Today, thousands gathered in Belgrade to pay their final respects to Serbian Patriarch Irinej, who succumbed to COVID-19 on Friday. His casket was covered in plexiglass and occasionally sprayed with disinfectant.

Here's a on his controversial legacy. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/20/europe/serbian-orthodox-church-patriarch-irinej-dies-covid-19-intl/index.html

This comes a month after the Patriarch attended the funeral of bishop Amfilohije in Montenegro, who also succumbed to COVID.

Both are thought to be the religious arm of Serbian nationalist politics in the region, although they enjoy significant respect from average Serb citizens

The nationalist tensions and return to "traditional" values that took place after the fall of communism saw church leaders reclaim their influence in society. Many had no qualms about supporting nationalist political figures, lending "divine legitimacy" to their actions.

In 2010 when Irinej became Patriarch, he said that Muslims are only acceptable in small numbers and "once they become superior, they start to exert pressure." It was compared to times when the church was expected to do more to condemn ethnic cleansing, instead of encouraging it.

He was vocal in condemning the Belgrade Pride Parade and said it was "imposed by the homosexual lobby and their mentors from Western Europe." Remember, Serbia has a lesbian PM. For years, the pride parade was organized under heavy police protection due to safety concerns.

He supported conservative voices in the country, which sometimes included President Vucic, in promoting the view that Serbian women should have as many children as possible. He condemned abortions because it was the women's duty to "give birth in order to regenerate the nation."

He made several controversial statements about neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, which includes encouraging the breakaway of the Serbia-adjacent province and attending its "statehood day," and called the handing down of war crimes judgments a global conspiracy against Serbs.

The recognition of Kosovo has come up often, as expected, because of its significance in Serbian Orthodox history and the churches and property found there. First, he called the recognition of Kosovo a sin, but then applauded President Vucic for his efforts in solving the issue.

A side note: the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church is in the Pec Patriarchate in Kosovo yet the Patriarch spends most of his time in Belgrade. I've personally always found this to be amusing.

Lastly, he has often spoken out against protests in Serbia. When someone who plays such a significant role in the intimate lives of Serbian citizens condemns any form of dissent against President Vucic, it means something, especially for Serbs who do not live in urban areas.

Oh he also met with Bashar al Assad, a continuation of the tendency of some Eastern Orthodox leaders (and parts of the *cough* political left) to support those they feel are "standing up to the West" and whose countries have been subject to "foreign interventions."

While this might be quite the rap sheet, Irinej was not an outlier. His opinions are comparable to many Orthodox leaders. However, with Orthodoxy being so closely tied to tradition and everyday life for many Eastern Europeans, their views should definitely be open to criticism.