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== History ==
Prior to 1992, the Serbian Orthodox in Australia and New Zealand were under in two seperate dioceses: the separatist (until 1992) Free Serbian Orthodox 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 (Canberra, Australian Capital Territory)|St. Sava's Monastery (New Kalenic)]], Canberra, ACT, and the larger Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, which was within the [[Church of Serbia]] and presided over by a bishop resident at [[Monastery of St. Sava (Elaine, Victoria)|St. Sava's Monastery]], Elaine, Victoria.
In 1992, an acceptance by the [[Church of Serbia]] 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 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 his successor, 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[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.
2009-10 was bittersweet, in that a small number of parishes leaving the New Gracanica diocese to join schismatic groups, while the two dioceses decided to unite into a Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand, a decision 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]
==Organization==
The Serbian Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand is two parallel dioceses in the one geographical territory of Australia and New Zealand, both under the one bishop. Currently there are 41 parishes in Australia and New Zealand, with two monasteries and one skete.
The Serbian Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand was a founding member of [[SCCOCA]], and is represented in the Episcopal Assembly of All Canonical Orthodox Bishops of Oceania.
{{orthodoxyinaustralasia}}
===Monasteries===
*[[Monastery of New Kalenic (Canberra, Australian Capital Territory)|Monastery of Saint Sava "New Kalenic"]], Canberra, ACT. Bishop's residence.
*[[Monastery of St Sava (Elaine, Australia)|Monastery of Saint Sava]], Elaine, Victoria. Headed by Archimandrite Theodore.
*[[Skete of the Nativity of the Theotokos (Inglewood, Australia)|Skit Rodjenje Presvete Bogorodice]], Inglewood, South Australia. Headed by Abbess Anastasia
== External links ==
* [http://www.soc.org.au Official Website of the Dioceses]
[[Category:Jurisdictions]]
