The only official Anglican congregation in Moscow, Russia, has suspended worship services amid a reported internal dispute over who controls the church.
St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, which is affiliated with the Church of England, announced on its homepage last week that it cannot conduct services due to certain legal requirements.
“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.
“We would also like to clarify that conducting services in the church building by individuals or groups connected to foreign religious organizations — including the Diocese in Europe of the Church of England — or acting under their instructions, has not been approved by the religious organization ‘Anglican Church in Moscow’ and therefore violates the legislation of the Russian Federation.”
Additionally, the church leadership stated that “the Diocese in Europe of the Church of England does not have the authority to manage Russian religious organizations or carry out religious activities on the territory of Russia.”
The announcement follows accusations made by Rev. Canon Arun John, a native of India who was appointed chaplain of St. Andrew’s in December 2024, that some church members have “illegitimately taken control of the administration and finances of the church.”
“This organization has hacked the church website and WhatsApp group and have used the same to scandalize and publish entirely untruthful information about the church leadership,” John alleged in a newsletter issued last fall.
“This group has also tried to prevent the appointed Chaplain from getting a visa to return to Russia, as a way of controlling the functioning of St. Andrew’s.”
John commended lay leaders and the congregation for standing “firm against the wrong." He said he is “grateful to our Warden Nicolette Kirk and our Treasurer Suresh Rose who despite threats and verbal abuse have faced this hostile group with courage and integrity.”
According to The Moscow Times, St. Andrew’s is the “only purpose-built Anglican church building in Russia,” as many Anglican congregations in the country have to rent space.
St. Andrew’s was founded in 1825 and consecrated its church building in 1885. Its property was seized by the Communists in 1920 and used for secular purposes until 1991, when it officially returned to the Anglican Communion in 1994.
It is unclear if the property dispute and the suspension of worship are linked, according to The Times.
The Russian government has long maintained a tight grip on religious organizations and has cracked down on unregistered congregations across the country, with experts stating that protecting Russian Orthodoxy has been perceived as aligning with the "national strategic interests."
Most Russians belong to the Russian Orthodox Church, which has played a dominant role in Russian society since 988 A.D., according to Open Doors International. Only about 1.3% of the Russian population is considered Protestant.
Last year, Russian courts banned more Baptist churches affiliated with the Council of Churches Baptists, with churches in Timashyovsk, Armavir and Tuapse being barred from operating unless they notify authorities of their activities.
In 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law enacting tighter restrictions on when religious groups, including Evangelicals, could preach or evangelize, which led to several charges against Protestant churches.
