Metropolitan Irinej (Kovacevic)

Metropolitan Irinej (Kovačević) (1914-1999)

Irinej may be spelt Irinei, Iriney, Ireney, Irénée, Irenaeus, Irenaios.

Kovačević may be spelt Kovacevic, Kovachevich.

Gračanica may be spelt Gracanica, Grachanichka (which expresses the Cyrillic spelling).

Early life of Milan Kovačević

Milan Kovačević was born to Sreten and Kristine Kovačević on 6 September, 1914, in the village Vrnčani near Gornji Milanovac in the Kingdom of Serbia.

Raised in the bosom of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Milan completed primary school in his village, and high school in Gornji Milanovac.

Higher education

Milan began and completed the course at the Teachers High School, after which he served as a teacher in the village Ljutovnica near Gornji Milanovac.

World War II ; military service ; prisoner of war 1941-1945

In 1941, during World War II, because he was at that time an army reserve officer, he was taken by the Nazis to a camp in Germany, where he remained until 1945.

Exile, 1945

After the liberation, Milan went to England. There, he temporarily attended a seminary, Dorchester College, in Dorchester, Dorset County, in southwest England.

Move to the USA, 1950

In 1950, Milan emigrated to the USA, and he enrolled in the Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York, and also in Columbia University. At that time, Saint Vladimir's Seminary was situated in New York City itself, and it was associated with Columbia University.

In European terms, Saint Vladimir’s is an academy, which implies a graduate and post-graduate school of study.

In October, 1953, Milan entered the Serbian Orthodox Monastery of Saint Sava in Libertyville, Illinois.

Monastic tonsure, 1953

On 30 December, 1953, Milan Kovačević was tonsured to be a monk by Archimandrite Firmilian (Ocokoljić), and he was given the name Irinej.

Diaconal ordination, 1953

On 31 December, 1953, Monk Irinej (Kovačević) was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in the monastery by Bishop Dionisije (Milivojević).

Presbyteral ordination, 1954

On 7 April, 1954, Hierodeacon Irinej (Kovačević) was ordained to the Holy Priesthood in the monastery by Bishop Dionisije (Milivojević).

Pastoral service

Hieromonk Irenej (Kovačević) served when and where he was blessed to do so.

On 31 August, 1956, Hieromonk Irinej (Kovačević) was elevated to the dignity of igumen.

In 1961, upon the recommendation of Bishop Dionisije, the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church elevated Igumen Irinej to the dignity of archimandrite.

Schism from the Serbian Orthodox Church, 1963

In 1963, the schism of Bishop Dionisije (Milivojević) began. Bishop Dionisije did not accept the decision of the Holy Synod about the creation of 3 new eparchies, namely, "Midwestern America", "Eastern America" and "Canada and Western America". This matter also involved political concerns. "Eparchy" (from the Greek word "eparchia") used to mean a province, prefecture or territory in the Roman Empire. Now, the word is used to describe a diocese.

In that year, Bishop Dionisije summoned the Tenth National-Church assembly, which met in Libertyville from 10-14 November, 1963. It was decided not to receive any decisions, orders and instructions of the Holy Assembly of Bishops ("Sabor") and of the Holy Synod in Belgrade in Yugoslavia, as long as the Serbian government remained a communist regime. The assembly rejected all decisions about the suspension of Bishop Dionisije (Milivojevic), and about the division of the American-Canadian eparchy (diocese) into 3 new ones. It was also decided to declare that the American-Canadian Diocese was now free and independent.

At the same Tenth National-Church Assembly in 1963, Archimandrite Irinej (Kovačević) was elected to become a bishop.

Episcopal ordination, 1963

On 7 December, 1963, Archimandrite Irinej (Kovačević) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate by Bishop Dionisije (Milivojevic) along with 2 Ukrainian Orthodox bishops (Bishop Genadije and Bishop Gregory).

Episcopal service ; establishment of order ; some events

The 1963 attempt to divide the American-Canadian diocese into 3 separate dioceses brought about a schism.

The Serbian Orthodox Church Diocese for Australia and New Zealand convened a national assembly, which was held on 31 October, 1964. The majority vote of the assembly decided to establish a Free Serbian Orthodox Church (Diocese of Australia and New Zealand). A diocesan council was formed, which divided Australia into 2 administrative regions, and elevated 2 priests to the dignity of archpriest in order to administer the diocese. Archimandrite Dimitrije (Balac) was elected to become the first bishop.

