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Herman of Alaska (born 1756 or 1760 in Serpukhov, Russia – December 13, 1837 on Kodiak Island, Alaska) was the first saint to be canonized by the Orthodox Church in America. 1756 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...
1760 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...
Serpukhov (Russian: ) is an old town in Moscow Oblast, Russia, which is situated at the confluence of the Oka and the Nara Rivers. ...
December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
| Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...
Kodiak Island is a large island on the south coast of the U.S. state of Alaska, separated from the Alaska mainland by the Shelikof Strait. ...
Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area Ranked 1st - Total 663,267 sq mi (1,717,854 km²) - Width 808 miles (1,300 km) - Length 1,479 miles (2,380 km) - % water 13. ...
In traditional Christian iconography, Saints are usually depicted as having halos. ...
The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church, led by Metropolitan Herman. ...
Biography St. Herman was born in the town of Serpukhov in the Moscow Diocese around 1756. At 16, he entered the Russian Orthodox monastic life at the Trinity-St. Sergius Hermitage near St. Petersburg. Serpukhov (Russian: ) is an old town in Moscow Oblast, Russia, which is situated at the confluence of the Oka and the Nara Rivers. ...
Location Position of Moscow in Europe Government Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Geographical characteristics Area - City 1,081 km² Population - City (2005) - Density 10,415,400 8537. ...
1756 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...
The Russian Orthodox Church (Русская Православная церковь) is that body of Christians who are united under the Patriarch of Moscow, who in turn is in communion with...
Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and...
While there he developed a severe throat infection or abscess. After fervent prayer before an icon of the Theotokos, he collapsed into a deep sleep. During this sleep, He was greeted by the Virgin Mother of Lord Jesus and healed. Upon waking the next day, there was no trace of the past infirmity. Approximately five years later he transferred from Trinity-St. Sergius Hermitage, moving to the Valaam Monastery. While at Valaam, he was under the spiritual guidance of the Abbot Nazarius who had played a significant role in the revitalization of Spiritual life in Russia. During this time, the head of the Golikov-Shelikov Company; Gregory Shelikov, visited Valaam and made a request for several monks to begin a mission into the Alaskan territory. Father Herman was selected, along with seven other monks. Look up Abscess in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
For other senses of this word, see icon (disambiguation). ...
Theotokos of Kazan Theotokos (Greek Θεοτόκος) is a title of Mary, the mother of Jesus. ...
The term Virgin Mary has several different meanings: Mary, the mother of Jesus, the historical and multi-denominational concept of Mary Blessed Virgin Mary, the Roman Catholic theological and doctrinal concept of Mary Marian apparitions shrines to the Virgin Mary Virgin Mary in Islam, the Islamic theological and doctrinal concept...
Valaam in winter The Valaam Monastery, or Valamo Monastery is the Orthodox monastery in Karelia, which used to be a part of territory contended between Soviet Union and Finland. ...
Valaam is an archipelago in the northern portion of Lake Ladoga, lying within the Russian Federations Republic of Karelia. ...
Father Herman and the other monks arrived on Kodiak Island on September 24, 1794. The monks educated and converted the Aleuts or native Alaskans and as time progressed they found themselves protecting the natives from exploitation and abuse. Because of this moral stance the monks themselves were abused, arrested and physically threatened. In time, enduring hardship, inclement weather, illness and more, Father Herman stood as the only remainder from the original band of missionaries. Kodiak Island is a large island on the south coast of the U.S. state of Alaska, separated from the Alaska mainland by the Shelikof Strait. ...
The Aleuts (self-denomination: Unangax, Unangan or Unanga) are the indigenous people of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, U.S.A. and Chukotka, Russia. ...
Father Herman felt it his duty to protect the native Alaskans (Aleuts) from exploitation. He defended them against the often cruel treatment of those who controlled the colony. His concern for their needs have been documented, expressed in letters sent to the former administrator of the colony, Simeon Yanovsky. Father Herman also would intercede before the governors on behalf of the oppressed. He helped those in need in whatever way he found possible.
Between the years of 1808 and 1818, Father Herman travelled to Spruce Island. Spruce Island is almost completely covered by forest and is separted by a strait about a mile and a quarter wide from Kodiak Island. Selecting this island for the location of his hermitage he called the land there "New Valaam" after the monastery from which he had left to come to America. He bore a cave out of the ground and lived out his first full summer, therein. To endure the harsh winters a cell was constructed in which he lived for more than forty years.
A small chapel was built as well, along with a school and guest house.The men, women and children of Alaska would visit him often. Food was produced and procured from an experimental garden he planted for himself and the orphans of the land. He devoted his life to prayer and to following the services he could do as a simple monk who had not been ordained.
His love for the people of Alaska was sincere and he found happiness in being around the children. An epidemic plagued Alaskans when an American ship made land at Kodiak. Fr. Herman remained with the ill and dying, offering them constant comfort and ceaseless prayer. It is said that his love was so genuine that he could see into the hearts of his spiritual children and help them. Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area Ranked 1st - Total 663,267 sq mi (1,717,854 km²) - Width 808 miles (1,300 km) - Length 1,479 miles (2,380 km) - % water 13. ...
The natives regarded him as their intercessor before God. When there was a tidal wave on the Island, Fr. Herman took an icon of the Theotokos, placed it on the beach and assured the people that the water would not rise beyond the place where the icon was, and it did not. When there was a great fire on the island, it is said that he dug a trench and stayed the flames. Prior to his death he foretold that there would be no priest to bury him and that he would be forgotten for 30 years. He died on December 13, 1837, and was forgotten until the first investigation of his life in 1867 by Bishop Peter of Alaska. This investigation was followed by publications of his life in 1894, 1900, and 1952. In the year of 1952 an Akathist Hymn (Devotional song, prayer or chant) was composed in his honour. For other senses of this word, see icon (disambiguation). ...
Theotokos of Kazan Theotokos (Greek Θεοτόκος) is a title of Mary, the mother of Jesus. ...
December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
| Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...
The Akathist (Ακαθιστος Υμνος, unseated hymn) is an Eastern Orthodox hymn dedicated to a saint, holy event, or one of the persons of the Holy Trinity. ...
Kontakion to St Herman of Alaska (According to Fr. Lawrence Farley) Kontakion is a form of hymn performed in the Eastern Orthodox Church. ...
Monk of Valaam and beloved of the Mother of God,
New zealot of the old desert-dwellers in thy labours,
Armed with prayer as thy sword and shield, thou wast terrible to demons and pagan darkness.
O St. Herman, we cry to thee: pray to Christ our God that our souls may be saved.
Sainthood On March 11, 1969, the Great Council of Bishops solemnly proclaimed the Act of the Universal Church Canonization of the Staretz Herman to Sainthood in the Orthodox Church in America: "Taking into consideration the long and undisputed witness of the grace of God, appearing through the servant of God, the Staretz Herman of Alaska." The Canonization of Father Herman was performed on August 9, 1970. Canonization is the process of declaring someone a saint and involves proving that a candidate has lived in such a way that he or she qualifies for this. ...
Canonization is the process of declaring someone a saint and involves proving that a candidate has lived in such a way that he or she qualifies for this. ...
See also After the discovery of northern Alaska by Ivan Fedorov in 1732, and the Aleutian Islands, southern Alaska, and north-western shores of North America in 1741 during the Russian exploration conducted by Vitus Bering and Aleksei Chirikov, it took fifty years until the founding of the first Russian colony in...
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