Saint Innocent (Veniaminov)

Saint Innocent (Veniaminov) (1797-1879)

John may be spelt Ioann, Ivan.

Evseby may be spelt Eusebius, Evsebiy, Evseviy, Yevseviy.

Tlingit may be spelt Tlinkit.

Veniamin may be spelt Benjamin.

Nikolai may be spelt Nikolay, Nicholas.

Early life of Ivan Evsevyevich Popov

Ivan (John) Evsevyevich Popov was born on 26 August, 1797, into the family of Euseby and Thekla Popov, in the village of Anga, Verkholensk County, Irkutsk Governorate, in Siberia, in the Russian Empire. Euseby Popov was a sexton and reader of the Holy Prophet Elias Temple in that village. Thus, he was raised in the bosom of the Russian Orthodox Church in a faithful family of believing and practicing Orthodox Christians.

When Ivan's father reposed in the Lord on 3 August, 1803, at the age of 40, Ivan was 6 years old. Besides Ivan, there were 2 daughters, and another child was expected. Under these condition, the family fell into desperate poverty.

His uncle, Deacon Dmitriy Popov then adopted him. As he began to raise Ivan, he continued the formation of the lad in the Orthodox Christian Faith. It was from his uncle that Ivan learned carpentry.

By the age of 7, Ivan was reading in church services. His mother tried to arrange that her son work in the place of the reposed father as a summer sexton in order to help herself and the remaining children, but her attempts were in vain.

Sketch of Anga Village (by Vladika Varlaam (Novakshonoff))

Education, Higher education

In 1807, at the age of 10, Ivan entered the Irkutsk Theological Seminary. This seminary trained priests and missionaries for the Eastern Siberia region. Amongst the subjects it taught were oriental languages ​​(Chinese, Manchu, Mongolian), as well as languages ​​and dialects of the Siberian and northern peoples. Thus, the graduates were prepared to help the non-Russian-speakers to create their own alphabets, to made up phrase-books (for basic communication), and to carry out extensive publishing activities. Often, service-books in particular were printed in these languages. All these elements were put to frequent use by Ivan in his later life and service in the Church, both in Siberia and in Russian-America.

Irkutsk Theological Seminary

Ivan studied well, and he spent his free time either in the seminary library or with his uncle. His uncle, who had been widowed, had been tonsured as a monk and moved to Irkutsk. Deacon Dmitriy Popov, who became the Monk David (Popov), was a good watchmaker and a self-taught mechanic, and he shared his knowledge with his nephew.

Sketch of Holy Ascension Monastery, Irkutsk (by Vladika Varlaam (Novakshonoff))

Nevertheless, Ivan was constantly teased and ridiculed by his fellow-students because he was so poor. Then he read a book that described mechanical inventions of ancient times. On the basis of his reading (and on the basis of his uncle's training), he managed to fashion an accurately-functioning water-clock. This so fascinated the others, that their attitude changed. Then he learnt how to make a pocket-sized sundial. It was so simple to create one, that many of his fellow-students soon owned one.

In addition to this, at that time, the new Bishop Michael (Burdukov) had decided to order the construction of a large clock in the cathedral's bell-tower. For this, he engaged Mr. Klim, a European watch-maker. Once he had begun work, it was noticed that a student was frequently visiting this watch-maker, and the watch-maker had begun to teach him how to make the parts and the works for the clock as a sort of apprentice. The administration was informed. They discovered that it was their best-performing student, Ivan Evsevyevich, who was this apprentice. They then did nothing to stop him, and Mr. Klim was very pleased. What Ivan learnt stood him in good stead in the future.

It was during these years that he became known as “Veniaminov” instead of “Popov” (partly because there were 7 students there at the time who had the surname Popov : it is a frequent family name). He was being identified with the much-beloved Archbishop Benjamin (Bagryansky) of Irkutsk who had recently reposed.

In 1814, Ivan Evsevyevich officially received the surname "Veniaminov".

By 1817, Ivan Evsevyevich was required to choose between travelling far away in order to pursue a higher education or remaining in Irkutsk and marrying. It was hoped (and generally expected) by his superiors that he would choose the former, because he was such an excellent student : he had a more-than-excellent memory, and he had been receiving the top grades in his studies.

However, events pointed him to the latter. Ivan had prayerfully decided to marry, but he could not discuss the matter with the rector, Archimandrite Paul (Nekrasov), who was the abbot of the Holy Ascension Monastery. A pleasant and educated man, he lived in the monastery across the Angara River from the seminary. During that spring, the Angara River became frozen in a very jagged manner (likely through a blockage), and it remained in this condition for a long time. The condition of the ice made it impossible for the rector to cross over to the seminary.

