St. Michael's Russian Orthodox Cathedral

St. Michael's Russian Orthodox Cathedral. . Saint Michael's Cathedral, a National Historic Landmark, is the central point of interest in historic downtown Sitka and is recognizable statewide as the most prominent symbol of the Russian colonial presence in Alaska. It was the main edifice of a string of historic Russian Missions in Alaska, which eventually extended south into Fort Ross, California., The green domes or cupolas, historic icons, tower bells, and golden Orthodox crosses of Holy Russia are still visible and functioning in Sitka at Saint Michael's Cathedral. Today, this active parish is composed principally of Native Alaskans, most of whom are descendants of the same Tlingit families who were living in the area at the time of Russian colonization., As part of the Russian Orthodox Church's Pacific missionary movement to Siberia and America of the late 18th and early 19th century, Siberian-born Father Veniaminov came to Alaska with his wife and family. He served as the priest at Unalaska in the Aleutian Islands for over ten years before being sent to Sitka as the Bishop in 1834. He became well known for his warm relationship with Native Alaskan peoples and his tolerant appreciation of their cultures. Bishop Veniaminov translated the Gospels and other church materials into Native Alaskan languages for which he created written forms., The original Saint Michael's Cathedral was completed in 1848 in Nova Arkhangelsk, now Sitka. Bishop Veniaminov designed the Cathedral and oversaw its construction. Financial support came from the Russian-America Company's headquarters in Siberia. Many of the construction materials and most of the icons and liturgical items came by a land and sea route from Russia. The Cathedral's original tower clock was built by the Bishop himself. The original Russian-style cathedral bells were forged in a Sitka foundry., In the frigid early morning hours of January 2, 1966, Saint Michael's Cathedral burned to the ground during a devastating night fire that destroyed 17 downtown buildings, including the historic Lutheran Church across the street. Courageous parishioners and townspeople managed to save almost everything from inside the burning Cathedral by forming a human chain and passing along ancient liturgical treasures from one person to another. The massive metal bells and the tower clock melted, but the pieces of melted bells were later recast into the present bells, and the clock was replaced. A few days after the fire, services were held outside on top of the Cathedral's ashes, and reconstruction efforts were initiated., By 1976, Saint Michael's Cathedral was reconstructed by using architectural drawings fortuitously made in 1961 by the Historic American Buildings Survey. All of the rescued icons and other historic liturgical items were set back in place, where they remain today., In 1977, Veniaminov, the first Russian Bishop of North America, was canonized and venerated in the worldwide Orthodox Church as Saint Innocent Veniaminov, "The Enlightener of Alaska and of All America.", Visitors and residents are encouraged to visit the Russian Cemetery to view the memorial grave of Saint Jakov Netsvetov, a contemporary of Bishop Veniaminov and the first Native Alaskan priest, ordained in Russia, to return to serve the Church in Alaska. Saint Innocent Veniaminov is buried in a monastery near Moscow, Russia.