Bern, Switzerland, March 4, 2026
Photo: russischekirchebern.ch
A Russian Orthodox parish in Bern, Switzerland, faces eviction from the space it has occupied for 80 years following a legal dispute with the Evangelical Lutheran congregation that owns the lease on the building. A civil court hearing is scheduled for March 10 in Bern.
The Holy Trinity parish, which belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, has worshipped in a small crypt in the basement of the Antonierhaus in Bern’s Old Town since 1944. The Russian Orthodox community in Bern is one of the oldest Orthodox parishes in Switzerland, founded in 1816, reports blick.ch.
The Antonierhaus is owned by the City of Bern, which leases it to the Lutheran congregation. The Lutherans terminated the sublease with the Orthodox parish three years ago. The community has contested the termination in court, arguing that it constitutes an abuse of the landlord’s rights. After three mediation sessions held in 2024 and 2025 with the participation of the City of Bern failed to produce an agreement, the matter will now be decided by a civil court.
The city has declined to intervene directly in the dispute, citing the existing lease arrangements.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the conflict centers on overcrowding in the crypt rather than politics. The space is approved for a maximum of 30 to 50 persons based on its size and available emergency exits. The parish saw a significant influx of Orthodox women and children who fled Ukraine after the start of the war in 2022, and Ukrainians and Russians have been worshipping side by side at the parish since then.
The parish priest, Fr. Vladimir Svistun, a Ukrainian, has emphasized that prayers offered for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill during services are a fixed element of the Liturgy rather than a political statement.
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