There was no-one who could forbid it, so he looked for someone suitable. There was found for him such a person, the daughter of the rector of the cathedral parish. They met, and they agreed to marry. The father of the bride-to-be blessed the proposal. As he, himself, said later, if the rector had been available to make his will known, the marriage would not have been permitted, and Ivan would have been sent away after graduation to study further. He understood that these events were indications of the blessing of the Lord to proceed as he did.

Marriage, 1817

On 29 April, 1817, Ivan Evsevyevich was married to Ekaterina Ivanovna, the daughter of a priest of the Annunciation Temple.

After their marriage, they received from the Lord 10 children, of whom the first 3 did not survive infancy.

Diaconal ordination, 1817

On 18 May, 1817, Ivan Evsevyevich Veniaminov was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by Bishop Michael (Burdukov) of Irkutsk.

Diaconal service

Deacon Ivan Veniaminov was assigned to serve in the Church of the Annunciation in Irkutsk.

Deacon Ivan completed his studies with high honours in 1818. At this time, the opportunity for higher studies in the Moscow Theological Academy appeared through a request for 2 candidates from Irkutsk. However, that Deacon Ivan Veniaminov was both married and already a deacon disqualified from being sent.

He was assigned to serve as a teacher of music in the parish school, while he awaited a pastoral opening which would allow for his presbyteral ordination. As a teacher, he learnt many innovative methods for teaching, since the school lacked paper and text-books. He wrote what he could with charcoal on the walls.

Presbyteral ordination, 1821

On 18 May, 1821, the Deacon Ivan Veniaminov was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Bishop Michael (Burdukov) of Irkutsk.

Pastoral service

The Priest Ivan Veniaminov was then assigned to serve as second priest in the Temple of the Annunciation in Irkutsk.

Annunciation Temple in Irkutsk

The young priest gained the love and respect of the parishioners because of his good nature and his solemn decorum in worship. On Sundays, before the Divine Liturgy, Father Ivan gathered the children in the Temple, and he told them about the Christian Faith, about worship, about the rules of a godly and pious life. Such catechetical teaching had been hitherto unknown in Irkutsk (and likely in many other places).

In his free time, he made watches and musical organs with spiritual hymns, which made it possible to ensure the material situation of the family. His mother and brother Stefan moved from Anga to him. A son, Innocent, was born to Father Ivan and Matushka Ekaterina, and the family lived a measured life that did not portend change.

Missionary volunteer, 1823

However, at the beginning of 1823, Bishop Michael (Burdukov) of Irkutsk received an instruction from the Most Holy Synod to send a priest to the island of Unalaska in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. The instruction followed a request for aid in expanding the work that had been begun and established by the original missionaries. No-one in the Irkutsk region volunteered. As others, Father Ivan (John) Veniaminov became aware of the instruction. He had been content in his service in the parish to which he had been assigned, and he had had no thought of doing anything else. As with the Prophet Samuel, he at first did not comprehend any call from the Lord in this, and he resisted any inclination towards this work, particularly in view of his pastoral responsibility and the nature of his family. Nevertheless, the Lord, the Knower of Hearts, touched his heart.

An acquaintance of Father Ivan, Ivan Kryukov, an old man who had lived for 40 years in the colonies of the Russian-American Company, had appeared at the Holy Annunciation Church in Irkutsk. In vivid stories, he spoke about the piety and devotion of the peoples there, and about their desire to hear the Word of God. Regardless, Father Ivan (John) was reluctant to undertake such a labour. However, when Ivan Kryukov was preparing to leave Irkutsk, he paid a farewell visit to Bishop Michael in order to receive the blessing. There, he met Father Ivan (John). Their conversation turned to the topic of sending a priest to Unalaska. Again, Ivan Kryukov began to talk about the zeal of the Aleuts in the Faith, and his words touched the heart of the Priest John, who decided to go to America despite previous reluctance, since he saw God's Providence in this. Father John had been persuaded to go to this distant country, and his heart was inflamed with holy zeal. He asked for the blessing of Bishop Michael. Bishop Michael agreed without hesitation. The blessing of the Bishop of Irkutsk, carefully given, confirmed his desire.

Further, Bishop Michael (Burdukov) awarded Father John with the "nabedrennik", even though it was technically early for this award. He also wrote letters to his diocesan administration, in which he expressed his joy that Father John had agreed to undertake the missionary work. Meanwhile, Father John commented :

 May my own example serve as a new proof of the truth that 'by the Lord are the foot-steps of a man directed' [Psalm 36:23], 
 and that each of us servants of His Church is no more than an instrument in His hands.  He saw fit to establish my field 
 of ministry in America – and that despite my opposition. How can I in fairness regard my going to America as meritorious, 
 as some sort of a great feat ?

