Ireney (Bekish)
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His Beatitude, Metropolitan Ireney (Bekish) (b. John Bekish in Mezhirech, Lublin Province in what is now Poland 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, 1965–October 25, 1977 |
Succeeded by Theodosius (Lazor) |
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