THE diocese in Europe is seeking a “courageous” priest to minister to Anglicans in Kyiv, it is reported.

The chaplaincy congregation in Kyiv was decimated even before the outbreak of war, as many expats relocated because of the pandemic or the rising tensions on the Russian border.

When the bombardment of the capital began in February, many of the remaining members fled, either to safer parts of the country or across the border. The Bishop in Europe, Dr Robert Innes, told The Times on Saturday, however, that the diocese was seeking to rebuild the congregation.

“There’s been an Anglican congregation here for over 20 years, and naturally it has been affected by the terrible events going on in the country,” he said.

“A lot of people have left for overseas, but the time will come when we want to rebuild and we’ll need a [permanent] priest here to be a focus for rebuilding and growth.”

Currently, the Anglican chaplaincy holds services every fortnight, but with a permanent priest the plan would be to conduct them weekly. Although up to 40 per cent of the congregation are Ukrainians, the services are held in English, and there is no requirement that the new priest be able to speak the local language.