As a consequence, 14 Serbian Orthodox church-school congregations in Australia aligned themselves with the “Free Serbian Orthodox Church Diocese for Australia and New Zealand”, and 4 remained with the Serbian Patriarchate in Belgrade.

In 1966, Archimandrite Dimitrije (Balac) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate by Bishops Dionisije (Milivojevic) and Irinej (Kovačević). Bishop Dimitrije was assigned to serve as Vicar-Bishop in the USA, in charge of Australia and New Zealand. He was succeeded by Bishop Petar (Bankerović) (1979-1988), and Bishop Vasilije (Veinović) (1991-1994).

After the founding of the canonical Dioceses of Western Europe and Australia headed by Bishop Lavrentije (Trifunović), there was convened a schismatic church and national assembly on 22 November, 1969, with "delegates from the Serbian Orthodox Church communities of the free countries of Europe". The participants were supporters of the deposed bishop of the US-Canadian diocese, Dionisije (Milivojević). The assembly established the Free Serbian Orthodox Diocese in Europe.

In November, 1977, Archimandrite Petar (Bankerović) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate by Bishops Dionisije (Milivojević) and Irinej (Kovačević). Bishop Petar was assigned to serve as the Vicar-Bishop of Bishop Dionisije. Bishop Dimitrije (Milivojević) reposed in May, 1979, and Bishop Petar (Bankerović) succeeded him in Australia and New Zealand in December, 1979.

In 1979, Bishop Vasilije (Veinović), based in London, was elected to be the Bishop of the Diocese of Western Europe, a position he held until 1991, when he was elected to be Bishop of Australia and New Zealand. The new Bishop of Western Europe in 1991 was Bishop Damaskin (Davidović).

In the USA, the idea of building a monastery, a home for the aged and a home for orphans was considered in 1972, but it was not until December 1978 that moves were taken to make this happen. Therefore, Bishop Petar (Bankerović) (at that time the Bishop-Administrator) sent out an appeal requesting funds to the parishes in the diocese. As a result, a property was purchased in 1980 at the Village of Third Lake, Illinois, and it was blessed in January, 1981, by Bishop Petar. Considerable donations were received (financial, material and labour) throughout the 1980s, and the loan was retired by the end of 1991. This property has been used as a monastery at various times in its history.

In 1982, in response to a 1980 request from a small group of Romanian Canadians, Metropolitan Irenej (Kovačević) tonsured the Deacon Lev Puhalo to be a monk, and he gave him the name Lazar. Metropolitan Irenej then ordained the the Hierodeacon Lazar (Puhalo) to the Holy Priesthood in order to serve the newly-formed parish of the Holy Confessor, Saint Tikhon in British Columbia, and also to serve in the Monastery of All Saints of North America, which at that time was in Chilliwack, British Columbia.

A Holy Synod established ; constitution, 1983

The New Gračanica Diocese consisted of 3 eparchies : the Diocese of America and Canada (based in the New Gračanica Monastery, Chicago, Illinois), the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (with the seat in the Novi Kalenic Monastery, Canberra) and the Diocese of Western Europe (based in London).

New Gračanica Monastery of the Protection of the Theotokos, 1983

On the Feast of the Dormition on 28 August, 1983, the Free Serbian American-Canadian Bishop Irinej (Kovačević), the Bishop of Australia and New Zealand Petar (Bankerović) and the Western European Bishop Vasilije (Veinović) proclaimed at the New Gračanica Monastery near Chicago, the establishment of the Synod of Bishops.

In May, 1984, the project continued with the composition of the constitution of the Free Serbian Orthodox Church in order to achieve the unity of the 3 free eparchies (the USA and Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and Western Europe).

In August, 1984, representatives from all 3 eparchies arrived in Chicago, Illinois. From 10-19 August, 1984, an extraordinary assembly of delegates of the 3 Free Serbian dioceses was convened at the New Gračanica Monastery of the Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God in the Village of Third Lake, near Chicago.

The monastery was sanctified on 12 August, 1984. At that time, the delegates unanimously proclaimed the formation of the Free Serbian Orthodox Church. The episcopate delegates of the 3 free eparchies unanimously declared the commencement of the Free Serbian Orthodox Church. The constitution of the Free Serbian Orthodox Church was unanimously approved and adopted. The assembly also announced that the American-Canadian Metropolitanate (Metropolia) was headquartered in the New Gračanica Monastery at Third Lake, Illinois.

Protection of the Theotokos Monastery, Gračanica, Kosovo ; Protection of the Theotokos New Gračanica Monastery, Illinois

Bishop Irinej (Kovačević), the Free Serbian Bishop for the United States and Canada, was declared to be a metropolitan.

