Irinej was born Miroslav Gavrilović. After graduating from high school, he enrolled and completed the Orthodox seminary in Prizren. He then enrolled the University of Belgrade's Theological Faculty and served in the army after graduating. After military service, he was tonsured a monk in 1959 in Rakovica monastery, receiving the monastic name of Irinej. He was a professor at the Prizren Seminary, and completed postgraduate studies in Athens. In 1969, he was appointed a head of the monastic school at Ostrog monastery. He later returned to Prizren, where he was appointed Rector of the Prizren Seminary in 1969.
As a religious leader
In May 1974, Irinej was elected Vicar Bishop of Moravica and consecrated by Serbian Patriarch German. In May 1975, he was elected Bishop of Niš and enthroned in the Holy Trinity Cathedral on 15 June 1975. Irinej headed the Niš eparchy for the next 35 years. On January 22, 2010, he was elected the 45th Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, after the death of previous Serbian Patriarch Pavle. He was one of the three candidates with the most votes from the 45 bishops eligible in the Serbian Orthodox Church, along with former locum tenensAmfilohije Radović and Irinej Bulović. In the final phase, his name was pulled from a sealed envelope. In this way, the Serbian Orthodox Church believes the patriarch is elected by divine intervention, sidelining human interests. He was enthroned on 23 January 2010 in Belgrade's St. Michael's Cathedral. Irinej was formally enthroned to the ancient throne of the Serbian Patriarch in the Patriarchal Monastery of Peć on 3 October 2010. On January 28, 2010, at his first news conference, Irinej stated that "Islam’s philosophy was that Muslims, when they are in small numbers, can behave well and be fair, but that once they become superior, they start to exert pressure." The Islamic Community of Serbia said that it found the remarks to be "insulting Islam" and responded with a letter to the Serbian Orthodox Church requesting an official interpretation of his statement. The Islamic Community in Serbia condemned what they called "insulting and false accusations". On October 4, 2010, Patriarch Irinej said that international recognition of Kosovo was a "sin". On November 10, 2010, Irinej stated in an interview that "the Drina River is not a border but a bridge that connects us. Although, in a way, we are one even today, God willing, we will soon really be one." Irinej elaborated that for now "it is enough that we are one as a nation, as the Orthodox Church, and that we are on the same path of St. Sava and Christ." He praised the Serbs of Banja Luka stating that " to preserve the Serb name. Although this is not at all an easy task, they are succeeding." On December 15, 2011, His Holiness was decorated by His Royal Highness Prince Davit Bagration Mukhraneli Batonishvilli of Georgia with The Grand Collar of The Order of The Eagle of Georgia and The Seamless Tunic of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Irinej has been considered, both abroad and at home, as a moderate traditionalist, open to global inter-religious dialogue. In an interview, Irinej indicated he would not oppose the first-ever visit by the Roman Catholic Pope to Serbia in 2013 as part of celebrations of the 1,700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan, the law under which Roman emperorConstantine, who was born in Niš, ended the persecution of Christians. Irinej said that "there is the wish of the Pope" for a meeting in Niš and that it would be a chance "not just for a meeting, but for a dialogue". Regarding the accession of Serbia to the European Union, Irinej said that: "Serbia should not look with suspicion at the EU, if the EU respects the Serbian identity, culture and religion. We believe that we are an historical part of Europe, and we want to be in this comity of nations. In the accession we will accept everything, that is not in contradiction with our cultural and historical identity." In January 2012, Irinej referred to Republika Srpska, one of two entities comprising Bosnia and Herzegovina, as "the youngest Serbian state". The Office of the High Representative responded and stated that the Republika Srpska is not a state but rather an entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina. The OHR noted that Bosnia and Herzegovina's Constitution "left no room for any kind of the entity’s sovereignty" and that "the entity’s jurisdiction was not an indication of any sort of statehood." In January 2013, Irinej openly advocated for the restoration of the Serbian monarchy, after the liturgy on the occasion of transfer of the remains of King Peter II to Serbia from the United States.
