Spruce Island; Hermitage of St. Herman of Alaska

(the man himself, Ol' Herm-dog)

I am starting off this blog with something that I stumbled across, while listening to a podcast. The podcast was about the WWII Internment camps for the First Nation population of the Aleutian islands (called Aleuts). The Aleuts were forcibly evacuated to the camps by the US military out of fear of the Japanese expansion.

(the church, rebuilt on the spot of the one Herm-dog built)

As I further looked into this fascinating moment in American history, I started learning more about pre-American Alaska. Eventually I came across a story of St. Herman of Alaska, an Eastern Orthodox missionary to the Aleuts in Alaska.















His life sounded pretty incredible. Miraculously healed of a severe throat infection, he was eventually chosen by the church to permanently move and spread Orthodox Christianity to the newly discovered region of Alaska. St. Herman and other monks arrived on Kodiak Island in 1794, after what I can only imagine was an incredible journey through Kamchatka and the Being Straight.















Eventually the rest of the missionaries were killed by either the locals or the harsh elements, leaving only St. Herman. Yet he continued to rally on behalf of the Aleut people, supporting them and defending their rights. Many people converted to Christianity because of his efforts, and he is still highly respected by the locals today. He eventually moved to small Spruce Island, to live a life and solitude, prayer and seeking God.






























(traditional Aluet cave house thing and favourite hiding place for monks)

The more I learnt about St. Herman of Alaska the more I wanted to visit Spruce Island and Alaska. There's a story of when the islanders where faced with a devastating tsunami, St. Herman took an icon of the Theotokos, placed it on the beach in front of the on-coming wave, and proclaimed that the waters would not rise beyond that point - which proved true. Another time he dug trenches to save villagers from a forest fire. He lived the ascetic life, owning only one pair of clothes, sleeping on a wooden bench with bricks for a pillow and a wood plank as his only blanket.

















Upon his death he announced that he would be forgotten and not buried for 30 years. He died on Nov 15th, 1837 and was not buried until Dec 13th, 1867 because no priest could not serve the funeral and was subsequently forgotten, exactly as he foretold.

















(Burial site for Herman, covered with his blanket - known to less hardcore people as a plank of wood)

Many pilgrims make the long trek to Spruce Island to visit his grave and the area where he lived. Just to be that far out in the Alaskan wilderness is cool enough, but mix it in with little-known culture and history of the Aleut, and a crazy miracle working Orthodox priest - it becomes a place that I desperately want to spend some time at.

















(Pilgrims)

For more on St. Herman of Alaska's life check out this website

















(hardcore priests)

I came across this guys pictures, used some of them on the post, but if you want to see some more great pictures of Spruce island and the hermitage, click here