Serbian Patriarch Irinej
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Irinej ( sr-Cyrl, Иринеј, , ; born Miroslav Gavrilović; 28 August 193020 November 2020) was the head of the
Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Church#Constit ...
from 2010 until his death in 2020. He had first been the bishop of Niš between 1975 and 2010, and then the patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church from 22 January 2010 succeeding Pavle, until his death. He was considered, both abroad and at home, to be a
moderate Moderate is an ideological category which entails centrist views on a liberal-conservative spectrum. It may also designate a rejection of radical or extreme views, especially in regard to politics and religion. Political position Canad ...
traditionalist, open to global
inter-religious dialogue Interfaith dialogue, also known as interreligious dialogue, refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions (i.e. "faiths") and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the indi ...
.


Early life

Irinej was born as Miroslav Gavrilović (; sr-Cyrl, Мирослав Гавриловић) in Vidova near
Čačak Čačak ( sr-Cyrl, Чачак, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Moravica District in central Serbia. It is located in the West Morava Valley. According to the 2022 census, the city itself has a population ...
,
Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...
(now
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
). After graduating from
high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
, he enrolled and completed the Serbian Orthodox Seminary of Prizren. He then enrolled at the
University of Belgrade The University of Belgrade () is a public university, public research university in Belgrade, Serbia. It is the oldest and largest modern university in Serbia. Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it me ...
's Theological Faculty and served in the army after graduating. After compulsory military service, he was
tonsure Tonsure () is the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp as a sign of religious devotion or humility. The term originates from the Latin word ' (meaning "clipping" or "shearing") and referred to a specific practice in ...
d a
monk A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...
in 1959 in Rakovica monastery, receiving the
monastic name A religious name is a type of given name bestowed for religious purposes, and which is generally used in such contexts. Christianity Catholic Church Baptismal name In baptism, Catholics are given a Christian name, which should not be "foreign to ...
of "Irinej" (from , ;
Irenaeus Irenaeus ( or ; ; ) was a Greeks, Greek bishop noted for his role in guiding and expanding Christianity, Christian communities in the southern regions of present-day France and, more widely, for the development of Christian theology by oppos ...
). He was a professor at the Prizren Seminary, and completed postgraduate studies in
Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
. In 1969, he was appointed a head of the monastic school at Ostrog Monastery. In 1969, he returned to Prizren, where he was appointed Rector of the Prizren Seminary.


Titular bishop and the Bishop of Niš


Titular bishop of Moravica (1974–1975)

Irinej was elected
titular bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...
of Moravica in May 1974. As the bishop of Moravica, he was a
vicar A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English p ...
to the
Serbian patriarch This is a list of heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church, since the establishment of the church as an Autocephaly, autocephalous archbishopric in 1219 to today's patriarchate. The list includes all the archbishops and patriarchs that led the Se ...
, at the time to Patriarch
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
. After one year, he left the position following his election for the bishop of Niš.


Bishop of Niš (1975–2010)

In May 1975, Irinej was elected bishop of Niš and enthroned in the Holy Trinity Cathedral on 15 June 1975 in
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
. When the Prizren Seminary was displaced from
Prizren Prizren ( sq-definite, Prizreni, ; sr-cyr, Призрен) is the second List of cities and towns in Kosovo, most populous city and Municipalities of Kosovo, municipality of Kosovo and seat of the eponymous municipality and District of Prizren, ...
due to
Kosovo War The Kosovo War (; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Косовски рат, Kosovski rat) was an armed conflict in Kosovo that lasted from 28 February 1998 until 11 June 1999. It ...
in 1999, he made it possible that a new building of the Seminary was built in Niš, where the Seminary continued its work. Irinej headed the Eparchy of Niš for 35 years. Bishop Irinej was elected to the
Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church The Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church () serves by Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Church constitution as the executive body of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Holy Synod consists of five members: four bishops and the List ...
as a member in May 2009.