Bishop Petar (Bankerović) reposed in the Lord in November, 1988. Metropolitan Irinej (Kovačević) served as the administrator of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand of the Free Serbian Orthodox Church from October, 1988, until June, 1991.

Archimandrite Sava (Vuković) of the Monastery of Saint Mark (Sheffield,Ohio) in the USA served as his deputy-administrator. Saint Sava's Monastery, in Wallaroo, New South Wales, Australia, was completed in January, 1990, and it was sanctified by Metropolitan Irinej, together with Bishop Vasilije (of the Western European Diocese). In March, 1991, Bishop Vasilije (Veinović) was elected to be the new bishop for Australia and New Zealand. He was enthroned in June, 1991.

Patriarchal Diocese established, 1969

The canonical patriarchal parishes were organised to form the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Western Europe and Australia in March, 1969. They were divided in June, 1973, to allow for the formation of a separate Serbian Orthodox Diocese in Australia and New Zealand. Although it began as a much smaller entity, the patriarchal diocese grew over time to be a little larger than the Free Serbian Orthodox diocese on the same territory.

Reconciliation ; healing of the schism, 1992

In December, 1990, Bishop Pavle (Stojčević) was elected to become the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church. He invited the Free Serbian Orthodox to talks in Belgrade, which occurred on 24 April, 1991.

In 1992, at the invitation of Patriarch Pavle II (Stojčević) of Serbia, Metropolitan Irinej (Kovačević) led a delegation of priests and other persons from the whole of the Free Serbian Orthodox Church to Serbia. The delegation held discussions with the members of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Church about overcoming the schism, and about the return of the Free Serbian Church to eucharistic communion with the Serbian Orthodox Church and with world Orthodoxy.

A reconciliation proposal was made, in which the Free Serbian Orthodox Church would be accepted within the patriarchate as the “New Gračanica Metropolitanate” (amongst other constitutional edits). The reconciliation was achieved. The mutual eucharistic unity was confirmed with a joint Divine Liturgy at the Saint Michael the Archangel Cathedral Temple in Belgrade in February, 1992. As a temporary consequence, this meant that there were now 2 directly overlapping dioceses in Australia and New Zealand, which were administered by 2 bishops, 1 each in Elaine and Canberra.

Saint Michael's Cathedral, Belgrade

The validity of the hierarchical ordinations was recognised concerning the Bishop of the Diocese of America and Canada, Metropolitan Irenej (Kovačević) of the Free Serbian Orthodox Church, as well as the hierarchs : Bishop Demetrije (Balac), Bishop Petar (Bankerović), Bishop Vasilije (Veinović) and Bishop Damaskin (Davidović).

The conversations about reconciliation included Metropolitan Jovan (Pavlović) of Zagreb and Ljubljana ; Bishop Sava (Vuković) of Sumadija ; Bishop Irinej (Gavrilović) of Niš ; and Bishop Vasilije (Vadiče) of Srem, as members of the Holy Synod. It included also Metropolitan Amfilohije (Radović) and Bishop Irinej (Bulović) (as members of the Holy Synod Commission for studying the validity of the hierarchy of the Free Serbian Orthodox church), and Bishop Nikolaj (Mrdja) of Dalmatia ; Bishop Christopher (Kovačević) of Eastern America ; and Bishop Georgije (Ðjokić) of Canada. The representatives of the other side included Metropolitan Irinej (Kovačević) and Archimandrite Sava (Jurić), and also various priests from around the world. The signatures on the proposal about reconciliation between the Serbian Orthodox Patriarchate and the Serbian Orthodox New Gračanica Metropolitanate were those of Metropolitan Irinej (Kovačević) of New Gračanica, and of Patriarch Patriarch Pavle II (Stojcevic) of Serbia.

Since that time, the bishops of the New Gračanica Metropolitanate have recognised the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church as their first hierarch, and they have commemorated him by name in all the usual places in services. They also receive from the patriarch the Holy Myrrh and Holy Relics. The Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church replaced the Episcopal Council of the New Gračanica Metropolitanate. Every new diocesan hierarch of the New Gračanica Metropolitanate is chosen by the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church from amongst the candidates entered in the list of candidates on the proposal of the Episcopal Council of the New Gračanica Metropolitanate. The elected candidate is ordained by the Patriarch of Serbia.

