Changes

type=DiocesesDiocese|

bishop=Bp [[Irinej Siluan (DobrijevicMrakic) of Australia and New Zealand|Irinej Siluan (DobrijevićMrakić)]]|

website=[http://www.soc.org.au Dioceses of Aust. & NZMetropolitanate Website]

The '''Serbian Orthodox Church - Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand''' is the local metropolitanate for Serbian Orthodox parishes in Australia and New Zealand. It is headquartered in Sydney, NSW, and is headed by Bishop [[Irinej Siluan (DobrijevicMrakic) of Australia and New Zealand|Irinej (Dobrijević) of Australia and New ZealandSiluan]] since [[October 2122]], 20062016.

Prior to June 2011, the Metropolitanate was composed of two parallel dioceses: the Patriarchal ''Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand'', headquartered in Sydney, NSW; and the ''New Gracanica Metropolitanate - Serbian Orthodox Diocese of for Australia and New Zealand, New Gracanica Metropolitanate'', headquartered in Canberra, ACT.

Prior After World War II, a number of Serbs emigrated to 1992, the Serbian Orthodox in Australia and New Zealand . They were in two seperate dioceses: under the jurisdiction of the separatist (until 1992) Free Serbian Orthodox Church's American-Canadian Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, administered firstly by a metropolitan who resided at New Gracanica Monastery, Illinois, USA, and then by a local bishop who resided at [[Monastery of New Kalenic until 1952 when the Patriarchate took the diaspora (Canberra, Australian Capital Territorywhere there was not an established diocese - including Australasia)|St. Savaunder it's Monastery (New Kalenic)]]omophorion. In 1963, Canberraan attempt to divide the American-Canadian diocese into three separate dioceses caused a schism, ACT, and with 14 Serbian Orthodox Church-School communities in Australia aligning with the larger 'Free Serbian Orthodox Church Diocese of for Australia and New Zealand, which was within ' (and 4 remaining with the [[Church of Serbia]] and presided over by a bishop resident at [[Monastery of St. Sava (Elaine, VictoriaPatriarchate in Belgrade)|St. Sava's Monastery]], Elaine, Victoria.

In 1992, an acceptance by the [[Church of Serbia]] ===Free Serbian Diocese===The first Assembly of the separatist group on the condition of altering their 'Free' name to 'New Gracanica Metropolitanate' meant that there were now two directly overlapping dioceses in Serbian Orthodox Church Diocese for Australia and New Zealandwas held in October 1964, which were administered by and a Diocesan Council was formed, dividing Australia into two bishops, one each in Elaine administrative regions and Canberra. In 2000elevating two priests to archpriest to administer it on his behalf, Bishop with Archimandrite [[Nikanor Dimitrije (BogunovicBalak) of BanatAustralia and New Zealand|NicanorDimitrije (Balak)]] became the first sole consecrated bishop in Australia America in 1966 by Bp [[Dionisije (Milivojevich) of United States and Canada|Dionisije]] & [[Irenej (Kovacevic) of America and New ZealandCanada|Irenej]], being appointed reigning bishop of the New Gracanica Diocese and also administrator of the patriarchal diocesethen Archim. Petar (Bankerovic) was consecrated to be his assistant in November 1977 by Bps Irinej and Dimitrije. In 2003 his successorBp Dimitrije reposed in May 1979, Bishop Milutin was appointed bishop and Bp [[Petar (Bankerovic) of the Australia and New Gracanica diocese and administrator Zealand|Petar]] succeeded him in December of the patriarchal diocesesame year.

In 2006The idea of building a monastery, on a home for the aged and a home for orphans was considered in 1972, but it was not until Dec 1978 that moves were taken to make this happen. Bp Milutin's transfer Petar (then Bishop-Administrator) sent an appeal to the newly-formed parishes in the diocese of Valjevo, requesting funds, and the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church elected Hieromonk Irinej Dobrijevic as Bishop of Australia property was purchased in 1980 and New Zealand[http://wwwblessed in January 1981 by Bp Petar.spc.org.yu/Saopstenja/sabor Considerable donations were received -majfinancial, material and labour -2006_e.html]. On 15 July, Archimandrite Irinej was consecrated at St Mark's Cathedral, Belgradethrough the 1980s, and he the loan was enthroned in Australia at St Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, Elanora Heights, Sydney, on [[October 21]], 2006[http://www.antiochian.org.au/content/view/471/6/]paid off by the end of 1991. In contrast to previous bishops, he It was appointed the bishop of the patriarchal diocese and administrator of the New Gracanica dioceseused as a monastery at various times in its history.