Serbian Patriarch (2010–2020)


Election and inauguration

Irinej was elected Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church on 22 January 2010, two months after the death of previous patriarch, Pavle, becoming the 45th
Patriarch The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Roman Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and ...
. 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 A locum, or locum tenens, is a person who temporarily fulfills the duties of another; the term is especially used for physicians or clergy. For example, a ''locum tenens physician'' is a physician who works in the place of the regular physician. ...
(interim leader) Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral and Bishop Irinej of Bačka. 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 Divinity (from Latin ) refers to the quality, presence, or nature of that which is divine—a term that, before the rise of monotheism, evoked a broad and dynamic field of sacred power. In the ancient world, divinity was not limited to a singl ...
intervention, sidelining human interests. Irinej was enthroned on 23 January 2010 in St. Michael's Cathedral in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
. The inauguration was attended by numerous
government ministers A minister is a politician who heads a ministry, making and implementing decisions on policies in conjunction with the other ministers. In some jurisdictions the head of government is also a minister and is designated the ' prime minister', ' p ...
of Serbia, representatives of churches and religious communities in Serbia, and various politicians including the Prime Minister
Mirko Cvetković Mirko Cvetković ( sr-Cyr, Мирко Цветковић, ; born 16 August 1950) is a Serbian economist and former politician who served as the Prime Minister of Serbia, prime minister of Serbia from 2008 to 2012 and as finance minister from 200 ...
, Prime Minister of Republika Srpska
Milorad Dodik Milorad Dodik ( sr-Cyrl, Милорад Додик, ; born 12 March 1959) is a Bosnian Serb politician currently serving as the 8th president of Republika Srpska since 2022, a position he previously held from 2010 to 2018. He also served as ...
, Apostolic Nuncio Orlando Antonini, Catholic archbishop of Belgrade Stanislav Hočevar, Serbian Mufti Muhamed Jusufspahić, and Crown Prince Alexander Karađorđević. Irinej held his formal enthronement to the ancient throne of the Serbian patriarch in the Patriarchal Monastery of Peć on 3 October 2010. The enthronement was attended by many dignitaries including Serbian President
Boris Tadić Boris Tadić, (born 15 January 1958) is a Serbian politician who served as the president of Serbia from 2004 to 2012. Born in Sarajevo, he graduated from the University of Belgrade with a degree in psychology. He later worked as a journalist ...
,
Croatian Parliament The Croatian Parliament () or the Sabor is the Unicameralism, unicameral legislature of Croatia. Under the terms of the Constitution of Croatia, Croatian Constitution, the Sabor represents the nation, people and is vested with legislative power. ...
member
Milorad Pupovac Milorad Pupovac (; born 5 November 1955) is a Croatian politician and linguist. He is a member of the Sabor, the former president of the Serb National Council, and the president of the Independent Democratic Serb Party. He was also an Member of ...
, Russian Metropolitan
Hilarion Hilarion (291–371), also known by the bynames of Thavata, of Gaza, and in the Orthodox Church as the Great was a Christian anchorite who spent most of his life in the desert according to the example of Anthony the Great (c. 251–356). While ...
, Jerusalem Archbishop Theophylactos of Iordanos, Georgian Metropolitan Gerasimos of Zugdidi and Tsaishi, Romanian Metropolitan Irineu, Bulgarian Metropolitan Domentian of Vidin, Cypriot Metropolitan Chrysostomos, Albanian Metropolitan Ignatios of Berat, Archbishop Hočevar, Mufti Jusufspahić, Crown Prince Alexander and princes
Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a su ...
,
Philip Philip, also Phillip, is a male name derived from the Macedonian Old Koine language, Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominen ...
, and
Alexander Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here ar ...
.


