Metropolitan Ireney (Seredniy)

Metropolitan Ireney (Seredniy) (1939-___)

Ivan may be spelt Ioann, John.

Ireney may be spelt Irenaeus, Ireneu, Irenée, &c.

Early life of Ivan Petrovych Seredniy

Ivan Petrovych Seredniy was born into a peasant family on 10 May, 1939, in Stovpin Korets district of the Rivne (Rovno) region in Ukraine.

He received there his primary and secondary education.

Higher education

In 1957, after having graduated from secondary school, Ivan entered the Leningrad Theological Seminary (now the Saint Petersburg Seminary and Academy) of the Moscow Patriarchate.

In 1961, Ivan Petrovych continued yet higher studies as he enrolled in the Leningrad Theological Academy (now the Saint Petersburg Academy).

Leningrad (Saint Petersburg) Theological Seminary and Academy

Military service, 1963

Then, from 1963-1966, he was required to make a pause in his education while he served in the Soviet army as required by the state.

In 1968, Ivan Petrovych graduated from the Leningrad Academy with a Ph.D. in theology, and he was the winner of the Academy Professors’ Scholarship.

Ordinations, 1968

On 21 May, 1968, Ivan Petrovych Seredniy was ordained as a celibate to the Holy Diaconate in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg).

On 22 May, 1968, Deacon Ivan Seredniy was ordained to the Holy Priesthood in Leningrad.

Pastoral service

Priest Ioann P Seredniy was assigned to serve at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in the Saint Alexander Nevsky Lavra in Leningrad. At that time, it was one of the few functioning Temples, and it served as the diocesan cathedral.

In 1969, Priest Ioann Seredniy was assigned to serve as a teacher of Canon Law, as the Secretary of the Academic Council of the Academy, and to be the Senior Assistant Inspector General.

Holy Trinity Cathedral, Saint Alexander Nevsky Lavra'

Monastic tonsure, 1970

On 1 September, 1970, in the chapel of the Leningrad Academy, Priest Ioann Seredniy was tonsured to be a monk, and he was given the name Ireney (in honour of Saint Irenaeus of Lyon).

In March, 1971, Hieromonk Ireney (Seredniy) was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite.

Service in Japan, 1971

On 13 March, 1971, Archimandrite Ireney (Seredniy) was assigned to serve at the Patriarchal Representation (Metochion, Podvoriye) to the Autonomous Church of Japan in Tokyo, Japan, under Bishop Nicholas (Saiama), who was the dean of the representation.

Holy Resurrection Cathedral, Tokyo

In 1975, Archimandrite Ireney (Seredniy) was chosen and elected by the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate to become a bishop.

Episcopal ordination, 1975

On 27 July, 1975, at the Holy Epiphany Cathedral in Moscow, he was ordained to the Holy Episcopate by Patriarch Pimen (Izvekov) of Moscow, along with Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad and Novgorod, Metropolitan Aleksey (Ridiger) of Tallinn and Estonia, Metropolitan Juvenaly (Poyarkov) of Tula and Belev. and other bishops.

Holy Epiphany Cathedral, Yelokhovo, Moscow

Episcopal service

Bishop Ireney (Seredniy) was assigned to be the Bishop of Ufa and Sterlitamak in Bashkortostan.

At that time, the Nativity of the Theotokos Cathedral in Ufa was still used as a cinema (it being still the time of anti-religious policies in the USSR). Services were offered elsewhere.

Service in Canada (and also in the USA), 1976

On 19 July, 1976, Bishop Ireney (Seredniy) was assigned to serve as the Bishop of Serpukhov, and Vicar-Bishop of the Moscow Diocese.

At the same time, he was assigned to serve as the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada. He was also assigned to serve temporarily as Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA.

In Canada, he was resident in Edmonton, Alberta, and his cathedral was that of Saint Barbara in Edmonton. His temporary administratorship in the USA continued until 1982, as did the responsibility in Canada.

Saint Barbara's Cathedral, Edmonton, Alberta

Saint Nicholas Cathedral, New York City

Transfer to Russia, 1982

On 16 July, 1982, Bishop Ireney (Seredniy) was elevated to the dignity of archbishop.

On the same day, Bishop Ireney (Seredniy) was transferred, and he was assigned to serve as the Archbishop of Alma-Ata and the Kazakhstan Diocese. There, the cathedral was Holy Ascension Cathedral, whose nickname is "Zenkov".

Holy Ascension Cathedral, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Transfer to Ukraine, 1984

Archbishop of Kharkiv, 1984

On 28 March, 1984, Archbishop Ireney (Seredniy) was transferred, and he was assigned to serve as the the Archbishop of Kharkiv and Bohoduhov in the Kharkiv Province in Ukraine.

