St. Herman of Alaska

The Icon

Feast Day - August 9th.

The Icon shows St. Herman in his monastic habit with an iron cross held by iron chains. This is both a symbol and an ascetical practice of mortification of the flesh. Behind him you can see his small chapel and the trees of Spruce Island where he lived and labored as a missionary to the Aleut people. The white of the mountains and blue of the sea express the beauty of the Alaska that St. Herman loved and cared for. His graying beard, bent frame and cane express the rigors of his ascetical life. To the right of St. Herman is the hand of God blessing St. Herman for his devotion to the propagation of the Orthodox faith.

Spruce Island is not large, and is almost completely covered by a forest. Almost through its middle a small brook flows to the sea. Herman selected this picturesque island for the location of his hermitage. He dug a cave out of the ground with his own hands, and in it he lived his first full summer. For winter there was built for him a cell near the cave, in which he lived until his death. The cave was converted by him into a place for his burial. A wooden chapel, and a wooden house to be used as a schoolhouse and a guest house were built not too distant from his cell. A garden was laid out in front of his cell. For more than forty years Father Herman lived here. ( Taken from the acts of his life)

Troparion in tone 7

Joyful North Star of the Church of Christ,
Guiding all people to the Heavenly Heavenly Kingdom;
Teacher and apostle of the True Faith;
Intercessor and defender of the oppressed;
Adornment of the Orthodox adornment of the Orthodox Church in America:
Blessed Father Herman of Alaska,
Pray to our Lord Jesus Christ
For the salvation of our souls!

Troparion in tone 4

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.

Kontakion in tone 3

The eternal light of Christ our Savior
guided you, blessed Father Herman,
on your evangelical your evangelical journey to America
to proclaim the Gospel of peace.
Now you stand before the throne of glory;
intercede for your land and its people:
Peace for the world and salvation for our souls!

For information concerning the life of St. Herman of Alaska, please click here