Ecumenism and interfaith dialogue

Irinej was considered, both abroad and at home, as a
moderate Moderate is an ideological category which entails centrist views on a liberal-conservative spectrum. It may also designate a rejection of radical or extreme views, especially in regard to politics and religion. Political position Canad ...
traditionalist, open to global
inter-religious dialogue Interfaith dialogue, also known as interreligious dialogue, refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions (i.e. "faiths") and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the indi ...
. On 28 January 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 in 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 condemned what they called "insulting and false accusations". On 29 January, he expressed regrets for his statement and its consequences, and to Muslims, as neighbours and brothers he extended apologies. Hereupon his apologies were accepted. In 2010, Irinej indicated he would not oppose the first-ever visit by the
pope The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...
of the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
to Serbia in 2013 as part of celebrations of the 1,700th anniversary of the
Edict of Milan The Edict of Milan (; , ''Diatagma tōn Mediolanōn'') was the February 313 agreement to treat Christians benevolently within the Roman Empire. Frend, W. H. C. (1965). ''The Early Church''. SPCK, p. 137. Western Roman Emperor Constantine I and ...
, the law under which Roman emperor
Constantine I Constantine I (27 February 27222 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a Constantine the Great and Christianity, pivotal ro ...
, who was born in Niš, ended the persecution of
Christians A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...
. 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". The visit of the Pope did not take place, as Irinej's Orthodox Church insisted on a papal apology for crimes committed against Serbian Orthodox during World War II. ”An apology would be a gesture that instills hope that something like that will never happen again," said Irinej. A visit by
Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...
(deemed politically useful for Serbia's battle against the
international recognition of Kosovo International governments are divided on the issue of recognition of the independence of Kosovo from Serbia, which was 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence, declared in 2008. The Government of Serbia does not diplomatically recognise Ko ...
) was discussed again for May 2016, but Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić called it off after hearing the negative opinion of Irinej's Orthodox Church. In July 2018, Irinej confirmed that it was still not the right moment for a visit of the Pope to Serbia, "because of everything that has happened in the past, and a huge number of erbrefugees from Croatia, a large portion of the nation is against it." In May 2019, Pope Francis stated that Irinej had helped in the reflection in the Catholic Church about the
canonization Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christianity, Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon ca ...
of World War II Croatian
Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal most commonly refers to * Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of three species in the family Cardinalidae ***Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'', the common cardinal of ...
Aloysius Stepinac Aloysius Viktor Stepinac (, 8 May 1898 – 10 February 1960) was a Croat prelate of the Catholic Church. Made a cardinal in 1953, Stepinac served as Archbishop of Zagreb from 1937 until his death, a period which included the fascist rule of th ...
, which the Serbian Orthodox Church opposes due to his role in the Nazi-allied
Independent State of Croatia The Independent State of Croatia (, NDH) was a World War II–era puppet state of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy (1922–1943), Fascist Italy. It was established in parts of Axis occupation of Yugoslavia, occupied Yugoslavia on 10 April 1941, ...
(NDH). "I sought advice and I saw that I need to seek help from Irinej. He is a great patriarch. Irinej helped, we created a joint historic commission, and we cooperated," said the Pope. "The truth is both mine and Irinej's only interest."


Construction of the Church of Saint Sava

After the
Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia (; ; ; ; ), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (; ), is a mosque and former Church (building), church serving as a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The last of three church buildings to be successively ...
was converted to a mosque in July 2020, the Patriarch Irinej and the President of Serbia,
Aleksandar Vučić Aleksandar Vučić, (born 5 March 1970) is a Serbian politician serving as President of Serbia since 2017. A founding member of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), he previously served as President of the SNS from 2012 to 2023, Deputy Prim ...
on 20 August 2020 expressed their wish, that the
Church of Saint Sava The Church of Saint Sava ( sr-Cyrl, Храм Светог Саве, Hram Svetog Save, lit='The Temple of Saint Sava') is a 79 m high Serbian Orthodox church, which sits on the Vračar plateau in Belgrade, Serbia. It was planned as the bishopric ...
in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
might indirectly replace the Hagia Sophia after which it was modelled, and become a ″New Hagia Sophia″. During last three years of the Patriarch Irinej's tenure, the Serbian Government spent 43 million
euro The euro (currency symbol, symbol: euro sign, €; ISO 4217, currency code: EUR) is the official currency of 20 of the Member state of the European Union, member states of the European Union. This group of states is officially known as the ...
on renovating the church. Also,
Gazprom PJSC Gazprom ( rus, Газпром, , ɡɐsˈprom) is a Russian State-owned enterprise, majority state-owned multinational Energy industry, energy corporation headquartered in the Lakhta Center in Saint Petersburg. The Gazprom name is a contract ...
Company donated 10.5 million euro towards the church’s construction.


