Ireney (Bekish)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

His Beatitude, Metropolitan Ireney (Bekish) (b. John Bekish in Mezhirech, Lublin Province on October 2, 1892, d. March 18, 1981 in Staten Island, NY) was the primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) from 1965 until his retirement in 1977. He was succeeded by Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor).

Metr. Ireney was involved in the negotiations that led to the granting of autocephaly in 1970 to the OCA, which had previously been under the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church. As the primate of a now-autocephalous Church, Metr. Ireney was granted the title of His Beatitude.

Preceded by
Leonty (Turkevich)
Primate of the Orthodox Church in America
September 23, 1965October 25, 1977
Succeeded by
Theodosius (Lazor)

[edit] Notes and references