Lazar (Puhalo) suffers multiple strokes

In all honesty, a man many people have called rather divisive and even dangerous over the years. Regardless of your feelings about him personally, I hope you can join me in praying for his speedy return to health.

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(Orthochristian) - Retired OCA Archbishop Lazar (Puhalo) of Ottawa suffered a stroke on October 11, and is still recovering in the hospital, according to Orthodox Canada.

Writing in the daily journal of The Monastery of All Saints of North America of Vancouver, Canada, His Grace Bishop Varlaam (Novakshonoff), former bishop of Vancouver, writes:

This has been an emotionally exhausting day for us, as Vladika Lazar suffered a stroke. At first his speech became blurred, then his right side became numb and an ambulance was called out. It arrived in just a few minutes and Vladika was taken to Emergency in Abbotsford where a series of tests and examinations were made to determine his condition. By the time I arrived there later in the afternoon, he was already improving, his speech becoming normal and the numbness gone. He said that at a certain moment he felt something like an electrical charge shooting down his entire right side, which restored his feeling. The medical staff was pleased to see him making such a recovery.

Bp. Lazar suffered a second mini stroke the next day. He was moved from emergency to the main hospital body on the following day, and tests showed that there was no brain damage.

According to the latest update, on October 25, Bp. Lazar is in good spirits and waiting for a free spot in a rehabilitation unit.

Lord have mercy!

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Bishops Lazar and Varlaam founded the Monastery of All Saints of North America in 1968. The monastery was received into the OCA in 2003, after several decades spent in various non-canonical jurisdictions.