Irinej, Serbian Patriarch

Irinej (Irenaeus, Serbian Cyrillic: Иринеј, pronounced [irǐneːj]; born 28 August 1930 in Vidova near Čačak, Kingdom of Yugoslavia) is the 45th Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Serbs, since 22 January 2010. His full title is His Holiness the Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, and Serbian Patriarch Irinej. He served as the Bishop of Niš between 1975 and 2010.

Early life

Irinej was born Miroslav Gavrilović (Мирослав Гавриловић, pronounced [mǐroslaʋ ɡaʋrǐːloʋitɕ]). After graduating from high school, he enrolled and completed the Orthodox seminary in Prizren (the Serbian Orthodox Seminary of Prizren). He then enrolled the University of Belgrade's Theological Faculty and served in the army after graduating. After military service, he was tonsured a monk in 1959 in Rakovica monastery, receiving the monastic name of Irinej (from Ancient Greek: Εἰρηναῖος; Irenaeus). He was a professor at the Prizren Seminary, and completed postgraduate studies in Athens. In 1969, he was appointed a head of the monastic school at Ostrog monastery. He later returned to Prizren, where he was appointed Rector of the Prizren Seminary in 1969.

As a religious leader

In May 1974, Irinej was elected Vicar Bishop of Moravica and consecrated by Serbian Patriarch German II. In May 1975, he was elected Bishop of Niš and enthroned in the Holy Trinity Cathedral (in Niš) on 15 June 1975. Irinej headed the Niš eparchy for the next 35 years.

On January 22, 2010, he was elected the 45th Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, after the death of previous Serbian Patriarch Pavle. He was one of the three candidates with the most votes from the 45 bishops eligible in the Serbian Orthodox Church, along with former locum tenens (interim leader) Amfilohije Radović and Irinej Bulović. In the final phase, his name was pulled from a sealed envelope. In this way, the Serbian Orthodox Church believes the patriarch is elected by divine intervention, sidelining human interests. He was enthroned on 23 January 2010 in Belgrade's St. Michael's Cathedral. Irinej was formally enthroned to the ancient throne of the Serbian Patriarch in the Patriarchal Monastery of Peć on 3 October 2010.

On January 28, 2010, at his first news conference, Irinej stated that "Islam’s philosophy was that Muslims, when they are in small numbers, can behave well and be fair, but that once they become superior, they start to exert pressure". The Islamic Community of Serbia (IZS) said that it found the remarks to be "insulting Islam" and responded with a letter to the Serbian Orthodox Church requesting an official interpretation of his statement. The Islamic Community in Serbia (IZuS) condemned what they called "insulting and false accusations".

On October 4, 2010, Patriarch Irinej said that international recognition of Kosovo was a "sin".

On November 10, 2010, Irinej stated in an interview that "the Drina River [between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina] is not a border but a bridge that connects us. Although, in a way, we are one even today, God willing, we will soon really be one." Irinej elaborated that for now "it is enough that we are one as a nation, as the Orthodox Church, and that we are on the same path of St. Sava and Christ". He praised the Serbs of Banja Luka stating that "[they fight] to preserve the Serb name. Although this is not at all an easy task, they are succeeding."

On December 15, 2011, His Holiness was decorated by His Royal Highness Prince Davit Bagration Mukhraneli Batonishvilli of Georgia with The Grand Collar of The Order of The Eagle of Georgia and The Semeless Tunic of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Irinej has been considered, both abroad and at home, as a moderate traditionalist, open to global inter-religious dialogue. In an interview, Irinej indicated he would not oppose the first-ever visit by the Roman Catholic Pope to Serbia in 2013 as part of celebrations of the 1,700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan, the law under which Roman emperor Constantine, who was born in Niš, ended the persecution of Christians. Irinej said that "there is the wish of the Pope" for a meeting in Niš and that it would be a chance "not just for a meeting, but for a dialogue".

Regarding the accession of Serbia to the European Union, Irinej said that: "Serbia should not look with suspicion at the EU, if the EU respects the Serbian identity, culture and religion. We believe that we are an historical part of Europe, and we want to be in this comity of nations. In the accession we will accept everything, that is not in contradiction with our cultural and historical identity."

In January 2012, Irinej referred to Republika Srpska, one of two entities comprising Bosnia and Herzegovina, as "the youngest Serbian state". The Office of the High Representative (OHR) responded and stated that the Republika Srpska is not a state but rather an entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina. The OHR noted that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Constitution "left no room for any kind of the entity’s sovereignty" and that "the entity’s jurisdiction was not an indication of any sort of statehood."

In January 2013, Irinej openly advocated for the restoration of the Serbian monarchy, after the liturgy on the occasion of transfer of the remains of King Peter II to Serbia from the United States.

• Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Karađorđe, Karađorđević dynasty
• Grand Collar of the Order of the Eagle of Georgia, Bagrationi dynasty