Response to allegations of sexual abuse in the Church

Irinej has been criticized for his lack of action in regards to allegations of
pedophilia Pedophilia ( alternatively spelled paedophilia) is a psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent experiences a primary or exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children. Although girls typically begin the process of pube ...
within the Serbian Orthodox Church, which were reported in the summer of 2012 and affected public opinion in Serbia and in
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
. The scandal, initially covered up, led to the resignation of the Tuzla and Zvornik bishop, Vasilije Kačavenda, who was accused of having abused children for decades. A court in London ruled that the Serbian Orthodox Church was not guilty for the six reported cases of alleged pedophilia in the lawsuit filed by a group of citizens. The suit was rejected and the group had to pay 160,000£ to the Serbian Orthodox Church.


Other

As the Patriarch, Irinej headed the Bishops' Council and the
Holy Synod In several of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Churches and Eastern Catholic Churches, the patriarch or head bishop is elected by a group of bishops called the Holy Synod. For instance, the Holy Synod is a ruling body of the Georgian Orthodox ...
of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Following his death on 20 November 2020, Metropolitan Hrizostom of Dabar-Bosnia, a senior member of the Holy Synod, became the acting Guardian of the Throne until the election of new patriarch.


Positions on morality and politics


Abortion

Irinej was firmly against
abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...
. In 2017, he stated in a local newspaper that it is "a woman's duty to give birth in order to regenerate the nation". In 2019 he condemned a performance by women's rights activists, which placed an apron saying 'Abortion is a Woman's Right' on a monument to his predecessor Patriarch Pavle in Belgrade. "Doing something like this is shameful, whatever the reason. It’s not nice," he said, recalling that the Church and Patriarch Pavle were opposed to abortion.


LGBT

Irinej was openly against of the freedom of expression of the LGBT community in Serbia. In 2011, Irinej labelled the planned
pride parade A pride parade (also known as pride event, pride festival, pride march, or pride protest) is an event celebrating lesbian, Gay men, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) social and self-acceptance, achievements, LGBT rights by country o ...
in Belgrade a "pestilence" and a "parade of shame". In October 2012, Irinej wrote to Serbian Prime Minister
Ivica Dačić Ivica Dačić ( sr-cyrl, Ивица Дачић, ; born 1 January 1966) is a Serbian politician serving as deputy prime minister of Serbia since 2022 and minister of internal affairs since 2024. He has been the leader of the Socialist Party of ...
to express concern over the moral image of Belgrade and Serbia, "our centuries-long Christian culture and the dignity of our family, as the foundation block of humankind". "I am writing to you all on behalf of the Serbian Orthodox Church and its followers ... Authorities must take immediate action to bring this scandal to a halt". In 2014, in an interview for '' Nedeljnik'', he stated: "I feel sorry for those people who belong to the so-called gay community. It is a disorder or deviation of human nature. I can understand them, as well as their problem, but I cannot understand what they impose on us and what they show in public." He denounced Belgrade Pride as "immoral" and "imposed by the homosexual lobby and their mentors from Western Europe". In 2017, when Ana Brnabić was appointed the Serbian prime minister, the first openly gay person to serve in the office, Irinej did not openly criticise the choice of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić: "The Serbian Orthodox Church does not peek through other people’s windows and does not deal with the private lives of state officials," a press release stated. "It is extremely irresponsible to present scandalous details or someone’s personal temptations to the media and thus expose people to potential danger. The Church never condemns. It condemns only sin, only evil, and pities man."


Domestic relations

Irinej and the Serbian Orthodox Church were considered very close to the political leadership of Serbia under SNS'
Aleksandar Vučić Aleksandar Vučić, (born 5 March 1970) is a Serbian politician serving as President of Serbia since 2017. A founding member of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), he previously served as President of the SNS from 2012 to 2023, Deputy Prim ...
, in power since 2012. Vučić was awarded the highest decoration of the Church, the Order of Saint Sava, in October 2020. The year before, Irinej criticised the anti-government protests, stating that "what we see in streets today is not good" and that, "it gives strength to our enemies". Irinej and the Serbian Orthodox Church were also considered opposed to any deal with Kosovo under the EU-facilitated normalisation dialogue. In January 2013, Irinej openly advocated for the restoration of the Serbian monarchy, after the liturgy commemorating the transfer of the remains of King Peter II to Serbia from the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.


