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type=Dioceses|
founded=1974|
bishop=Bp [[Irinej (Dobrijevic) of Australia and New Zealand|Irinej (Dobrijević)]] enthroned Oct 2006|
see=Australia and New Zealand|
hq=Sydney, NSW, Australia and & Hall,ACT for the New Gracanica Diocese, Australia|
territory=Australia, New Zealand|
language=Serbian, Slavonic, English|
website=[http://www.soc.org.au Dioceses of Aust. & NZ]
}}
The '''Serbian Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand''', headquartered in SYDNEY NSW for the Patriarchal diocese and in Hall, ACT for the New Gracanica diocese, is the descriptive term of two parallel dioceses in Australia and New Zealand: the Patriarchal ''Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand'', headquartered in Sydney, NSW; and the ''Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, New Gracanica Metropolitanate'', headquartered in Canberra, ACT. The current reigning bishop is [[Irinej (Dobrijevic) of Australia and New Zealand|Irinej (Dobrijević) of Australia and New Zealand]], enthroned [[October 21]], 2006, who was appointed to head the Patriarchal diocese and administer the New Gracanica diocese.
== History ==
In 1992, an acceptance by the [[Church of Serbia]] of the schismatic group on the condition of altering their 'Free' name to 'New Gracanica Metropolitanate' meant that there were now two directly overlapping dioceses in Australia and New Zealand, which were administered by two bishops, one each in Elaine and Canberra. 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. In 2003 Bishop Milutin was appointed bishop of the New Gracanica diocese and administrator of the patriarchal diocese.
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. 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. In contrast to previous bishops, he was appointed the bishop of the patriarchal diocese and administrator of the New Gracanica diocese. == Recent History ==In 2006, Bishop Milutin was appointed Bishop of the newly-formed diocese of Valjevo following the partition of the Sabac-Valjevo diocese into two, and Hieromonk Irinej Dobrijevic was appointed in his place [http://www.spc.org.yu/Saopstenja/sabor-maj-2006_e.html]. On 15 July, Archimandrite Irinej's ordination to the [[episcopate]] took place on 15 July 2006 was consecrated at St. Mark's Cathedral in , Belgrade, and he was enthroned in Australia at St Sava Serbian Orthodox Church at , Elanora Heights, metro Sydney, on [[October 21 October ]], 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.
==Organization==
