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His Eminence the Most Reverend [[Metropolitan]] '''Laurus (SkurlaŠkurla) of New York''' is was the current first hierarch of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]]from 2001 until his death on [[March 16]], 2008.
==Life==
The future hierarch was born Vassily Mikhailovich Skurla Škurla on [[January 1]], 1928, in the village of Lodomirovo, Czechoslavakia, to Mikhail Ivanovich and Elena Mikhaolovna SkurlaŠkurla. His family was devotedly Orthodox Christian in an area of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire that was strongly influenced by [[Roman Catholic]]s.
When he was five, Vassily began serving at the [[altar]] of the [[Church]] of St. Job at the Pochaev [[Monastery]] in Ladomirova, which was the [[parish]] church for the local Orthodox population. At the age of eight, young Vassily approached the [[abbot]] of the monastery, [[Archimandrite]] Seraphim, to accept him as a [[novice]]. In 1939, at the age of eleven, his father gave him permission to join the monastery, and he began to fully participate in the monastery life while he continued his required secondary education. He remained with in the monastery throughout World War II, until the approach of the Soviet Army in 1944.
As the army approached, the brotherhood evacuated the monastery, first to Bratislava, and then on to Germany and Switzerland. While in Geneva, Switzerland, at the age of sixteen, Vassily became a novice. In 1946, after the war, the brotherhood, including Vassily, emigrated to the United States and joined [[Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Monastery]] in Jordanville, New York.
At Jordanville, Vassily joined the first class of [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Seminary]], graduating in 1947 while still a novice. In March 1948, Vassily was one of three novices who were [[tonsure]]d ryassophore [[monk]]s, being given the name 'Laurus.' In 1949, Laurus was tonsured to the small schema and then [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[diaconate]] in 1949. In 1954, he was ordained to the [[priest]]hood. Fr. Laurus was elevated to [[igumen]] in 1959. In 1966, he was further honored when he was elevated to [[archimandrite]].
In 1967, Archimandrite Laurus was elected to the [[episcopate]], being [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] bishop of Manhattan at the Synodal Cathedral of the Theotokos of the Sign in New York City. With this elevation came an assignment as secretary of the [[Synod]] of Bishops. His consecration was celebrated by Metropolitan [[Philaret (Voznesensky) of New York|Philaret (Voznesensky)]], Archbishops [[Averky (Taushev) of Syracuse|Averky (Taushev)]] and [[Nikon (Rklitski) of Florida|Nikon (Rklitsky)]], and Bishops Antony [[Anthony (Medvedev) of San Francisco|Anthony (Medvedev) ]] and [[Kyrill (Yonchev) of Pittsburgh|Kyrill (Yonchev)]].
After the repose of Abp. Averky in 1976, Bp. Laurus was elected abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery by the Brotherhood of St. Job of Pochaev. With this election, Bp. Laurus was appointed bishop of Syracuse and Holy Trinity by the Synod of Bishops. In the following years, Bp. Laurus traveled and led many pilgrimages throughout the Orthodox Christian world, including the Holy Land and [[Mount Athos]]. In 1981, he was elevated to [[archbishop]]. As abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, he encouraged publication efforts of the monastery, furthering the missionary purpose of the Brotherhood.
Between [[May 6]] and [[May 14]], 2006, Metr. Laurus chaired the fourth [[All-Diaspora Councils|All-Diaspora Council of ROCOR]], at which approval was given for reconciliation and normalization of relations with the Moscow Patriarchate. On [[May 17]], 2007, Metr. Laurus, with many of the clergy of ROCOR, participated in the signing of the ''Act of Canonical Communion'' in Moscow, Russia and participated in a joint liturgy with the Patriarch of Moscow at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow.
{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=—[[James (Toombs)]]|
title=Bishop of Manhattan<br>(ROCOR)|
years=1967-1976|
after=[[Gregory (GrabbleGrabbe) of ManhattanWashington|Gregory (Grabbe)]]}}
{{succession|
before=[[Averky (Taushev) of Syracuse|Averky (Taushev)]]|
before=[[Vitaly (Ustinov) of New York|Vitaly (Ustinov)]]|
title=First Hierarch of ROCOR|
years=2001-present2008|after=—[[Hilarion (Kapral) of Sydney|Hilarion (Kapral)]]}}
{{end box}}
==External links==
*[http://www.stjohnthebaptist.org.au/documents/laurus.html His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus (Vassily Skurla)]
*[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/engrocor/enbio_vlyubiley.html BLESSED JUBILEE: Towards the 50th Anniversary of the His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus' Pastoral Service]
*[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/eng2008/3enmldeath.html His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus Passes Away]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of New York]]
[[Category:Bishops of Syracuse]]
[[Category:First Hierarchs of the ROCOR]]
[[es:Laurus (SkurlaŠkurla) de Nueva York]]
