suspension. Minor grammar edits.
[[Image:Basil Osborne.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Bishop Basil (Osborne)]]
His Grace the Right Reverend Bishop '''Basil (Osborne) of Amphipolis''' is a [[titular bishop]] attached to and under the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] and is formally known as one of "the bishops of the Throne." He serves as an auxiliary 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. 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 authority is over a newly-formed vicariate of parishes in the British Isles entitled the [[Episcopal Vicariate of Great Britain and Ireland]], which currently consists 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://www.exarchat.org/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 requesting release from Moscow and seeking incardination into the Ecumenical Patriarchatewithout receiving release from Moscow, along taking with him those of his flock who wished to follow him.<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> The announcement of his retirement came upon his refusal to withdraw his letter to Constantinople (sent after his request for release from Moscow) which requested incardination and noted his request for release from Moscow.<ref>[http://orthodoxe.free.fr/files/BBtoEcPatr01.pdf Letter to Patriarch Bartholomew I] - Bp. Basil (Osborne), May 2, 2006</ref> After his forced retirement was announced 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 <ref>For a canonical commentary on this canon, see: [[Prerogatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate]]</ref>, it is argued, endow endows 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. For example, 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." <ref>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>
The Ecumenical Patriarchate subsequently accepted Bishop Basil into its jurisdiction on the basis of his appeal which followed, although Moscow had not issued a canonical release and had instructed him not to be received into another patriarchate until matters could be looked into by an appropriate commission. At the time, the Moscow Patriarchate does not regard his incardination into the Ecumenical Patriarchate as valid, nor did it recognize the title ''Bishop of Amphipolis'' given to him by the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on [[June 8]], 2006.<ref>[http://www.ec-patr.gr/docdisplay.php?lang=en&id=678&tla=en Press Release for the Election of Bishop Basil of Amphipolis] - Ecumenical Patriarchate, June 8, 2006</ref> Considering him still a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, but in retirement, it referred to him in official correspondence without titular connection, as 'The Right Reverend Bishop Basil (Osborne)'.<ref name="MP1">[http://www.sourozh.org/info/docs/synod190706_en.html Decision of the Holy Synod concerning Bishop Basil (Osborne)] - Moscow Patriarchate, July 19, 2006</ref>