His Grace Bishop Irenei

Ruling Bishop of the Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe

Biography

His Grace the Right Reverend Irenei was appointed Bishop of London and Western Europe by decision of the Holy Synod of Bishops on 7th / 20th September 2018. Assisted by his auxiliary, he governs the churches and institutions of the eleven countries and principalities that constitute the Diocese, based from the Diocesan Cathedral in London. Previously he had been Bishop of Sacramento (California), Vicar of the Western American Diocese, and had served as Administrator of the previously-separate Diocese of Great Britain and Ireland from 2017.

His Grace is head of the Synodal Secretariat for Inter-Orthodox Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, and in this capacity is a regular member of the Holy Synod of Bishops with responsibility for supporting relations between the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and the other Local Orthodox Churches and their jurisdictions throughout the world. He sits on the Supreme Council of the Orthodox Palestine Society which assists in the governance of the Church Abroad’s presence in the Holy Land.

His Grace served as the Dean for Monastic Life of the Western American Diocese of the ROCOR (appointed 2012); and continues to be a member of the Education Department of the ROCOR (appointed  2014); and of the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission (appointed 2016). In 2012, the new Sts. Cyril & Athanasius Institute for Orthodox Studies began operation with the blessing of the Holy Synod, with then-Archimandrite Irenei as its director, and which he operated until the time of his episcopal consecration (thereafter handing it over to a permanent administration). From 2012-2018 he served on the Secretariat of the Assembly of Bishops of the United States, and worked in close cooperation with hierarchs of all other Orthodox Churches in matters relating to the Episcopal Assemblies and other inter-Orthodox contexts. From 2014 he assisted in the founding of the new men’s monastery in Sonora, California, dedicated to the memory of St Silouan of Mt Athos, and at the official foundation of the monastery on the Saint’s feast day in 2015 was appointed its Abbot, which role he retained until departing for the European territories in 2019. Bishop Irenei served for seven years as an Archimandrite at St Tikhon’s Church in San Francisco: the former home and orphanage of St John the Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco, and was consecrated to the Episcopacy before the relics of St John on the feast of the Theotokos, ‘Joy of All Who Sorrow’ in November 2016.

Bishop Irenei is a Professor of Theology and was sometime Fellow in Patristics and Early Church History at the University of Oxford, and Chair of Theology and Religious Studies in Leeds. His Masters and Doctoral (D.Phil oxon) works were on the theology of the earliest Church Fathers, especially St Irenaeus of Lyons. He is a specialist in Patristic Doctrine and Orthodox theological, liturgical and ecclesiastical traditions, and is the author of numerous academic books and articles, as well as books of Orthodox spirituality and history for non-academic readers. He regularly lectures at Universities, conferences, and Church symposia around the world.

Bishop Irenei has been particularly dedicated to youth in the Church, to his role as a Confessor, and to the spiritual and liturgical formation of parish life and the advancement of monastic communities.

Communications from the Bishop:
Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe Issues an Open Letter on the Persecution of Christians in Ukraine, and a Call for Prayer in All Churches. | Открытое послание епископа Лондонского и Западно-Европейского Иринея, О гонениях на христиан в Украине. | L'évêque Irénée de Londres et d'Europe occidentale publie une lettre ouverte sur la persécution des chrétiens en Ukraine.
Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe Issues an Open Letter on the Persecution of Christians in Ukraine, and a Call for Prayer in All Churches.
Nativity Epistle of Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe, 2022. | Рождественское Послание Епископа Иринея Лондонского и Западно-Европейского, 2022 г. | Épître de Noël de Mgr Irénée, Evêque de Londres et de l’Europe occidentale, 2022.
Nativity Epistle of Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe, 2022.
'From this day, from this hour, from this minute, we shall strive above all else to love God and to do His Holy Will!' Sermon of Bishop Irenei for St Herman and the Sunday of the Forefathers. | «С этого дня, с этого часа, с этой минуты мы будем стремиться больше всего любить Бога и исполнять Его святую волю!»: Проповедь епископа Иринея на праздник преп. Германа и Неделю праотцев.
'From this day, from this hour, from this minute, we shall strive above all else to love God and to do His Holy Will!' Sermon of Bishop Irenei for St Herman and the Sunday of the Forefathers.
'Our Relationship is Unwavering, Familial, and Deeply Fraternal': An Interview with Bishop Irenei is Published in English and Russian. | «Наши отношения незыблемы, родственны и совершенно братские»: опубликовано интервью с епископом Иринеем (текст на английском и русском языках).
‘Our Relationship is Unwavering, Familial, and Deeply Fraternal’: An Interview with Bishop Irenei is Published (text in English and Russian).
'Vladyka Nicholas Loves God, Deeply': An Interview with Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe on the Election of the New First Hierarch of ROCOR. | «Владыка Николай глубоко любит Бога»: интервью с епископом Лондонским и Западно-Европейским Иринеем об избрании нового Первоиерарха РПЦЗ.
'Vladyka Nicholas Loves God, Deeply': An Interview with Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe on the Election of the New First Hierarch of ROCOR.
Epistle of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. | Послание Архиерейского Собора Русской Зарубежной Церкви пастырям, монашествующим и боголюбивым чадам.
Epistle of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.
THE VICAR BISHOP:

