Consecration Date: October 1, 2009
Nameday: August 23
Born in a large French Canadian family in Montréal, Québec, His Eminence had his first contact with the Russian Orthodox Church in Rawdon, Québec at the summer church of Saint Seraphim of Sarov in the 1960s. He was received into the Church by His Eminence Archbishop Vitaly (ROCOR), and participated in the activities of the McGill University Orthodox Christian Fellowship.
He completed his BA in Slavic Studies at the University of Ottawa, and then joined Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY. He was blessed as a novice by His Eminence Archbishop Averky, and was under the spiritual direction of Archimandrite Kiprian. In 1974, after three years of study at Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Seminary, he was tonsured a Rassophore Monk by Archbishop Averky. A year later, he was tonsured a Stavrophore Monk by His Grace, Bishop Laurus, and received the name of the Hieromartyr Irénée of Lyons.
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In 1978, he was blessed by Bishop Laurus to go to serve in the French-speaking parishes in France. He was ordained a Hieromonk in 1978 in Geneva, Switzerland. After serving 4 years in Lyons, he returned to Montréal to serve the French Mission there. In 1986, members of the French Mission in Montreal petitioned to be received into the Canadian Archdiocese of the OCA. In 1993, he was assigned as priest in charge of the Saint Benoît French-speaking parish in Montréal. Throughout these years, until his secular retirement in 2008, he worked full-time in a local Montréal hospital. In 2009, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America elevated Higoumène Irénée to the rank of Archimandrite, and elected him Auxiliary Bishop for His Eminence, Archbishop Seraphim of Ottawa and Canada. In 2014, he was chosen by the Holy Synod as Bishop of Ottawa and the Archdiocese of Canada, and in 2015, Bishop Irénée was elevated to the rank of Archbishop of Ottawa and the Archdiocese of Canada.
Father Geoffrey Korz is the founding priest of All Saints of North America Orthodox Church, and has served there as a dean and missionary since 2003. He founded the Orthodox Canada Journal, and Desert Wisdom Books, and has served for two decades as a university chaplain.
During his years of service, the parish has hosted countless conferences and guest speakers. At various times, these annual events have included the Orthodox Spirituality Series, the Orthodox Institute on the Family, and the Chinese Orthodox Missions Dinner. Working in government and education for over 30 years, he has written and spoken widely on issues impacting families and the everyday life of Orthodox Christians. In 2012, Father Geoffrey was awarded the gold cross, and in 2017, he was elevated to the rank of Archpriest. He has served as Dean of Ontario for the Archdiocese of Canada for over a decade.
Father Geoffrey holds degrees in political science, theology, and education. He has been married to his wife, for over twenty-five years, and together they have two daughters.
"Ours must be an orthodoxy of the heart, not just the mind."
-St.Tikhon of Zadonsk