Ireney (Bekish)

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.
==Notes and references==
Category:1892 births
Category:1981 deaths
Category:Orthodox Church in America
Category:People from New York City
Category:People from Staten Island
Category:Primates of the Orthodox Church in America