Metropolitan Laurus Skurla, Archbishop of New York and Eastern America, the primate of the ROCOR, passed away on Sunday at Holy Trinity Monastery in upstate New York. Reports from the monastery indicated that the metropolitan was not feeling well lately. His death was discovered on the day that the Church celebrates the Feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. The official announcement on the website of the ROCOR emphasised that Vladyki Laurus became “the conqueror of the long-standing division in the Russian Church”. This was as a result of the Act of Canonical Communion signed by Metropolitan Laurus and Patriarch Aleksei, the head of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Metropolitan Laurus became the fifth primate of the ROCOR in October 2001. He changed the traditional stance of this church, yielding to pressure from a group of bishops, actively supporting the idea of reconciliation, although at the last Sobor of the ROCOR in San Francisco the majority of clergymen present spoke out about the hastiness of such a move. The reason for this caution was that the MP rejected one of the conditions laid down by the ROCOR at that time. Then, the ROCOR demanded that the MP condemn the declaration of Metropolitan Sergei (the so-called “Red Sergei”), who urged believers to show loyalty to the anti-Church communist authorities. In addition, the ROCOR insisted that the MP leave the ecumenical WCC, citing this as a contradiction of the canons of Orthodoxy. The MP declined to satisfy these requirements.
The signing of the Act of Canonical Communion by Metropolitan Laurus with the MP led to a division in the ROCOR. Until this act in the spring of 2007, there were 350 parishes in the ROCOR throughout the world. Some 150 parishes and monasteries refused to follow the lead of Metropolitan Laurus. Some 80 parishes continue to call themselves the ROCOR and this group is under Archbishop Agafangel of Odessa. The remaining parishes are split between the so-called True Russian Orthodox Church headed by Bishop Tikhon in Russia and the so-called Vitalevtsami (“followers of Vitaly” (the previous primate of the ROCOR). The latter group also included those who continued to follow Metropolitan Vitaly after the ROCOR Holy Synod retired him from the post of primate due to his advanced age and ill-health. Metropolitan Vitaly was a confirmed opponent of reconciliation with the MP. In his place, the Holy Synod named Metropolitan Laurus.
Also on the official website of the ROCOR the following announcement was posted. “The name of His Eminence Archbishop Hilarion of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand is to be commemorated in all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia after that of His Holiness Patriarch Aleksei as follows: ‘our lord, the Most Reverend Archbishop Hilarion’. During the great entrance and during ‘Among the first, remember o Lord…’ (after the name of the Patriarch): ‘our lord the Most Reverend Archbishop Hilarion of Sydney, Australia, and New Zealand’”. Does this mean that the next meeting of the Holy Synod of the ROCOR shall select Archbishop Hilarion as the next primate of the church? Many believe that Metropolitan Laurus intended Archbishop Hilarion to be his successor, but, the final say shall be in the hands of the Holy Synod.
The question of the election of the new primate is important in context of the future relations of the ROCOR with its opponents in the camps of Agafangel, the True Russian Orthodox Church, and the Vitaly faction. The election of one of the active supporters of association with the MP such as Archbishop Mark Arndt of Berlin (b. 1941) or Archbishop Kirill Dmitriev (b. 1954) of San Francisco promises an inevitable escalation of conflict. One of the forms this conflict shall take is law suits wrangling over the parish properties of the opposing parties. If the ROCOR wins possession of the property, it shall be able to name its candidate as rector of the parish. Of the candidates for primate, Archbishop Hilarion [b. 1948] is inclined most to peaceful co-existence with his rivals, as he believes that the division shall be cured over time. However, some hold another opinion, that is, regardless of whom is named the primate of the ROCOR; its policy shall be determined by the MP. They believe that signing of the Act of Canonical Communion in 2007 was the not the end of the process of the integration of the ROCOR into the MP structure.
The funeral and burial of Metropolitan Laurus shall take place on 21 March in the cathedral of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville NY. A pannikhida shall be celebrated in the Cathedral of the Sign in New York with the members of the Holy Synod present on Wednesday evening 19 March at 19.00.
Vadim Yarmolinets
Novoe Russkoe Slovo
http://NRS.com (in Russian)
I cannot possibly imagine what reason there is, or was, or will be, to canonise the late Metropolitan Lavr. Thank the All-Holy Trinity that the Russian Orthodox Patriarchy and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia have united. This was not done by Metropolitan Lavr alone, and, although I cannot judge him, know enough to find the suggestion of his “proslavlyenie” not only odious, but an obscene joke. May the All-Holy Trinity give rest to the late Metropolitan’s soul. Did Hieromonk Ioanniki attend his funeral?
The above comment is blasphemous. “Obscene joke”, indeed! The writer of the above is full of hate and bile, and should have kept such comments unsaid during the time of mourning. Quite obviously, they were not at the funeral (as I was) and could not notice the atmosphere of sanctity that was present.
I repeat, I stood before the relics of a saint, and I shall oppose vigorously all who denigrate Vladyki, his memory, or his accomplishments. Who is this obscure Hieromonk Ioanniki? I am fairly conversant with Church matters, yet, this figure is unknown to me.
The reconciliation would not have occurred without Vladyki. It is that simple. Anyone who says otherwise is not speaking with the mind of the Church.
Vara
Metropolitan Lavra died on the EVE of a feast day celebrating Orthodoxy. He was prevented from celebrating Orthodoxy which, some say is a sign from God.
He died roughly two months before the first anniversary of the union of the ROCOR with the MP for which, he played a big part. The union is the first step in many towards interdenominational/jurisdictional unions. This timing unfortunate is another sign.
It is believed that when a believer dies on Pascha, it is a sign that the deceased has found favor with God and is celebrating with the angels and saints in heaven. The Metropolitan was denied this great honor.
There was an old monk in Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY, surnamed Trepashko, who died on Pascha. He was found dressed for Pascha, lying on his bed with his hands crossed on his chest. There was a gentle smile on his face. This monk was a peacemaker among residents of the monastery. He had two sons; one a hieromonk named Father Ignaty Trepashko who died perhaps two years after his father, and the other is a married priest named Anatoly Trepashko.
Rostislav