Orthodox influencer from the U.S. critically condemned Russia's military conflict, resulting in her expulsion as a nun.
In the world of Orthodoxy, a series of events has unfolded involving Sister Vassa Larin, a prominent figure known for her educational YouTube channel, and the Orthodox Church in America (OCA).
Larin, a Ukrainian-American native, grew up in Nyack, New York, where her father was a priest in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR). Despite her family's close ties to ROCOR, Larin's upbringing saw her develop a strong voice, even displaying a portrait of the last czar in her home.
However, Larin's journey took a significant turn when she walked away from a full scholarship at a prestigious U.S. college to become a nun. Her path led her to a convent in France, where she lived before being assigned to study Orthodox theology in Germany, earning a doctorate.
Larin's public presence and views, however, have been a source of controversy. In 2024, the bishop who oversaw her, Bishop Laurent Ulrich of Lille, relieved her of her duties due to these controversies, which were deemed inconsistent with church teachings.
Meanwhile, the Rev. Cyril Hovorun, a critic of the Russian invasion, has compared Larin's ouster from ROCOR and the ongoing Alaska controversy to the Russian Church's attempts to strengthen ties with churches connected to Moscow. Hovorun himself was defrocked by Kirill in 2024 and now serves under the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
The Alaska controversy arose when the Orthodox Church in America's (OCA) Archbishop Alexei met with Russian President Putin in Anchorage after Putin's summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in August. This meeting was denounced by Ukrainian-American Orthodox bishops as a 'betrayal of Christian witness.'
Larin's YouTube channel, 'Coffee with Sister Vassa,' continues to educate about Orthodoxy, boasting about 24,000 subscribers. Despite her departure from the OCA, her influence in the Orthodox community remains significant.
As these events unfold, the Orthodox Church in America and Sister Vassa Larin continue to be at the centre of a complex and evolving narrative in the Orthodox world.
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