Kosovo

On 4 October 2010, Patriarch Irinej said that
international recognition of Kosovo International governments are divided on the issue of recognition of the independence of Kosovo from Serbia, which was 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence, declared in 2008. The Government of Serbia does not diplomatically recognise Ko ...
was a "sin". Speaking about the Orthodox monasteries in Kosovo, Irinej said in 2015 that "if force is deployed" to deprive Serbia of its cultural and historical heritage, "we will do all we can to defend them, by peaceful means or by force." In 2018, in multiple occasions Irinej publicly supported President Vučić, stating that he was "fighting like a lion" to maintain
Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
as a part of
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
. The same year, Irinej suggested that the Serbian Orthodox Church could rename itself as the Serbian Orthodox Church – Patriarchate of Peć, to highlight its links with Kosovo, in a move that was interpreted as in opposition to the government's participation in the EU-facilitated normalisation dialogue with Kosovo.


International relations


European Union

Regarding the possible accession of Serbia to the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
, Irinej said that: "Serbia should not look with suspicion at the EU, if the EU respects the Serbian identity,
culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...
and
religion Religion is a range of social system, social-cultural systems, including designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics in religion, ethics, or ...
. We believe that we are an historical part of
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
, and we want to be in this of nations. In the accession we will accept everything, that is not in
contradiction In traditional logic, a contradiction involves a proposition conflicting either with itself or established fact. It is often used as a tool to detect disingenuous beliefs and bias. Illustrating a general tendency in applied logic, Aristotle's ...
with our cultural and historical identity." In 2018, Irinej claimed that the European Union is not actually "very eager" to accept Serbia as a new member state "because of our friendship with Russia, and he EU'sinternal reasons of theirs; they keep making new preconditions all the time and demand from us to accept their solution over Kosovo and Metohija."


Bosnia and Herzegovina

On 10 November 2010, Irinej stated in an interview that "the
Drina River The Drina ( sr-Cyrl, Дрина, ) is a long river in the Balkans, which forms a large portion of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Al ...
etween Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovinais 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 Banja Luka ( sr-Cyrl, Бања Лука, ) or Banjaluka ( sr-Cyrl, Бањалука, ) is the List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the largest city in Republika Srpska. Banja Luka is the tr ...
stating that " hey fightto preserve the Serb name. Although this is not at all an easy task, they are succeeding." In January 2012, Irinej referred to
Republika Srpska Republika Srpska ( sr-Cyrl, Република Српска, ; also referred to as the Republic of Srpska or Serb Republic) is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities within Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other bein ...
, one of two entities comprising
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
, 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 November 2017, he called the
life sentence Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment under which the convicted individual is to remain incarcerated for the rest of their natural life (or until pardoned or commuted to a fixed term). Crimes that result in life imprisonment are c ...
handed out by the Hague Tribunal to former VRS General
Ratko Mladić Ratko Mladić ( sr-Cyrl, Ратко Младић, ; born 12 March 1942) is a Bosnian Serb former military officer who led the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) during the Yugoslav Wars. In 2017, he was found guilty of committing war crimes, crim ...
for, inter alia, the
Srebrenica genocide The Srebrenica massacre, also known as the Srebrenica genocide, was the July 1995 genocidal killing of more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys in and around the town of Srebrenica during the Bosnian War. It was mainly perpetrated by units ...
"a work of the devil". He deemed the sentence as part of a global conspiracy against the Serbs. "One more Serb has been convicted in The Hague. We knew Ratko Mladić would be convicted and that everything would play out this way. Unfortunately, we can't do anything about it," said the Patriarch. "This is all happening because the many global wielders of power are doing the devil's work and we are suffering the consequences." Irinej often attended Serbian Orthodox Church and public events of the
Bosnian Serb The Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sr-Cyrl, Срби Босне и Херцеговине, Srbi Bosne i Hercegovine), often referred to as Bosnian Serbs ( sr-cyrl, босански Срби, bosanski Srbi) or Herzegovinian Serbs ( sr-cyrl, ...
leadership. On 9 January 2019, he attended the Republika Srpska's Statehood Day parade in
Banja Luka Banja Luka ( sr-Cyrl, Бања Лука, ) or Banjaluka ( sr-Cyrl, Бањалука, ) is the List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the largest city in Republika Srpska. Banja Luka is the tr ...
, together with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić. The Statehod Day celebration had been found unconstitutional by the
Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Ustavni sud Bosne i Hercegovine, Уставни суд Босне и Херцеговине) is the interpreter and guardian of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It ...
in 2015.


