His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus Visits His Homeland

photo-report

Last week, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, along with Protodeacon Victor Lochmatov and Subdeacon Nicholas Olhovsky visited the town of Ladomirovo, where from the 1920's until the mid-1940's, the print shop of the Brotherhood of St Job of Pochaev operated, founded by Archbishop Vitaly (Maximenko, +1960) of blessed memory. At the present time, the former monastery church, decorated by the famous icon-painter Archimandrite Kyprian (Pyzhov, +2002), is a parish church.

Behind the altar, the following monastic brethren lie in repose: Hegumen Savva (Struve), the brother of Fr Kyprian, Hieromonk Grigory and others. Here His Eminence performed a pannikhida for the late monks, and also for his own parents who are buried in the nearby parish cemetery.

His Eminence visited the churches and holy sites of Bardeov, Svidnik, Stropkov and other towns. The rector of Stropkov is Protopriest Petr Cuper, who studied at the local school together with His Eminence. Vladyka Metropolitan was greeted warmly and lovingly everywhere he went. On May 16, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus visited the Carpathian Cathedral and the Diocesan Administrative Building, also home to a seminary. His Eminence was greeted by Protopriest Aleksandr Cap, Secretary of Metropolitan Nikolai of Czechia and Slovakia, the Archbishop of Carpathia and representatives of the Carpathian Metropoliate. At the present time, His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolai is resting with relatives due to illness, where His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus paid him a fraternal visit.

His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolai asked the Metropolitan Laurus' prayers for the Lord to return him to service in the cathedral and in his archpastoral duties.

On the last day of his visit to Slovakia, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus offered a formal reception to honor his relatives, organized with the help of Protodeacon Victor and Mikhail Shkurla, His Eminence's brother. At the reception, His Eminence was greeted by the former Consul of Czechoslovakia to Canada, I.I. Gumenniuk, who is a relative of Vladyka Metropolitan, and by a multitude of other guests. At the conclusion, His Eminence Vladyka touchingly welcomed all those in attendance, and shared his recollections of his youth in Carpathian Russia.

On May 18, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus and his escorts departed for Bratislava, whence he will go to Vienna, then Brussels, where His Eminence expects to officiate at the celebrations at the Royal New Martyrs Memorial Church.