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{{orthodoxyinaustralasia}}[[Bishop]] '''His Grace the Right Reverend Irinej (DobrijevićDobrijevic)''' is the bishop for the [[Serbian Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand|Bishop of Australia and New Zealand for the Serbian Orthodox Church]]; he . He is the ruling bishop for of the diocese directly under Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, and the Patriarch and Administrator of the disputed administrator Diocese for the diocese within Australia and New Zealand of the New Grancanica Gracanica Metropolitanate. Both dioceses are directly under the Serbian Patriarchate.

Bishop Irinej was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Prior to his election at the May 2006 [[convocation of the Holy Synod]] Assembly of Bishops of the [[Serbian Orthodox Church of Serbia]], he was very active in interchurch inter-church and international relations, [[IOCCInternational Orthodox Christian Charities]] (IOCC) and the plight of Serbs in Kosovo.  Fluent in English as well as Serbian, he has a working knowledge of and is conversant in Russian, Greek and German. Bishop Irinej arrived in Australia in October 2006.

*1955 - – Born Mirko Dobrijevic in Cleveland, Ohio.*1960 – 1973 – Completed his elementary and secondary education in Cleveland, receiving High Distinction in Fine Arts and the Silver Key in Fine Arts in Ohio state competition.*1971 – 1975 – Studied Japanese Sumi- e Brush Painting and Oriental Water Colour University of Akron. One Man Show at Marywood College Gallery, Scranton, Pennsylvania; March 1978.*1973 – 1975 – Attended the Cleveland Institute of Art, 1973-; and privately studied Byzantine Iconography.*1975:Studied at – 1979 – Graduated from St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary and in South Canaan, Pennsylvania, with a Licentiate in Theology with the academic distinction Maxima Cum Laude.*1980 – 1982 – Graduated from St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminaryin Crestwood, New York with a Master of Divinity degree with Honourable Mention for his master's thesis, Bishop Nicholai Velimirovich: A 1921 Mission to America.He spent most of his career in the field of education, lecturing at Loyola University in Chicago, and at the Theological Faculty of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade. *1994, 15 January – His Eminence Metropolitan Christopher of Midwestern America ordained him a deacon in the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois.*1995, 18 January – He was tonsure a monk in the St. Sava Monastery in Libertyville, Illinois, receiving the monastic name Irinej after St. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon.*1995, 27 January – Thereafter, he was ordained a hieromonk in the St. Sava Cathedral in Parma, Ohio.*1999 – He was also an instrumental participant in the Mission of US Religious Leaders to Yugoslavia with the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell.*2000 and 2003 – He studied at the Athens Centre in receiving levels I and II certificates in contemporary Greek language.*2004 – 2006 – Hieromonk Irinej up until his election as Bishop of Australia and New Zealand was the Consultant to the Holy Synod of Bishops on International and Inter-church Affairs and Coordinator of the newly created Kosovo and Metohija Office of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church at the Serbian Orthodox Patriarchate in Belgrade.*2005 – Instrumental member of the official visitation of the Delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church to the United Nations and the United States Government regarding Kosovo.*2006, 26 May – The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church elected the Reverend Hieromonk Irinej, Consultant to the Holy Synod of Bishops, Bishop of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand and appointed him Administrator of the Diocese for Australia and New Zealand of the New Gracanica Metropolitanate.*2006, 18 June – He was elevated to the dignity of Archimandrite by His Grace Bishop Justin of Timok, a member of the Holy Synod of Bishops.*2006, 15 July – He was consecrated in the Holy Archangel Michael Cathedral in Belgrade.*2006, 18 October – Bishop Irinej arrived in Australia.*2006, 21 October – Enthroned in the St. Sava Pro-Cathedral in Elanora Heights, New South Wales by His Grace Chrysostom of Bihac-Petrovac, a member of the Holy Synod of Bishops, as Bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, with its see in Sydney.*2006, 22 October – Presented as Locum Tenens and assumed the position of Administrator to the Diocese for Australia and New Zealand of the New Gracanica Metropolitanate. ===Bishop Irinej holds the following distinctions and honours===*2005 – For his exemplary work in improving ties between the Serbian state and the Serbs of the Diaspora, and for his work in advancing relations between Church and State, awarded the Order of Vuk Karadzich III Degree by President Marovic of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro;*2007 – The International Heraldic Order of the Fleur de Les presented by HRH Princess Elizabeth Karageorgevich; and*2008 – The prestigious Major Feldman Award of the Serbian Bar Association for merit.

===Among his many appointments and representations, Bishop Irinej:===*1975Is the Episcopal Patron of the “Milosh Obilich” Serbian Heraldic Society;*The Episcopal Patron of the Prince Tomislav Foundation;*Represents the Serbian Orthodox Church to the World Council of Churches (WCC) Central Committee;*Is a member of the Jasenovac Committee and the Permanent Missions Board of the Holy *Synod of Bishops;*the Advisory Council of the Njegos Endowment for Serbian Studies at Columbia University;*The Editorial Board of the Tesla Memorial Society in New York;*The Communications Committee of the Board of Directors of St. Vladimir's Seminary;*A member of the Serbian-1994 - unknownAmerican Centre in Belgrade; and*An honorary Board Member for ZOE for Life.

*1994 ===Previously, Bishop- Ordained to elect Irinej held the [[deacon|diaconate]] and [[priest]]hood, tonsured a monk with the name Irinejfollowing positions:===*1996 The Editor- Began teaching seminarians at Graduate School of Theology, Belgrade*1999 in- Member Charge of delegation, led by Rev. Jesse Jackson, that helped free POWs held by Yugoslav army.*1999 - Opened the office Information Service of external affairs.*Other positions:::Consultant to the Serbian Orthodox Church's Holy Synod on International and Interchurch ;*Executive Director of the Office of External Affairs.::Represents of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the central committee USA and Canada, located in Washington, DC;*Co-chaired the Orthodox Advisory Committee of the [[World National Council of the Churches]] and of Christ in Metropolitan Washington;*Was a member of National Council of the Churches of Christ Environmental Justice Task Force (NCCC Eco-Justice);*Served on the [[Board of Directors of International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC);*The Executive Council of The United States Conference of Religions for Peace (USCRP);*The Conference of European Churches]].(CEC-KEK);*The Serbian Unity Congress;*2006 Jul 15 - Archimandrite Irinej consecrated a bishop The Mayor's Advisory Council on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs in Belgrade.Chicago; and*2006 Oct 18 - Bp Irinej arrived in Australia.The Chicago Human Rights Commission; and*2006 Oct 21 Co- Bp Irinej enthroned at St Sava's editor of The Path of Orthodoxy, official publication of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Elanora Heights (Mona Vale, Sydney)in the USA and Canada.

==SourceSources==*Official biography*Briggs, David, 2006, "Cleveland-born Orthodox priest named bishop", in ''[http://www.plaind.com Plain Dealer]: Religion'', Saturday July 8.