Archbishop of L'viv and Drohobych, 1989

On 13 September, 1989, Archbishop Ireney (Seredniy) was transferred, and he was assigned to be the Archbishop of L'viv and Drohobych.

However, Vladyka Ireney departed from the diocese at his own request, out of fear of conflicts related to the pending legalisation of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church at that time. This consisted of those Ukrainians who had entered a union with the Roman Catholic Church (since the Union of Brest in 1595-1596. Thus, they are often called "Uniat".

On 17 September, 1989, in Lviv, many thousands of people marched to the Saint George (Yura) Cathedral. They demanded the possession of the cathedral, and the legalisation of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the Soviet Union.

In December, 1989, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church's legalisation was achieved. This was followed by the rapid acquisition by the Unia of very many parishes in Western Ukraine.

Archbishop of Rivne and Ostroh, 1989

On 10 April, 1990, Archbishop Ireney (Seredniy) was transferred, and he was appointed to be the Archbishop of Rivne (Rovno) and Ostroh.

Archbishop of Dnipropetrovsk (now Dnipro) and Krivoy Rog, 1993

On 19 October, 1993, Archbishop Ireney (Seredniy) was transferred, and he was assigned to be the Archbishop of Dnipropetrovsk and Kryvyi Rih (Krivoy Rog). The episcopal seat is the Cathedral of the Holy Transfiguration.

Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, Dnipro(petrovsk)

From 11-25 May, 1995, Archbishop Ireney (Seredniy) of Dnipropetrovsk and Krivoy Rog, sailing with others on the ship named “Leonid Sobinov”, visited Christian shrines of the East : in Cyprus through the port of Larnaca ; in Israel through the port of Haifa ; in Egypt through Port Said ; in Greece through the port of Thessaloniki ; and in Turkey through the port of Istanbul.

On 27 July, 1996, along with changes in diocesan boundaries and division of dioceses into more manageable sizes, the title of Archbishop Ireney (Seredniy) was changed to the Archbishop of Dnipropetrovsk and Pavlohrad. He continued temporarily to administer Krivoy Rog as well, until 12 September.

Metropolitan of Dnipropetrovsk (now Dnipro) and Pavlohrad, 2002

On 19 June, 2002, Archbishop Ireney (Seredniy) was elevated to the dignity of metropolitan.

On 27 July, 2009, by the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Ireney (Seredniy) was included in the Inter-Assembly Presence (an advisory body to the Moscow Patriarchate between the Assemblies of Bishops).

Illness, 2012

On 13 February, 2012, Metropolitan Ireney (Seredniy) was hospitalised in serious condition in the Clinical Hospital in Dnipropetrovsk, named after Ilya I Mechnikov.

On 13 March, 2012, after a month of treatment, Vladyka Ireney was discharged from the hospital.

On 23 October, 2014, in the context of his health, and of other matters in Ukraine, by the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, Vladyka Ireney was released from his responsibilities in the Inter-Assembly Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Name-change of the city, 2016

On 19 May, 2016, the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) of Ukraine changed the official name of the city from Dnipropetrovsk to Dnipro. This name-change was in compliance with a 2015 decommunisation law. (Part of the city's name had memorialised the communist leader Grigory Petrovsky.) The name Dnipro refers to the Dnieper/Dnipro River which passes through the city, where it is joined by the Samara River. By summer, 2016, not only the city had been renamed, but also more than 350 streets, alleys, driveways, squares and parks within it. This was far from the first such name-change for this city. Founded by Empress Catherine II, it had been previously called Yekaterinoslav (1776–1782, re-established 1783–1797) ; Novorossiysk (1797–1802) ; Yekaterinoslav (1802–1918) ; Sicheslav (1918–1921 – unofficial) ; Yekaterinoslav/Katerynoslav (1918–1926) ; Dniepropetrovsk/Dnipropetrovsk )1926-2016).

Illness, October, 2020

In October, 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Metropolitan Ireney contracted this virus, as did very many others. He was again taken into intensive care in the I I Mechnikov Hospital of Dnipro. He had not believed in the coronavirus until he became ill himself. After 10 days of treatment, he was healed. Repeated tests confirmed his recovery. He then led a service of thanksgiving at the cathedral, and he called on the Faithful to follow the rules of quarantine.

 Thank God that there are worthy doctors who provide such help.  I tried it myself.  I was treated, and I understood that 
 you can't go and infect others.  It's scary.  God forbid.  I was patient, and I prayed.

By the Grace of God, after he recovered from the illness, he continued his archpastoral activities as before within the metropolitanate territory.

— Bishop of Ufa and Sterlitamak 1975. Preceded by : Archbishop Theodosius (Pogorsky). Succeeded by : Bishop Valentin (Mishchuk).

