I decided to make my first lengthy post about one of my favorite places in the world, Kodiak Island. This island, home to 3,500 grizzly bears (more than half the human population), is located next to the Aleutian islands in south-central Alaska. The city of Kodiak, with a population sitting just over 6,000, is entirely dependent on two renewable energy sources: wind and hydro. Last summer I got the chance to spend two weeks in Kodiak - one on Kodiak Island, and the other on an neighboring island, Spruce Island.
As an Orthodox Christian, Spruce Island holds a very special place in my heart, as it was home to St. Herman of Alaska, the first American saints to be recognized in the Orthodox church, and one of the first missionaries to come to Alaska from Russia. Three monks now live in a small skete on the island to commemorate him. I stayed with a family in their house near the skete during my time there. During the day we would take a small skiff over to the nearby St. Nilus Island to help build a new monastery for the nuns who reside there.
Every year there is a pilgrimage of Christians all over the world who come to Spruce Island to see the grave of St. Herman and to commemorate the day of his repose, August 9th.
Walking through the silent emerald forest, I looked up, and found myself surrounded by an undescribable divine presence.
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Until next time,
