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Ireney (Bekish) of New York

58 bytes added, 09:15, March 28, 2014
Life
John Bekish was born on [[October 2]], 1892, in Mezhirech in Lublin province, which today is in southeast Poland, but then was part of the Russian Empire. He attended the Kholm [[Seminary]], graduating in 1914. During the next two years he [[marriage|married]] and was employed as a [[reader]], until 1916 when he entered the [[clergy]]. After [[ordination]] as a [[deacon]], he was ordained a [[priest]] by [[Bishop]] Seraphim of Belsk on [[August 1]], 1916. During the next several years Fr. John served successively at a number of [[parish]]es including Guscha in the Lublin region, Lishnevka in the Kovel region, Belskoye in the Sarnen region, and Poliza also in the Sarnen region. Then, in 1934, Fr. John was appointed rector of the parish in Kamen-Kashirsk and was advanced to the rank of [[Archpriest]].
On [[January 1]], 1935, he was appointed to the Consistory of the [[Church of Poland|Polish Orthodox Church]], and then a year later was appointed assistant [[rector]] of the Cathedral in Pinsk. Eleven months before the Nazi and Soviets invaded Poland he was appointed chairman of the Luninetz [[Missionary]] Committee. In July 1944 as the Soviet army, who were now fighting the Nazis, approached, Fr. John evacuated with his family to Germany where he ministered to Orthodox faithful in the displaced persons' camps until after the end of World War II. In October 1947, Fr. John was raised in rank to [[Mitred Archpriest]] and was moved to Belgium where he was assigned rector of the Holy Trinity Church in Charleroi, Belgium.
On [[March 20]], 1952, Fr. John arrived with his family in the United States and was assigned as the priest of Holy Trinity Church in McAdoo, Pennsylvania. On [[March 31]], 1953, his wife Xenia died and was buried in the Holy Trinity cemetery in MacAdoo.
Transferred back to the United States on [[June 14]], 1960, Abp. Ireney was appointed Archbishop of Boston and of the Diocese of New England. He was also made a special assistant to Metr. Leonty who was aging and ailing. With Metr. Leonty's death on [[May 14]], 1965, Abp. Ireney was elected [[Locum Tenens]] by the Great Council of Bishops pending the election of a new Metropolitan. At the 12th [[All-American Sobor]] on [[September 23]], 1965, Abp. Ireney was elected and installed as Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of all America and Canada.
[[Image:OCA autocephaly.jpg|left|framethumb|150px300px]]Metr. Ireney's time in office would provide one of the momentous events in the history of the North American church as at first feelers turned to negotiations and finally into agreements that resolved the decades of tensions and disagreements between the Mother Church, the [[Church of Russia]], and the offspring American Metropolia. The Russian Orthodox Church issued a [[Tomos]] confirming and proclaiming ''The Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in North America'' an [[autocephalous]] Church named ''The [[Orthodox Church in America]].'' With the change in status of the Church came a change in title of address for the first hierarch. At a session of the Holy Synod of the Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America on [[June 9]], 1970, the Synod granted the title of ''His [[Beatitude]]'' to Metropolitan Ireney, as the [[primate]] of an autocephalous Church.
Beginning [[October 20]], 1970, Metr. Ireney presided over a meeting of the Church that would be the 14th and last All-American Sobor and the first [[All-American Council]] of the Orthodox Church in America. Over next several years Metr. Ireney led the administration in the adjustments needed to that of the new status of the Church.
after=[[Nikon (de Greve) of Japan|Nikon (de Greve)]]}}
{{succession|
before=[[Dimtry (Magan) of Boston|Dimitry (Magan)]]|
title=Archbishop of Boston<br>(Metropolia)|
years=1960-1965|
{{end box}}
== SourcesSource==
* ''Orthodox America 1794-1976 Development of the Orthodox Church in America'', C. J. Tarasar, Gen. Ed. 1975, The Orthodox Church in America, Syosett, New York
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Tokyo]]
[[Category:Bishops of Boston]]

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