Saints Herman and Juvenaly of Alaska

    

Today Alaska rejoices and America celebrates,

For the new world has been sanctified by martyrdom.
Kodiak echoes with songs of thanksgiving,
Iliamna and Kenai observe the festival of faith.
The Apostle and martyr Juvenaly is glorified,
And Peter the Aleut is exalted by his voluntary sacrifice,
In their devotion and love for the Lord
They willingly endured persecution and death for the Truth,
Now in the Kingdom of Heaven they intercede for our souls!

 O blessed Father Herman of Alaska, north star of Christ’s holy Church, the light of your holy life and great deeds guides those who follow the Orthodox way. Together we lift high the Holy Cross you planted firmly in America. Let all behold and glorify Jesus Christ, singing his holy Resurrection.

     Saints Herman and Juvenaly of Alaska are among the first group of Orthodox Christians that came to the new world through the Russian Orthodox Church and their evangelizing of Alaska and the native peoples of the region. 

    Saint Herman of Alaska was born around the 1750s and was a monk at St. Sergius Hermitage before moving to Valaam to become tonsured as a monk, where he received the name Herman. While there at St. Sergius his faith was tested when he became sick with an abscess on his throat, which according to sources disfigured his face. He was near death until the night of his miraculous healing where he prayed all night before an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. In the morning, the abscess was gone, and doctors, by their logical and precise reasoning could not explain the miracle. Only that God had taken mercy on the young Father Herman, and healed him. After he transferred to Valaam, he studied under Abbot Nazarius where he became well versed in the hesychastic life and teachings. He eventually obtained the blessings of the abbot to become a hermit and settled 2km outside of the monastery for his solitary life. While renowned among the brethren and as equally liked by Metropolitan Gabriel, he did not receive ordination into the priesthood choosing to remain a monk. When a Russian-American company appealed to Catherine the Great in regards to sending a group of priests to the new world to teach the natives the basic teachings of the faith, St. Herman and likewise St. Juvenaly were chosen to be among the chosen company. He along with his fellow servants of God, were able to convert 7,000 natives to the faith, despite the harsh conditions of the region. Not only was he able to convert the natives, he converted others of different faith traditions to Orthodoxy such as a navy captain who until his encounter with St. Herman was a Lutheran.  When he moved to Spruce Island later in his mission he remarked, I am not alone. God is here, as God is everywhere." Again though, people became as they often are, to the saints and their piety and began visiting in droves, families moved, people were drawn to St. Herman and his life. He would live there on Spruce Island for 40 years near a cave which he had prepared for his burial. On the night of his death, it is said that light shown from his face, noting the repose of the blessed man of God, and a sweet smelling odor filled the room. 

    St. Juvenaly of Alaska is the Protomartyr of America, meaning the first martyr on American soil. Juvenaly like St. Herman was chosen to be among the company that was to witness to the native peoples of Alaska. St. Juvenaly was full of religious zeal and faith for the people of Alaska that he widely preached the gospel. He was known to have baptized over 700 natives at Nushek. St. Juvenaly was eventually martyred by a group of natives, and the precise reason behind the attack is still unknown but various theories do persist. St. Juvenaly was first attacked from behind and rose to forgive his attackers, they attacked again. This continued several times, until they hacked him into pieces. The shaman leading the attack tried to use the pectoral cross that St. Juvenaly wore to cast a demonic spell. The power of God overcame the shaman and His power was greatly revered by the men. The shaman was lifted up probably in the air four different times by God's miraculous work, and after the last attempt as I stated they did not try anything again. At the repose of the great martyr of America, a column of light rose from his relics, and no one knows how long this lasted, but it must have lasted for some time. 

    These two monks who came to America saw the life of Orthodoxy and Christianity in two totally different ways. St. Herman was able to repose quietly on Spruce Island where he had taught the faithful for many years. St. Juvenaly went like the apostles to preach the gospel and like many of them was given the crown of martyrdom for his work. Both worked tirelessly to advance the faith among the native peoples and others of Alaska and America and both should be honored for their dedicated service. May Christ our True God through their prayers have mercy on us and save us. 

Amen.