2009-10 An extraordinary Assembly was bittersweetheld in August 1984 in Illinois, USA, by delegates of the three Free Serbian dioceses, unanimously proclaiming the formation of the Free Serbian Orthodox Church. Bp Petar reposed on Nov 1988. Metropolitan [[Irenej (Kovacevic) of America and Canada|Irenej]] (in America) became its administrator, Archim. Sava of St Mark's Monastery, USA, as his deputy administrator. St Sava's Monastery, in Wallaroo, was completed in that a small number Jan 1990, and consecrated by Metr Irenej with Bp [[Vasilje (Veinovic) of Australia and New Zealand|Vasilje]] (of the Western European Diocese). In March 1991, Bp Vasilje was elected as the new bishop for Australia and New Zealand. ===Patriarchal Diocese===The Patriarchal parishes leaving were organised within the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Western Europe and Australia in March 1969, and separated in June 1973 to be the Serbian Orthodox Diocese in Australia and New Gracanica Zealand. While it began as a much smaller entity, the patriarchal Diocese grew over time to be a little larger than the Free Serbian Orthodox diocese over the same territory. ===Reconciliation===In December 1990, Bp [[Pavle (Stojcevic) of Serbia|Pavle]] was elected Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church. He invited the Free Serbian Orthodox to join schismatic groupstalks in Belgrade, which occurred in Apr 1991, where a Reconciliation Proposal was made, while the Free Serbian Orthodox were accepted under the Patriarchate as the 'New Gracanica Metropolitanate' (among other constitutional edits), and this was finalised through concelebration in Belgrade in February 1992. As a temporary situation, this meant that there were now two directly overlapping dioceses decided in Australia and New Zealand, which were administered by two bishops, one each in Elaine and Canberra. Amidst a wide variety of complaints from laity opposed to the merger, Bp Vasilje was transferred to unite into a different (patriarchal) diocese, and Bp Sava (Juric) was consecrated Bishop of Australia and New Zealand in May 1994. He reported in 1996 that the New Gracanica diocese had 15 parishes, and that he and Bp Luka co-operated in serving the needs of faithful of both dioceses. Bps Sava & Luka jointly petitioned the Holy Synod for the unification of the dioceses and its elevation to Metropolitanate , headed by a new hierarch. This was partially implemented in May 1999, when Bp Sava was transferred to Slovonia (Croatia) and Bp Luka was transferred to Paris, and Bp [[Nikanor (Bogunovic) of Banat|Nikanor]] was appointed bishop of the New Gracanica Diocese and Administrator of the Patriarchal Diocese. In 2000, Bishop [[Nikanor (Bogunovic) of Banat|Nicanor]] became the first sole bishop in Australia and New Zealand, being appointed reigning bishop of the New Gracanica Diocese and also administrator of the patriarchal diocese. He established a joint legislative committee in 2002 which was to work on a new constitution. In 2003 his successor, Bishop Milutin was appointed bishop of the New Gracanica diocese and administrator of the patriarchal diocese. He experienced the first direct problem with the 'Property Trust Company' which then administered St Sava's Monastery in Wallaroo. In 2006, on Bp Milutin's transfer to the newly-formed diocese of Valjevo, the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church elected Hieromonk Irinej Dobrijevic as Bishop of Australia and New Zealand[http://www.spc.org.yu/Saopstenja/sabor-maj-2006_e.html]. On 15 July, Archimandrite Irinej was consecrated at St Mark's Cathedral, Belgrade, and he was enthroned in Australia at St Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, Elanora Heights, Sydney, on [[October 21]], 2006[http://www.antiochian.org.au/content/view/471/6/]. In contrast to previous bishops, he was appointed the bishop of the patriarchal diocese and administrator of the New Gracanica diocese. He continued to work on the unification of the two dioceses. Implementing a decision of Bp Milutin's (in May 2004), Bp Irenej moved the administrative centre of the Diocese from St Sava Monastery to Sydney. Bp Irenej became the focus of attacks by dissident former-members of the Free Serbian diocese, including the Property Trust Company and directors thereof, stretching from 2006 to 2015 (including a NSW Supreme Court case decided on in May 2015). From 2007, there were disputes with representatives of a number of church-school communities, including St Nicholas (South Brisbane), St George (Manuka/Forrest), Saint Stefan of Dechani (Carrum Downs) and Saints Peter and Paul, Wodonga - each of whom had invited schismatic clergy from the [[Holy Synod in Resistance|Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Greece (Holy Synod in Resistance)]] (or, in St Nicholas South Brisbane's case, the [[Russian True Orthodox Church]]). Parallel assemblies of both dioceses were held in September 2010 to approve a new constitution, combining the dioceses into a metropolitanate, which was joyfully received in November 2010 by the Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church.[http://soc.org.au/sr/English-News/Hot-Topics/2130-Communiqu%C3%A9-from-the-Assembly-of-Bishops-of-the-Serbian-Orthodox-Church-from-its-regular-meeting-held-in-Belgrade-November-17-20,-2010]. The constitution of the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand was approved at by the Holy Synod in May 2011 meeting of the Holy Synod [http://www.spc.rs/eng/communique_holy_assembly_bishops_serbian_orthodox_church_0], and the dioceses became the 'Serbian Orthodox Church - Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand' soon after. In 2016, Bp Irenej was elected Bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America, and to replace him Fr Siluan was consecrated Bishop of Australia and New Zealand. Bp Siluan is one of a small number of Australian-born Orthodox bishops, as well as being the first to lead a diocese in Australia.

* Bishop [[Irinej Siluan (DobrijevicMrakic) of Australia and New Zealand]].

===Former Patriarchal Hierarchs of Australia and New Zealand, Patriarchal Diocese===* Bishop [[Lavrentije (Trifunovic) of Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand]], 196?-1974* Bishop [[Nikolai (Mrdja) of Australia and New Zealand]], 1974-19??

===Former Hierarchs of Australia and New Zealand, Free Serbian (1963-1992) and New Gracanica (1992-2000) Hierarchs of Australia and New Zealand===

* Bishop [[Dionisije (Milivojevich) of America United States and Canada]], 1963-1966.* Bishop [[Dimitrije (Balac) of America and Canada]], 1966-19781979.

* Metropolitan [[Irenej (Kovacevic) of America and Canada]], 1988-1991 (as Administrator)* Bishop [[Vasilije Vasilje (Veinovic) of Australia and New Zealand]], ~19881991-1993.* Bishop [[Sava (Juric) of Slavonia|Sava (Juric)]] of Australia and New Zealand, 19931994-1999.

* Bishop [[Nikanor (Bogunovic) of Banat|Nikanor (Bogunovic)]] of Australia and New Zealand, ~20001999-2003.