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{{diocese|
name=Serbian Orthodox Diocese Church - Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand ''and'' Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, New Gracanica Metropolitanate|
jurisdiction=[[Church of Serbia]]|
type=Dioceses|
bishop=Bp [[Irinej (Dobrijevic) of Australia and New Zealand|Irinej (Dobrijević)]]|
see=Australia and New Zealand|
hq=Sydney, NSW & Hall, ACT, Australia|
territory=Australia, New Zealand|
language=Serbian, Slavonic, English|
website=[http://www.soc.org.au Dioceses of Aust. & NZ]
}}
The '''Serbian Orthodox Church in - Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand''' is the descriptive term of two parallel dioceses in Australia and New Zealand: the Patriarchal ''local metropolitanate for Serbian Orthodox Diocese of parishes in Australia and New Zealand'', . It is 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 headed by [[Irinej (Dobrijevic) of Australia and New Zealand|Irinej (Dobrijević) of Australia and New Zealand]], enthroned since [[October 21]], 2006. Prior to June 2011, who the Metropolitanate was appointed to head composed of two parallel dioceses: the Patriarchal diocese ''Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand'', headquartered in Sydney, NSW; and administer the ''Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, New Gracanica dioceseMetropolitanate'', headquartered in Canberra, ACT.
== History ==
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[http://www.spc.org.yu/Saopstenja/sabor-maj-2006_e.html]. 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[http://www.antiochian.org.au/content/view/471/6/]. In contrast to previous bishops, he was appointed the bishop of the patriarchal diocese and administrator of the New Gracanica diocese.
2009-10 was bittersweet, in that a small number of parishes leaving the New Gracanica diocese to join schismatic groups, while the two dioceses decided to unite into a Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand, a decision joyfully received in November 2010 by the Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church.[http://soc.org.au/sr/English-News/Hot-Topics/2130-Communiqu%C3%A9-from-the-Assembly-of-Bishops-of-the-Serbian-Orthodox-Church-from-its-regular-meeting-held-in-Belgrade-November-17-20,-2010]. The constitution of the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand was approved at the May 2011 meeting of the Holy Synod.[http://www.spc.rs/eng/communique_holy_assembly_bishops_serbian_orthodox_church_0], and the dioceses became the 'Serbian Orthodox Church - Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand' soon after.
==Organization==
The Serbian Orthodox Church in - Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand is two parallel dioceses in a single metropolitanate across 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]](under the Patriarchal diocese), and is represented in the Episcopal Assembly of All Canonical Orthodox Bishops of Oceaniaby Bp Irenej.
{{orthodoxyinaustralasia}}
===Monasteries===
* 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 Slavonia|Sava (Juric)]] of Australia and New Zealand, 1993-1999.