In addition, there was a certain amount of reorganisation of the entire Serbian Orthodox Church outside Yugoslavia in order to achieve full liturgical and administrative unity and fraternal accordance with the canonical tradition of unity and order of the Orthodox Church. The Diocese of Western Europe ceased to exist in 1994 after the decision of the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church regarding the consolidation in Western Europe. Thus, the new Diocese of Western Europe included parts of Central Europe, England, Scandinavia, Spain, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Illness, 1996

In 1996, Metropolitan Irinej suffered a major stroke, which caused him to be cared for in a nursing-home, where he spent his remaining days.

Repose, 1999

After a long and serious illness, Metropolitan Irinej (Kovačević) fell asleep in the Lord on Tuesday, 2 February, 1999, in the New Gračanica Monastery, near Chicago.

On Saturday afternoon, 6 February, 1999, a Panikhida was served in the Burnett-Dane Funeral Home in Libertyville, Illinois.

On Saturday, 6 February, 1999, at 5:00 p.m., a Panikhida was served in the Holy Protection Temple of the New Gračanica Monastery at Third Lake, Illinois, in the presence of the body of Metropolitan Irinej. The reading of the Holy Gospels began, and continued (except during services) until the funeral.

Patriarch Pavle (Stojčević) travelled from Belgrade, Serbia, Third Lake, Wisconsin, in order to to officiate the funeral of his old friend.

On Monday, 8 February, 1999, at 9:00 a.m., the Funeral Service for the Burial of a Hierarch was served at the Holy Protection Temple of the New New Gračanica Monastery at Third Lake, Illinois.

After the funeral services on 8 February, 1999, the body of Metropolitan Ireney was entombed in the Temple of the monastery, on the right side.

Protection Temple, New Gračanica Monastery

— Bishop of America and Canada, Free Serbian Orthodox Church 1963-1984. Preceded by : Bishop Dionisije (Milivojevic).

— Metropolitan of America and Canada, Free Serbian Orthodox Church 1984-1992. Succeeded by : Bishop Longin (Krco).

— Administrator of the Free Serbian Orthodox Church Diocese of Australia and New Zealand 1988-1991.

— Metropolitan of Libertyville and the New Gračanica Metropolitanate 1992-1998. Succeeded by : Bishop Longin (Krco).

Reflections

Despite the fact of the 1963 schism, Metropolitan Irinej (Kovacević) lived in a manner which expressed the meaning of his monastic name, that is, "peace".

Indeed, he lived to be a major contributor to the reconciliation between the Free Serbian Orthodox Church and the Church of Serbia in 1992.

Vladyka Irinej is remembered for his readiness to share with others his love for his homeland. This was not simple nationalism, but rather love for the Orthodox Christian people who shared their faith and hope in Christ and kindled this same love for Him in his heart.

At the time of the breakup of Yugoslavia and of the civil wars in the 1990s, Vadyka Irinej's compassion for the many who were suffering bore concrete fruit in action. He travelled to his homeland, and he transported tons of food, clothing and medical equipment. In addition, he raised and passed over more than $1,000,000.00 to the Church of Serbia for their care for various needs.

Vladyka Irinej, a very simple and also very wise man, was considered by many to be the most important Serb outside Serbia at that time.

Metropolitan Irinej was survived by many nephews and nieces, all of whom lived in Serbia or Yugoslavia.

References

Wikipedia biography (in Serbian)

Wikipedia biography (in English)

"Serbica Americana" biography

Additional information :

Dzomic, Archpriest Velibor & Todorović, Archpriest Jovan : “Metropolitan Irinej, Rade Neimar of Free Serbs 1914-1999”(Belgrade : Theological Fund of Saint Sava of the Metropolitanate of Novogračanica, 2009). ISBN 10 : 8691395508. ISBN 13 : 9788691395506.

Spasović, S, “History of the Serbian Orthodox Church in America and Canada 1891-1941”

Tarasar, Constance J, ed., “Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America” (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975). ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.

Vuković, Sava, “History of the Serbian Orthodox Church in America and Canada 1891–1941” (Kragujevac, Serbia : Kalenić, 1998).

The obituary of Metropolitan Ireney (Kovacevic) was published in the “Chicago Tribune” on Saturday, 6 February, 1999, p. 137.

Chicago Tribune Obituary : "Metropolitan Ireney led US Serbian Church|

Patriarch Pavle II (Stojcevic)

Archbishop Lazar (Puhalo)

Bishop Firmilian (Ocokoljic)

Bishop Dionisije (Milivojevic)

Bishop Vasilije (Veinović)

Bishop Lavrentije (Trifunović)

Bishop Petar (Bankerović)

Wikipedia article about the New Gračanica Monastery

Video about the Protection of the Theotokos Temple of the New Gračanica Monastery