Syria

In June 2019, Irinej visited Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad Bashar al-Assad (born 11September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer and former dictator Sources characterising Assad as a dictator: who served as the president of Syria from 2000 until fall of the Assad regime, his government ...
in
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
. In an official statement, Patriarch Irinej "highly praised the principled and firm support" of the
Assad regime Ba'athist Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR), was the Syrian state between 1963 and 2024 under the one-party rule of the Syrian regional branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party. From 1971 until its collapse in 2024, it was rule ...
in backing Serbia with regard to Kosovo.


Death and funeral


Illness and death

On 4 November 2020, Irinej tested positive for
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
after attending, as well as presiding over, the 1 November funeral of Metropolitan Amfilohije, who also tested positive and had died from COVID-19. The large crowds at Amfilohije's funeral did not practise
social distancing In public health, social distancing, also called physical distancing, (NB. Regula Venske is president of the PEN Centre Germany.) is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures intended to prevent the spread of a contagious dise ...
or wear masks and Amfilohije's casket was open during the service. On 14 November, it was reported that his health condition was "stable and under control during hospitalization" in the military COVID hospital in Belgrade. On 19 November, he was
intubated Intubation (sometimes entubation) is a medical procedure involving the insertion of a tube into the body. Most commonly, intubation refers to tracheal intubation, a procedure during which an endotracheal tube is inserted into the trachea to supp ...
. Some media outlets reported that Irinej had died; the Serbian Orthodox Church issued a statement refuting these claims, but said that Irinej was in worsening health at a military hospital in Belgrade. Some members of the press still insisted that the news of Irinej's death had been confirmed by reputable sources. Irinej's death was officially announced on 20 November at 7:07 am CET. On the same day, the
Government of Serbia The government of Serbia ( sr-cyrl, Влада Србије, Vlada Srbije), formally the Government of the Republic of Serbia ( sr-cyrl, Влада Републике Србије, Vlada Republike Srbije), commonly abbreviated to Serbian Governme ...
, as well as
Republika Srpska Republika Srpska ( sr-Cyrl, Република Српска, ; also referred to as the Republic of Srpska or Serb Republic) is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities within Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other bein ...
, declared three-day mourning following his death, while the town of
Budva Budva (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Будва, or ) is a town in the Coastal Montenegro, Coastal region of Montenegro. It had 27,445 inhabitants as of 2023, and is the centre of Budva Municipality. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budv ...
,
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
, declared a day of mourning on 23 November, a day after Irinej's funeral.
French President The president of France, officially the president of the French Republic (), is the executive head of state of France, and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces. As the presidency is the supreme magistracy of the country, the pos ...
Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France and Co-Prince of Andorra since 2017. He was Ministry of Economy and Finance (France), Minister of Economics, Industr ...
expressed his condolences in the Serbian
Cyrillic script The Cyrillic script ( ) is a writing system used for various languages across Eurasia. It is the designated national script in various Slavic languages, Slavic, Turkic languages, Turkic, Mongolic languages, Mongolic, Uralic languages, Uralic, C ...
.
Russian President The president of Russia, officially the president of the Russian Federation (), is the executive head of state of Russia. The president is the chair of the Federal State Council and the supreme commander-in-chief of the Russian Armed Forces. I ...
Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...
sent his condolences, as did the head of the
Orthodox Church of Ukraine The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (; OCU), also called the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, is an Eastern Orthodox Church in Ukraine. It was granted autocephaly by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople on . Some of the Eastern Orthodox Churche ...
, Epiphanius I, and the deputy of the Department for External Church Relations of the
Russian Orthodox Church The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC; ;), also officially known as the Moscow Patriarchate (), is an autocephaly, autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox Christian church. It has 194 dioceses inside Russia. The Primate (bishop), p ...
, Archpriest Nikolay Balashov. The European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement
Olivér Várhelyi Olivér Várhelyi (; born 22 March 1972) is a Hungarian lawyer and diplomat who is the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare in the von der Leyen Commission II since December 2024. ...
tweeted his condolences to Serbia's people. Patriarch
John X Pope John X (; died 28 May 928) was the bishop of Rome and nominal ruler of the Papal States from March 914 to his death. A candidate of the counts of Tusculum, he attempted to unify Italy under the leadership of Berengar of Friuli, and was inst ...
of Antioch and All the East, sent a message of condolence to the
Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church The Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church () serves by Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Church constitution as the executive body of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Holy Synod consists of five members: four bishops and the List ...
, as well as Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria.
Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...
stated that Irinej was "an example of faith and dialogue". The
Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy The Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (, ), or I.A.O., is a transnational, inter-parliamentary institution that in 1994 was originally established as the European Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (EIAO). Based in Athens, Greece, t ...
stated that "The late Primate rinej during his Patriarchal service, reflected the profound Orthodox feelings of the Serbian people, as well as his hope for a better future. Until today, he strived, without sparing any effort, for the unity of the One and Indivisible Church of Christ and the troubles that concern the modern world." The
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity The Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, previously named the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU), is a dicastery within the Holy See whose origins are associated with the Second Vatican Council which met intermittently fr ...
stated that "throughout his ministry, His Holiness rinejremained an example of faith and dialogue, humble and joyful, totally dedicating his life to God and fostering the spirit of communion within the Serbian Orthodox Church." Many other organizations sent their messages of condolence, including Appeal of Conscience Foundation and German Bishops' Conference.


