Irenaeus Bekish

Metropolitan Irenaeus was the primate of the Orthodox Church in America from 1965 until his retirement in 1977. He was succeeded by Metropolitan Theodosius.
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.
Category:1892 births
Category:1981 deaths
Category:Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America
Category:Religious leaders from Staten Island
Category:Primates of the Orthodox Church in America
Category:20th-century Eastern Orthodox archbishops
Category:20th-century American Christian clergy