Metropolitan Laurus, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Outside Russia, passed away in the Lord

Metropolitan Laurus of Eastern America and New York, chairman of the Bishops’ Synod of the Russian Church Outside Russia, passed away in the Lord early in the morning on March 16, 2008, the Sunday of Orthodoxy.

He died in the Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York, USA.

Metropolitan Laurus (his secular name Vasily Shkurla) was born on January 1, 1928, at Ladomirov in what is Slovakia today. From 1939 he stayed at the Monastery of St. Job of Pochayev in Ladomirov as a monastery worker and attended the theological and pastoral course at the monastery. In 1946 he came to the Trinity Monastery in Jordanville and in 1948 took monastic vows and was ordained first as hierodeacon in 1950 and later as hieromonk in 1954. In 1954 he graduated from St. Tikhon’s Seminary and in 1960 was appointed its inspector for students’ affairs. In 1959, he was elevated to the rank of hegumen, and in 1966 to that of archimandrite.

On August 13, 1967, he was consecrated Bishop of Manhattan and appointed secretary of the Bishops’ Synod of the Russian Church Outside Russia.

In 1976, he was elected father superior of the Trinity Monastery in Jordanville and appointed administrator of the diocese of Syracuse and Holy Trinity. Since 1967 he was rector of the Holy Trinity Seminary.

In 1981 he was elevated to the rank of Archbishop of Syracuse and Holy Trinity.

In July 2001, the Bishops’ Synod appointed him Deputy First Hierarch of the Russian Church Outside Russia and in October of the same year he was elected chairman of the Bishops’ Synod and Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York.

Since the 1990s His Eminence Laurus made several visits to Russia. His first official visit as First Hierarch took place in May 2004.

On May 17, 2007, Patriarch Alexy and Metropolitan Laurus signed the Act of Canonical Communion and celebrated the first ever joint liturgy, which put an end to the decades-long division.

Metropolitan Laurus was on a visit to Moscow for the last time from February 18 to 29, 2008, for the celebrations to mark Patriarch Alexy’s Name Day. During that visit he was awarded the Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh, first degree, and a number of public awards, visited holy places in Russia and celebrated divine services.

DECR Communication Service

• Funeral service for Metropolitan Laurus, First Hierarch of the Russian Church outside Russia, to be led by Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna
• The primate of the Russian Orthodox Church lifts up prayers for the late Metropolitan Laurus
• Metropolitan Laurus, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Outside Russia, passed away in the Lord