Aftermath

On 21 November, Irinej's body was brought to St. Michael's Cathedral in Belgrade where was held the
Divine Liturgy Divine Liturgy () or Holy Liturgy is the usual name used in most Eastern Christian rites for the Eucharistic service. The Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Lutheranism, Eastern Lutheran Churches and the Eastern Orthodox Church believe the Divi ...
on the
feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context does n ...
of the cathedral and the second-largest '' slava'' celebrated in Serbia. Following the ceremony, his body was carried to the
Church of Saint Sava The Church of Saint Sava ( sr-Cyrl, Храм Светог Саве, Hram Svetog Save, lit='The Temple of Saint Sava') is a 79 m high Serbian Orthodox church, which sits on the Vračar plateau in Belgrade, Serbia. It was planned as the bishopric ...
in
Vračar Vračar ( sr-Cyrl, Врачар, ) is an affluent urban area and Subdivisions of Belgrade, municipality of the city of Belgrade known as the location of many embassies and museums. According to the 2022 census results, the municipality has a popul ...
, Belgrade, and thousands of mourners passed by the coffin which, in consideration of coronavirus and the circumstances of the Patriarch’s death, had a glass lid. On the same date, Metropolitan
Hilarion Hilarion (291–371), also known by the bynames of Thavata, of Gaza, and in the Orthodox Church as the Great was a Christian anchorite who spent most of his life in the desert according to the example of Anthony the Great (c. 251–356). While ...
of Volokolamsk, the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate and the chief delegate of the Russian Orthodox Church delegation, arrived in Belgrade for Irinej's funeral. His
funeral A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...
was held on 22 November at the Church of Saint Sava. After the Holy Liturgy, speeches were given by
Protoiereus A ''protoiereus'' (from , "first priest", Modern Greek: πρωθιερέας), or protopriest in the Eastern Orthodox Church, is a priest usually coordinating the activity of other subordinate priests in a larger church. The title is roughly equiv ...
-Staurophore Petar Lukić, Bishop Irinej of Bačka, Serbian President
Aleksandar Vučić Aleksandar Vučić, (born 5 March 1970) is a Serbian politician serving as President of Serbia since 2017. A founding member of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), he previously served as President of the SNS from 2012 to 2023, Deputy Prim ...
, and
Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina The chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the presiding member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which collectively serves as head of state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Željka Cvijanović is the incumbent officehold ...
Milorad Dodik Milorad Dodik ( sr-Cyrl, Милорад Додик, ; born 12 March 1959) is a Bosnian Serb politician currently serving as the 8th president of Republika Srpska since 2022, a position he previously held from 2010 to 2018. He also served as ...
. In his speech, President Vučić said that love was the basis of the faith of the late patriarch, and his Serbia was the one he created himself - a Serbia of peace, a Serbia that understands and brings people together. Irinej is the first Serbian Patriarch to be buried in the
crypt A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''wikt:crypta#Latin, crypta'' "Burial vault (tomb), vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, Sarcophagus, sarcophagi, or Relic, religiou ...
of the Church. Funeral service was also attended by numerous
government ministers A minister is a politician who heads a ministry, making and implementing decisions on policies in conjunction with the other ministers. In some jurisdictions the head of government is also a minister and is designated the ' prime minister', ' p ...
of Serbia and various politicians from the Balkans including the
Prime Minister-designate A prime number (or a prime) is a natural number greater than 1 that is not a product of two smaller natural numbers. A natural number greater than 1 that is not prime is called a composite number. For example, 5 is prime because the only ways ...
of
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
Zdravko Krivokapić and
President of Republika Srpska The president of Republika Srpska (, ; ) is the highest executive authority in Republika Srpska, an entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is one of the executive authorities, along with the Government of Republika Srpska. The president of Repu ...
Željka Cvijanović Željka Cvijanović (; sr-cyr, Жељка Цвијановић, ; born 4 March 1967) is a Bosnian Serb politician serving as the 8th and current Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2022. She has also been serving as i ...
, and dignitaries such as Prince Filip Karađorđević and Stanislav Hočevar, the Catholic archbishop of Belgrade. Bishop David of Kruševac who led Irinej's funeral service tested positive for COVID-19 following the funeral. At the time, Bishop David is one of the four remaining members of the
Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church The Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church () serves by Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Church constitution as the executive body of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Holy Synod consists of five members: four bishops and the List ...
.


