Serbian Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand

The Serbian Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand is the descriptive term of two parallel dioceses in Australia and New Zealand: the Patriarchal Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, headquartered in Sydney, NSW; and the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, New Gracanica Metropolitanate, headquartered in Canberra, ACT. The current reigning bishop is Irinej (Dobrijević) of Australia and New Zealand, enthroned October 21, 2006, who was appointed to head the Patriarchal diocese and administer the New Gracanica diocese.
== History ==
Prior to 1992, the Serbian Orthodox in Australia and New Zealand were under two separate 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 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 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 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 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 . 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 . In contrast to previous bishops, he was appointed the bishop of the patriarchal diocese and administrator of the New Gracanica diocese.
==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.
===Monasteries===
*Monastery of Saint Sava "New Kalenic", Canberra, ACT. Bishop's residence.
*Monastery of Saint Sava, Elaine, Victoria. Headed by Archimandrite Theodore.
*Skit Rodjenje Presvete Bogorodice, Inglewood, South Australia. Headed by Abbess Anastasia
===Parishes===
*St. George Serbian Orthodox Church (Forrest, Australian Capital Territory)
*St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church (Farrer, Australian Capital Territory)
:nb. Only parishes with articles listed
== The Episcopacy ==
===Diocesan Bishop===
* Bishop Siluan (Mrakic) of Australia and New Zealand.
===Former Patriarchal Hierarchs of Australia and New Zealand===
* Bishop Lavrentije (Trifunovic) of Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand, 1969-1973
* Bishop Nikolai (Mrdja) of Australia and New Zealand, 1973-1978
* Bishop Vasilije (Vadic) of Australia and New Zealand, 1978-1986.
* Bishop Longin (Krco) of Australia and New Zealand, 1986-1992
* Bishop Luka (Kovacevic) of Australia and New Zealand, 1993-1999.
===Former Free (1963-1992) and New Gracanica (1992-2000) Hierarchs of Australia and New Zealand===
:Considered schismatic by the Church of Serbia until reconciliation in 1992.
* Bishop Dionisije of America and Canada, 1963-1966.
* Bishop Dimitrije (Balac) of America and Canada, 1966-1978.
* Bishop Petar (Bankerovic) of Australia and New Zealand, 1979-1988.
* Bishop Vasilije (Veinovic) of Australia and New Zealand, ~1988-1993.
* Bishop Sava (Juric) of Australia and New Zealand, 1993-1999.
===Former Hierarchs of the New Gracanica and for the Patriarchal Dioceses===
:Between 1999 and 2006, the bishop of the New Gracanica diocese administered the Patriarchal diocese
* Bishop Nikanor (Bogunovic) of Australia and New Zealand, ~2000-2003.
* Bishop Milutin (Knezevic) of Australia and New Zealand. 2003-2006.
== External links ==
* Official Website of the Dioceses
* Parish listing (although old and unofficial, this list is both the most complete and most accurate available)
Category:Jurisdictions
Category:Orthodoxy in Australia
Category:Orthodoxy in New Zealand
Category:Dioceses
Australia and New Zealand