The Serbian Orthodox Church's top body, the Holy Synod, yesterday elected a moderate bishop favouring closer ties with the Vatican as its new leader, plucking his name from a hat.
Bells tolling from the patriarchy's Saborna Church announced the election of Irinej, 80, from three candidates previously chosen at the session of the synod, grouping 45 bishops.
The new patriarch told the Serbian media that his election to "this honourable and difficult duty" was "God's will and the will of the Holy Synod".
Bishop Irinej is considered a moderate and has signalled his openness to improving relations with the Roman Catholic Church that have been strained for years. In a recent interview he said Pope Benedict XVI would be welcome to visit, something that would once have been unthinkable in Serbia.
"This choice is good news" for the Church, its believers and society in Serbia in general, sociologist and religious expert Mirko Djordjevic said, adding that Bishop Irinej was "a moderate person with a strong personality... and a tolerant one".
"He has a chance to take a step that we have lacked so far, towards Catholics," Mr Djordjevic told B92 television.
Bishop Irinej's name was picked from a special hat which also contained the names of two other candidates, both considered to be hardline.
"A moderate man has won, open to other religions, who is a realist and who is, although 80 years old, in good health," religious expert Zivica Tucic said.
The bishop has long maintained links with the Catholic Church, taking part in both official and unofficial meetings.
He has suggested that Serbia might welcome a visit by the Pope in 2013, during ceremonies to mark the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan, when Roman emperor Constantine established religious tolerance for Christianity in the Roman empire.
Constantine was born in the Serbian town of Nis, where Irinej is also bishop.
"That would be a step forward in contacts between the Orthodox and Western Churches and no harm can come of it, only benefits," Irinej told Tanjug news agency at the time.
The new patriarch is also known to support Church reform including ending the use of the outdated Julian calendar, which now means Serbian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated two weeks after other denominations mark the birth of Jesus Christ.
"We Serbs are neither the only Orthodox believers nor the only Christians, we have to turn towards modern times, analyst Djordjevic said, adding that Irinej "has the inclination for that."
Patriarch Irinej succeeds patriarch Pavle, who died in November after a long illness. Patriarch Pavle was immensely popular and his funeral was attended by tens of thousands of people.