Clergy

Rev Dr John Palmer


Father John is from Fredericton, New Brunswick where he also undertook his undergraduate studies at St. Thomas University, graduating in 2003 with Honours in Philosophy. He went on to study theology, completing his Master’s degree in 2006 under the tutelage of the renowned Patristics scholar Father Andrew Louth at Durham University in England. Before continuing his post-graduate studies, he and his wife moved to Seoul, South Korea to teach English for a year and took advantage of the opportunity to experience life in the Korean Orthodox Church. In 2007 Father John and his wife relocated to Thessaloniki, Greece and Father John commenced his doctoral studies in the department of Dogmatic Theology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

While living and studying in Greece for nearly six years, Father John took the opportunity to visit Mount Athos (“the Holy Mountain”) as well as various monasteries throughout Greece. He served for two years as deacon at the Church of St. Anthony located in the heart of the Byzantine city of Thessaloniki close to where martyrs like St. Nestor (the disciple of St. Demetrios) were put to death in the ancient Hippodrome for their faith in Christ. Understanding that the Orthodox Tradition is a living tradition, not studied and acquired through reading but through practice, Father John immersed himself as much as possible in the Orthodox faith in an Orthodox land.

On returning to Canada in 2013 he was ordained to the priesthood at the Church of Saint Vladimir in Halifax, Nova Scotia on the Sunday of Saint Mary of Egypt and was subsequently appointed priest-in-charge and later rector of Holy Lady of Vladimir Mission in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

If you wish to reach Father John please send an e-mail to palmer_jps@hotmail.com.

His Eminence Irénée, Archbishop of Ottawa and Canada:

ConsecrationDate: October 1, 2009
 

Born in a large French Canadian family, December 25th, 1948, in Montréal, Québec. Primary and Secondary schooling was in the English school-system.

In 1961 had his first contact with Russian Orthodox Church in Rawdon, Québec at the summer church of Saint Seraphim of Sarov (under the Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul in Montréal).

On January 20th, 1967, he was received into the Church by His Eminence Archbishop Vitaly (ROCOR), and until 1971, he participated in the parish life at Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Montréal.

During this time, he participated in the activities of the McGill University O.C.F. In 1971, he completed his B.A. in Slavic Studies at the University of Ottawa, and then joined Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, N. Y.

He was blessed as a novice by His Eminence Archbishop Averky, and was under the spiritual direction of Archimandrite Kiprian.

In March 1974, after three years of study at Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Seminary, he was tonsured a Rassophore Monk by Archbishop Averky.

A year later, in March 1975, he was tonsured a Stavrophore Monk by His Grace, Bishop Laurus, and received the name of the Hieromartyr Irénée of Lyons.  Shortly after that, he was tonsured Reader, and ordained Sub-deacon by Bishop Laurus, to help the ailing Archbishop Averky serve at the altar.

In February 1978, he was blessed by Bishop Laurus, then the new Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, to go to serve in France, in the French-speaking parishes there. He was ordained Hierodeacon on May 19th, 1978, in Brussels, Belgium; and Hieromonk on August 20th of the same year, in Geneva, Switzerland by His Eminence Archbishop Antony of Geneva. After serving 4 years in Lyons, he returned to Montréal, Canada, to serve the French Mission there.

After the election in 1986, of His Grace, Bishop Seraphim (Storheim), as Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Canada (OCA), Hieromonk Irénée, Hierodeacon Marc(Pierre), and members of the French Mission in Montreal petitioned to be received into the Canadian Archdiocese of the OCA.

He was elevated to the rank of Higoumène (Igumen) by Bishop Seraphim in 1992, to care for the French speaking monastics in Québec.

In1993, he was assigned as priest-in-charge of the Saint Benoît French-speaking parish in Montréal.  He served also as supply priest in many parishes in Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, and Québec City.

In 1996, he was assigned as Administrator of the Russian Cemetery, and of Saint Seraphim’s Russian Orthodox parish in Rawdon, Québec, an obedience which he fulfilled until 2007.


Throughout,until his secular retirement in December 2008, he worked full-time in a localMontréal hospital. On April 2nd, 2009, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America, elevated Higoumène Irénée to the rank of Archimandrite, and elected him to be Auxiliary Bishop for His Eminence, Archbishop Seraphim of Ottawa and Canada, with the title of Bishop of Québec City.


On October 21, 2014, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America elected His Grace, Bishop Irénée as Bishop of Ottawa and the Archdiocese of Canada. 


On March 20, 2015, during the Spring Session of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, Bishop Irénée was elevated to the rank of Archbishop of Ottawa and the Archdiocese of Canada.