Church Events

Alexandra (Jamie) Hoff and her brother Jeffrey spent part of the summer of 2004 on a mission to Alaska. It is the second such trip in as many years for Jamie and the first for her brother. They have brought back to us the following photo report. In their own words, the Hoffs describe the photos which they took while on their mission:

"On September 24, 1794, the first ecclesiastical mission, recruited from the Valaam Monastery in northwestern Russia, arrived on Kodiak Island. Father Herman, a monk and member of this original missionary team, remained in the Kodiak area for the rest of his life, setting an example of Christian humility, patience, tolerance, wisdom, perseverance, and joy which inspired generations of Kodiak Alutiq people to embrace the Orthodox Christian faith. Remembered affectionately and devotedly as Ap'a Herman, or even Apangcuar ("Little Grandfather") among the Aleuts, he was formally glorified as "St. Herman of Alaska" at Holy Resurrection Church in Kodiak on August 9, 1970. St. Herman Seminary (below left) is named in honor of him."

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"Our group (above right) of nine team members was led by Father Michael Anderson, Director of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry for the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). The primary focus of our work was to repaint and repair St. Herman Seminary as well as Holy Resurrection Church, the Church that holds the reliquary of St. Herman. Many of the buildings were damaged from the harsh and rainy weather of Kodiak and were in desperate need of restoration. Below left, Jamie scrapes, sands, and paints the steps of Holy Resurrection Church and Jeff shingles the cupolas of the All Saints of Alaska Chapel at St. Herman Seminary (below right)."

"The photo below shows the inside of Holy Resurrection Church and the reliquary of St. Herman."
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"In the photo below left is shown the cross worn by St. Herman. Below right, Jamie and Jeff pose with Father Chad Hatfield, Dean of Saint Herman Seminary."

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"In photo above, Jamie and Jeff are shown with His Grace, Bishop Nikolai, Bishop of Sitka, Anchorage, and Alaska."
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"For the last 34 years, pilgrims have been coming to Alaska to journey to Spruce Island and Monk's Lagoon, America's Holy Land. On Monk's Lagoon, they visit and experience the sacred hermitage where St. Herman, America's first glorified saint, struggled for forty years in prayer, fasting, and the ascetic life. Monk's Lagoon remains a grace-filled monastic haven permeated with the holy presence of St. Herman. Jeffrey and I were both blessed to be a part of this year's pilgrimage and bear witness to the Orthodox Faith. In photo above right, Jamie fills a bottle of Holy Water at the spring discovered by St. Herman. In photo below right, Jamie prays at the grave of St. Herman."

"The reliquary of St. Herman is opened every year for the faithful attending the pilgrimage to Spruce Island and Monk's Lagoon to venerate. As the lid of the reliquary was opened, an incomparable sweet-smelling fragrance filled the Cathedral. Below left, Jamie venerates the Holy Relics of St. Herman."

"Above right, Jamie and Jeff at Exit Glacier in Seward, Alaska."

"Taking in God's beauty (photos above and below). Fort Abercrombie in Kodiak, the National Wildlife Refuge in Anchorage, and the beautiful mountains of Seward, Alaska."

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Copyright © 2004, Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, South River, NJ