Saint George Pilgrimage

On May 4, 2023, His Grace, +Bishop ALEXEI, accompanying clergy, and pilgrims made the voyage to the remote island of Saint George in the Pribilof region. The community of Saint George graciously invited His Grace to the community in January 2023 to offer blessings upon the land and the people and to kick off the celebration of the Feast Day to the Great-martyr  Saint George the Trophy-bearer.

   

Community members waited with anticipation at the airport to greet His Grace upon arrival. At the airport were community members, tribal and city leaders gathered and were ready to receive Vladyka’s blessing by processing an icon of Saint George, believed to be as old as the present church which was built in the 1930s.

His Grace had the opportunity to meet and engage with the community members. The parish Subdeacon, Sergie Lekanof, shared his experience of what it was like to witness such an occasion, “At first I was nervous about inviting the Bishop into my home, but after a while we all shared supper and he made us feel good.” Since the passing of His Eminence, +Archbishop DAVID of blessed memory, Saint George Island has not received a hierarch since His Eminence's last trip in May of 2019.  

The pilgrimage was marked by the divine services held at the historic Church of Saint George Russian Orthodox Church. A beautiful and well-cared-for church, the parish held two hierarchical divine liturgies and an all-night vigil. Following the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Sunday, Vladyka provided the parish prayer ropes and led by example how to pray the most holy Jesus Prayer and taught the people the power and effect the prayer has on our spiritual life and how we live with one another in community.

The community of Saint George is also providing further investment into the church with the help of the Russian Orthodox Sacred Sites of Alaska (ROSSIA). In 2022, ROSSIA designated Saint George as a Top Five priority project for restoration.

The pilgrimage and the approval of the ROSSIA grant for restoring the Saint George Russian Orthodox Church were accomplished through the labors of Reader Anthony Lekanof who bears several responsibilities in the Aleutian/Pribilof Island Deanery. Each pilgrim expressed thankfulness for the work and dedication Anthony offered for the hierarchy of the Church and for several pilgrims to experience the blessing of Saint George Island.



The community celebration of Saint George's Day provided a space for all who participated a spiritual and an “outsiders” refresh to a once closed-off community due to the COVID-19 restrictions previously in place. Father Deacon Thomas Rivas, Episcopal Secretary to His Grace, +Bishop ALEXEI was weathered in for a few days longer and was given the blessing to serve a form of readers service for the faithful for the feast of Mid-Pentecost. Starosta Rodney Lekanof humored the group and remarked, “If you plan on coming to St. George for a few days, plan to stay a week.”



The overall success of the pilgrimage was made possible by the generous alms and donations of several entities and donors from within Alaska and abroad. The parish of Saint George continues to serve as an active altar with Reader services offered for the faithful. If you would like to see this parish continue its work for the faithful of Saint Geroge Island and the Priblof Islands, please consider contributing to the parish at: https://campaigns.tithely.com/14346-st-george-the-great-martyr-russian-orthodox-church/st-george-day-2023