Awards and honours

* Grand Collar of the
Order of the Eagle of Georgia The Order of the Eagle of Georgia and the Seamless Tunic of Our Lord Jesus Christ ( ka, საქართველოს არწივისა და უფლისა ჩვენისა იესო ქრისტეს უკერ ...
,
Bagrationi dynasty The Bagrationi dynasty (; ) is a royal family, royal dynasty which reigned in Georgia (country), Georgia from the Middle Ages until the early 19th century, being among the oldest extant Christianity, Christian ruling dynasties in the world. In ...
(2011) *
Order of the Republika Srpska The Order of the Republika Srpska () is the Republika Srpska's highest award. It can be awarded to any head of state, "exceptional person", or institution in recognition of "excellent work strengthening the national consciousness egardingthe ...
,
Republika Srpska Republika Srpska ( sr-Cyrl, Република Српска, ; also referred to as the Republic of Srpska or Serb Republic) is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities within Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other bein ...
(2011) * Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Karađorđe, Karađorđević dynasty (2013) * Order of Saint Nikolaj, Eparchy of Šabac * Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, honorary degree * Honorary citizen,
Zemun Zemun ( sr-cyrl, Земун, ; ) is a Subdivisions of Belgrade, municipality in the city of Belgrade, Serbia. Zemun was a separate town that was absorbed into Belgrade in 1934. It lies on the right bank of the Danube river, upstream from downtown ...


See also

*
List of 21st-century religious leaders This is a list of the top-level leaders for religious denomination, religious groups with at least 50,000 adherents, and that led anytime since January 1, 2001. It should likewise only name leaders listed on other articles and lis ...


References


External links


Patriarch's Biography
at spc.rs {{DEFAULTSORT:Irinej Of Serbia 1930 births 2020 deaths People from Čačak Eastern Orthodox Christians from Serbia Patriarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church Serbian monarchists 20th-century Eastern Orthodox bishops 21st-century Eastern Orthodox bishops University of Belgrade Faculty of Orthodox Theology alumni Recipients of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia Burials at Serbian Orthodox monasteries and churches