NEW YORK: May 11, 2007
His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus Sends a Letter to Abbess Makrina and the Nuns of Lesna Convent

On May 8, 2007, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus sent the following letter to the Abbess and nuns of Lesna Convent:

Esteemed Mother Abbess Makrina and Sisters,

Christ is Risen!

Today I received your letter, in which you report your sorrowful decision to depart for the omophorion of the so-called “Russian True-Orthodox Church,” which you committed on the eve of Mid-Pentecost. Before this, I had received a telephone message of your action from His Grace Bishop Michael of Geneva and Western Europe. It is very unfortunate that you took this step; I and many others who loved and revered your convent were grieved by this careless action.

I sense that you thereby saddened those whom you hold sacred, the Most-Holy Virgin Mother of God, and St John, Vladyka Metropolitan Philaret and Vladyka Metropolitan Vitaly.

You write that you did this after long prayer and consideration. Alas, you apparently did not think your decision through well enough. For you have followed those who are uncanonical, they lack Apostolic succession, they have no proper church hierarchy.

Vladyka Metropolitan Vitaly declared to these people that they were not elected by the Council of Bishops, they were suspended from their clerical service, and they were made “bishops” by so-called “self-consecrators”--what sort of hierarchy is this?

I offer a brief report on this so-called hierarchy, so that you can properly think about it and then decide. For we have not yet entered into prayerful communion, and you have already decided to condemn us, and have left us without seeing for yourself what and how it will be with us.

Think well upon this, for God is not mocked. Where are you going? Come to your senses, I implore you.

May Christ, in three days Resurrected from the dead, and His Most-Pure Mother, the Most-Holy Queen, and the Holy Saints of God, help you think through your action and repent with a pure heart and return to the embrace of the Holy Church of Christ, where you abided before falling away. Amen.

With love in the Lord,

+ Metropolitan Laurus,
First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.