Metropolitan Herman sends message of condolence on the repose of Metropolitan Laurus, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia
On Monday, March 17, 2008, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman sent a letter of condolence to His Eminence, Archbishop Hilarion of Sydney and Australia-New Zealand, senior hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia on the repose of His Eminence, Metropolitan Laurus, the Church’s First Hierarch.
The text of Metropolitan Herman’s letter is as follows.
“We join you and the hierarchs, clergy, and faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in prayer for the repose of the soul of the newly-departed Metropolitan Laurus. On behalf of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America, the clergy and faithful, I express our sympathy and condolences.
“The death of Metropolitan Laurus is a great loss for all of us. He labored diligently for long decades - first as a monastic and then as a hierarch. He crowned his service in Christ’s Holy Church with his courage in achieving reconciliation within the Russian Orthodox Church. At every stage of his ministry, he maintained monastic humility, simplicity, and joy.
“May God in His mercy and love grant that all of us will continue on the way of reconciliation which the late First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia pursued with evangelical hope and faithfulness.
“May his memory be eternal!”
On Wednesday, March 19, 2008, at the Cathedral of the Sign in New York, NY, a Panikhida for Metropolitan Laurus will be celebrated at 7:00 p.m. Funeral services will take place at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, Thursday, March 20 and Friday, March 21, 2008. On March 20, a Memorial Litiya will be celebrated following Great Compline at 7:30 p.m. On March 21, the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts will be celebrated at 8 a.m., followed by the Funeral Rite.