born to the family of a russian orthodox priest in nyack, ny, larin graduated from nyack high school and entered bryn mawr college in bryn mawr, pa, at the age of 16. she left college to enter the lesna convent of the rocor in provement, france, at age 19. after a long spiritual and academic novitiate training, involving the study of greek, latin, german, patristic theology and church history sr. vassa was eventually enrolled by archbishop mark (arndt) of berlin and germany to study orthodox theology at the orthodox institute of the ludwig maximilian university of munich, germany. there she received a master's degree in orthodox theology, having written a master’s thesis on the “royal office” at the beginning of byzantine orthros.