The Very Reverend Father Laurence Lazăr
The Very Reverend Father Laurence Lazar was born on September 2, 1947, in Highland Park (Detroit), Michigan to Father Eugene (+1978) and Dna Preoteasa Eleonora Lazar. After elementary school in Gary, Indiana, and high school in Akron, Ohio, he enrolled in St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York in 1965. While in New York, he studied art at the College of New Rochelle, and received a Bachelor's degree from Iona College, and his Master's of Divinity degree.
On July 25, 1971 he married Anita Sandru of Dearborn, Michigan. She holds a bachelor's degree from Purdue University and a Master's degree from the College of New Rochelle. A teacher by profession, she edited Young Life Orthodox children's magazine for eleven years, served as Curriculum Chairman of SCOBA's Orthodox Christian Education Commission, chaired the diocesan commission on religious education, authored school materials, etc. Father and Preoteasa are also known for their love of Romanian folk culture and collection of costumes and other artifacts. He speaks English, Romanian, and has a limited knowledge of Greek, Russian and French. Preoteasa speaks English, Romanian, and has knowledge of French and Latin. They have three children, John Eugene, Nicholas Laurence and Ana Valeriana with husband Michael (Gomez), and two small grandchildren, Adriana and Michael.
In January of 1972, the late Archbishop Valerian (Trifa) ordained Fr Lazar to the Holy Deaconate in Youngstown, Ohio's Holy Trinity Church, where his father was the priest. On July 8, 1973, the Archbishop ordained him as a priest during the diocesan congress at Vatra Romaneasca.
From February, 1974 he served The Presentation of Our Lord parish in Fairlawn (Akron), Ohio, until his appointment as Dean of the Cathedral on June 9, 1991. In 1992 he was raised to the dignity of Archpriest (Protopop). In May of 1994, Fr Laurence was awarded the Patriarchal Cross, the highest distinction for clergy of the Romanian Orthodox Church, by His Beatitude, TEOCTIST, at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest. Among other responsibilities, he has been the executive Secretary of the diocese for 25 years; Dean of the Ohio-Western Pennsylvania, and Michigan Deaneries; President of local Clergy and Lay councils; a Chaplain of the Southfield Police Department; Chairman of the ROEA Commission of Religious Art; Chair of the ROEA’s Joint Dialogue Commission, etc. He is also a past Spiritual Advisor of National AROY.
Father Laurence is a known artist, having designed the bell-tower and troiţa (road-side cross) for the Akron parish complex; the pectoral cross for the Romanian Episcopate’s clergy; several monuments including that of Archbishop Valerian and others; folk and religious art; the Centennial Cross (troita) for the Cathedral parish, etc. Also, he has an interest in arranging and composing Liturgical music in English and Romanian.
On July 25, 1971 he married Anita Sandru of Dearborn, Michigan. She holds a bachelor's degree from Purdue University and a Master's degree from the College of New Rochelle. A teacher by profession, she edited Young Life Orthodox children's magazine for eleven years, served as Curriculum Chairman of SCOBA's Orthodox Christian Education Commission, chaired the diocesan commission on religious education, authored school materials, etc. Father and Preoteasa are also known for their love of Romanian folk culture and collection of costumes and other artifacts. He speaks English, Romanian, and has a limited knowledge of Greek, Russian and French. Preoteasa speaks English, Romanian, and has knowledge of French and Latin. They have three children, John Eugene, Nicholas Laurence and Ana Valeriana with husband Michael (Gomez), and two small grandchildren, Adriana and Michael.
In January of 1972, the late Archbishop Valerian (Trifa) ordained Fr Lazar to the Holy Deaconate in Youngstown, Ohio's Holy Trinity Church, where his father was the priest. On July 8, 1973, the Archbishop ordained him as a priest during the diocesan congress at Vatra Romaneasca.
From February, 1974 he served The Presentation of Our Lord parish in Fairlawn (Akron), Ohio, until his appointment as Dean of the Cathedral on June 9, 1991. In 1992 he was raised to the dignity of Archpriest (Protopop). In May of 1994, Fr Laurence was awarded the Patriarchal Cross, the highest distinction for clergy of the Romanian Orthodox Church, by His Beatitude, TEOCTIST, at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest. Among other responsibilities, he has been the executive Secretary of the diocese for 25 years; Dean of the Ohio-Western Pennsylvania, and Michigan Deaneries; President of local Clergy and Lay councils; a Chaplain of the Southfield Police Department; Chairman of the ROEA Commission of Religious Art; Chair of the ROEA’s Joint Dialogue Commission, etc. He is also a past Spiritual Advisor of National AROY.
Father Laurence is a known artist, having designed the bell-tower and troiţa (road-side cross) for the Akron parish complex; the pectoral cross for the Romanian Episcopate’s clergy; several monuments including that of Archbishop Valerian and others; folk and religious art; the Centennial Cross (troita) for the Cathedral parish, etc. Also, he has an interest in arranging and composing Liturgical music in English and Romanian.