His Grace Bishop Alexander of Vevey is the Vicar Bishop of the Diocese, assisting Bishop Irenei in the administration of its parishes and pastoral life, especially in the Francophone regions of Europe.

His cathedra is the Parish of St Barbara the Great Martryr in Vevey, Switzerland. Read the biography of Bishop Alexander…

His Grace Bishop Alexander can be contacted here:

Email: episkop.aleksandr@orthodoxie.ch
Tel.: +41 78 244 72 72

Materials

Bishop’s Calendar

March 2023:

  • 4-5: Sunday of Orthodoxy: Diocesan Cathedral, London: Rite of Orthodoxy
  • 9th: Unction, Parish of Sts Peter and Paul, Luxembourg
  • 11-12: Unction (11th) and Sunday of St Gregory Palamas: Parish of St John, Lyon, France
  • 14-15: Feast of St Chad of Lichfield: St Chad's Parish, Telford, England
  • 17-20: St Andrew Orthodox Church, Riverside, LA, USA
  • 23: Unction, Parish of St Nicholas, Basel, Switzerland
  • 25-26: Sunday of St John of the Ladder: Diocesan Cathedral, London
  • 28-30: Florence Parish (Unction on 28th; St Andrew Canon on 29th)
  • 31: Akathist Friday: TBD.

April 2023:

  • 1-2: Sunday of St Mary of Egypt: TBD.
  • 4: Unction, St Elisabeth Parish, Wallasey, England
  • 5: Presanctified Liturgy, Wallasey, England
  • 6-7: Feast of the Annunciation: Diocesan Cathedral, London
  • 8-9: Unction (8th) and Sunday of Palms: Geneva Cathedral
  • 10-15: Great and Holy Week: Diocesan Cathedral, London
  • 16: PASCHA: Diocesan Cathedral, London
  • 17-21: Bright Week: TBD
  • 22-23: Thomas Sunday: St Alexander Nevsky Parish, Norwich, England
  • 25: Radonitsa: TBD
  • 29-30: TBD
Resources

Contacts

Contact the Bishop via the Diocesan Chancellery

Bishop's Calendar

Forthcoming travels

Find a Parish

Complete directory

Previous Hierarchs:

The following is a chronological listing of Hierarchs who have had oversight of the flock of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in the British Isles and Western Europe, previous to our present Ruling Bishop, Irenei of London and Western Europe.

Metropolitan Evlogy (Georgievsky) of Paris & Western Europe

(b. 10/04/1868, d. 8/4/1946)

Metropolitan Seraphim (Lukianov) of Paris & Western Europe

(b. 23/8/1879, d. 18/2/1959)

Bishop Nicholas (Karpoff) of London

(b. 1890, d. 11/10/1932)

Archbishop Nathaniel (Lvov) of Vienna and Austria

(b. 1906, d. 10/11/1986)

Archbishop Nikodem (Nagaieff) of Richmond and Great Britain

(b. 28/4/1883, d. 17/10/1976)

St John the Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco

(b. 4.6.1896, d. 2/7/1966)

Bishop Leonty (Bartoshevich) of Geneva

(b. 1914 – d. 1956)

Archbishop Anthony (Bartochevitch) of Geneva and Western Europe

(b. 30/11/1910, d. 2/10/1993)

Bishop Constantine (Jesensky) of Richmond and Great Britain

(b. 30/5/1907, d. 31/5/1996)

Archbishop Seraphim (Dulgov) of Brussels and Western Europe

(b. 1923 – d. 2003)

Bishop Ambrose (Cantacuzène) of Geneva and Western Europe

(b. 1947, d. 2009)

Archbishop Michael (Donskoff) of Geneva and Western Europe

(b. 1943, retired)

Archbishop Mark (Arndt) of Berlin, Germany and Great Britain

(b. 29/01/1941)

Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia

(b. 6/01/1948)

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