European priest, oddly firm friend of the bishop (9)

I believe the answer is:

episcopal

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'european priest oddly firm friend of the bishop' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.

'european priest oddly firm friend' is the wordplay.
'european' becomes 'e' (abbreviation e.g. EU).
'oddly' means one should take alternating letters (letters in odd-numbered positions).
'firm' becomes 'co' (abbreviation for company).
'friend' becomes 'pal' (pal can mean a friend).
The alternating letters of 'priest' are 'pis'.
'e'+'pis'+'co'+'pal'='EPISCOPAL'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for episcopal that I've seen before include "Governed by bishops" , "Relating to a bishop" , "Relating to bishops" , "controlled by bishop" , "Alice's pop? (anag)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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