Canon Chancellor Giles Fraser said “it is with great regret and sadness that I have handed in my notice at St. Paul’s Cathedral.”

The cathedral confirmed Fraser had stepped down, but did not give his reasons.

Dean of St. Paul’s Graeme Knowles said officials were disappointed that Fraser “is not able to continue his work ... during these challenging days.”

Protesters have been camped outside the building since Oct. 15. When police tried to move them the next day, Fraser said the demonstrators were welcome to stay and asked police officers to move instead.

Days later, cathedral officials shut the building to the public, saying the campsite was a health and safety hazard. It was the first time the church had closed since World War II.

Cathedral officials, and the bishop of London, have since asked the demonstrators to leave, but they are refusing to go.

Knowles said Wednesday the cathedral was considering all its options in response to the protest — including legal action.

But in a victory for the protesters, he said the cathedral hoped to reopen Friday following changes to the layout of tents used by the protesters.

Fraser, a high-profile and liberal Anglican clergyman, was appointed chancellor of the cathedral in 2009.

The role involves overseeing the work of the St. Paul’s Institute, which “seeks to bring Christian ethics to bear on our understanding of finance and economics.”

The protest tent city lies close to London’s traditional financial center, which is called the City.