— Bishop of Serpukhov, Vicar-Bishop of the Moscow Diocese 1976-1982. Preceded by : ____. Succeeded by :____.

— Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada and the USA 1976-1982. Preceded by : Bishop Job (Tyvoniuk) (as Bishop of Zaraisk). Succeeded by : Bishop Kliment (Kapalin).

— Archbishop of Alma-Ata and the Khazakstan Diocese 1982-1984. Preceded by : Bishop Seraphim (Gachkovsky). Succeeded by : Bishop Evseviy (Savvin).

— Archbishop of Kharkiv and Bohoduhov 1984-1989. Preceded by : Archbisop Nikodim (Rusnak). Succeeded by : Archbishop Nikodim (Rusnak).

— Archbishop of Lviv and Drohobych 1989-1990. Preceded by : Archbishop Nikodim (Rusnak). Succeeded by : Bishop Andei (Gorak).

— Archbishop of Rivne (Rovno) and Ostroh 1990-1993. Preceded by : See created. Succeeded by : Bishop Anatoly (Gladky).

— Archbishop of Dnipropetrovsk and Kryvyi Rih 1993-1996. Preceded by : Bishop Kronid (Mishchenko). Succeeded by : See name changed.

— Archbishop (Metropolitan from 2002) of Dnipropetrovsk and Pavlohrad 1996-____. Preceded by : See created. Succeeded by :____.

Reflections

It may be helpful to be aware that the rather frequent transfers of Vladyka Ireney in his earlier years of episcopal service happened to him just as they happened to many (if not most) other bishops at that time. During the time of the Soviet Union, the political authorities applied strong pressure to the Church so that such transfers were made. The authorities did not wish any one bishop to become too popular or too influential amongst the people. Even after the end of the USSR, it took time before it was possible for bishops to remain for a long time (even for life) in their sees.

The kind disposition of Metropolitan Ireney was a danger to the Soviets, but it was a benefit for the spiritual flocks which he led.

Awards

Russian Orthodox Church

• Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, 2nd, 3rd degrees

• Order of Saint Sergius of Radonezh, 1st, 2nd, 3rd degrees

• Order of the Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow, 1st and 2nd degrees

• Order of Saint Seraphim of Sarov, 1st and 2nd degrees

• Order of Saint Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow, 3rd degree

Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)

• Order of Saint Nestor the Chronicler, 1st degree

• Jubilee Order "Christmas - 2000", 1st degree

• The Order "1020 Years of the Baptism of Kievan Rus" (Polish Orthodox Church)

• Order of Saint Mary Magdalene, Equal-to-the-Apostles (Polish Orthodox Church)

• The right to wear a second panagia (2014, at the 75th anniversary of his birth)

Ukraine - Secular

• The Order of Merit, 1st, 2nd, 3rd degrees

• "Cossack Glory", 1st and 2nd degrees

Russia - Secular

• Order of Friendship

• Order "For Services to the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan" (2014, Metropolitan District in the Republic of Kazakhstan, in connection with the 75th anniversary of his birth)

Writings

• "Letters of Saint Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage" (Candidate Thesis).

• 'Professor S V Troitsky, his Life and Works in the Field of Canon Law' in "Theological Works", no. 12.

• “Works of the Russian Canonists A P Pavlov, I S Berdnikov, V N Beneshevich and S V Troitsky” (report).

• 'Words on being named the Bishop of Ufa and Sterlitamak' in "Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate", no. 10 (1975), p. 12.

• 'Words in Saint Barbara's Cathedral in Edmonton' in "Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate", no. 7 (1977), pp. 29-30.

• 'Speech at the Celebration of the 75th Anniversary of Saint Nicholas Cathedral in New York (November, 1977)' in "Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate", no. 7 (1978), pp. 19-20.

Articles in the Lichnost Internet Journal :

"Metropolitan Ireney: the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Dipropetrovsk and the region is a celebration of patriotism, love for their Fatherland and people" (2013)

"Vladyka Ireney: Christmas fasting for the Nativity of Christ is the way of man" (2013)

"Metropolitan Ireney : on 21-26 November, in Dnipropetrovsk, it will be possible to venerate the relics of Saint George" (2013)

"Celebration of the feast day at St. John the Baptist Church" (2014)

"Metropolitan Ireney: only in the world can all mistakes be corrected and this world needs to be built in your heart" (2014)

"Metropolitan Ireney: A prayer service for peace in Ukraine was held at Holy Trinity Cathedral" (2014)

"Metropolitan Ireney: prayers for peace in Ukraine are held in all the temples of the Dnipropetrovsk region" (2014)

"Metropolitan Ireney: Brotherly bloodshed is a great and terrible sin"

"Metropolitan Ireney explains how to observe the Christmas Fast properly" (2015)

Partial bibliography of articles from various sources about the metropolitan :

“Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate” :