Bishop Michael supplied Father John with sacred vessels, vestments, liturgical books and other necessities. Most significantly, he gave Father John 2 antimensions (a special cloth signed by the bishop which permits the serving of the Divine Liturgy in a specific place). The one was for the Temple in Unalaska (it was not known yet that it would have to be rebuilt), and the other was for use in his missionary travels. Thus, Father John had been given far greater freedom than had been given to any missionary to Russian-America who preceded him.

Departure from Irkutsk, making the eastward trek, May, 1823

On 7 May, 1823, Father John Veniaminov departed from Irkutsk. He was accompanied by his ageing widowed mother Thekla, his wife Ekaterina, his infant son Innocent, and his 19-year-old brother Stefan (who had been tonsured to be a reader before the departure). The family stopped in Father John's home village Anga, where they served a moleben (service of prayer) in the Saint Elias Temple. Then they began their journey, which in all took more than a year of travel and waiting. In this case, there was urgency regarding the timing, because they had to arrive in Okhotsk in time to meet the last ship to sail that year to North America. The usual, relatively easy route would have been through Lake Baikal, along the Amur River to the sea, but this route had been closed to Russians at that time by the Emperor of China.

Instead, they had to travel to the Lena River (including a 242 km/150 mi portage) and then on the Lena River by barge to Yakutsk. The Lena river is a calm, peaceful and picturesque river, one of the chief waterways of the Russian north. For the Veniaminov family, it was a time of peace and rest.

Having arrived in Yakutsk, they transferred everything from the barges to horses. They then began the overland trek towards to Okhotsk. Moved to do so by the love of Christ, the Veniaminovs travelled across the Russian Far East over thousands of kilometres of forest, mountains, rocks, lakes, muskeg, quicksand and desert, on rivers, through marshes, over high hills, mostly on foot, but sometimes also by barge and by horseback (often using small, sturdy Siberian horses). Sometimes a horse sank in the muskeg, and it had to be pulled out labouriously. During their overland travel, as did all such travellers, the family had to endure the very thick clouds of mosquitoes which has been a common phenomenon in the far north, as well as black flies from time to time.

After a stop at Yakutsk, they continued on to Okhotsk.

Later, a former schoolmate of Father John, Prokopiy Gromov, wrote about the nature of this journey of more than 1,000 km (700 mi), which he also followed later :

 It can be said that for our sins we suffered on the Okhotsk Road 10 tortures similar to those of Egypt : rabid horses ; 
 quagmires where land turned to water for us ; nocturnal darkness, often overtaking us en route amidst thick woods ; 
 branches threatening us with blindness ; hunger ; cold ; mosquitos ; gad-flies – truly biting flies ; dangerous river 
 crossings ; and sores anthrax on the horses – the tenth punishment ! 

The exact length of the route from Yakutsk to Okhotsk is difficult to determine, since each party travelling this way had to find their own particular route. In between the passage of each group, the terrain would change in one or another manner, and the way would not be obvious.

Okhotsk is situated at the mouth of the Okhota River, at the Sea of Okhotsk. Its climate and surroundings were and are very difficult. It was described thus in 1869 by G Hartwig :

 Ochotsk is one of the dreariest places imaginable. [...]  Not a single tree grows for miles 
 and miles around, and the wretched huts of which the town is composed lie in the midst of a 
 swamp, which in summer is a fruitful source of malaria and pestilence.  The River Ochota, at 
 whose mouth Ochotsk is situated, does not break up before the end of May, and the ice-masses 
 continue to pass the town till the 15th or 20th of June.  Soon after begins the most unpleasant 
 time of all the year, or 'buss' of the Siberians, characterised by thick fog and a perpetual 
 drizzling rain.  The weather clears up in July, but as early as August the night-frosts cover 
 the earth with rime.  Salmon, of which no less than fourteen different species live in the 
 Sea of Ochotsk, are the only food which the neighbourhood affords ; all other necessaries of 
 life come from Jakutsk, and are of course enormously dear.  Meat appears only from time to time 
 on the tables of the wealthier merchants, and bread is an article of luxury. 

Departure from Okhotsk to Russian-America, August, 1823

There, they boarded the sloop "Constantine" on 30 August, 1823. From there, they sailed on the turbulent North Pacific Ocean all the way to the Russian-America capital, Novo-Arkhangelsk (Sitka).

Arrival at Novo-Arkhangelsk, October, 1823

They arrived on 20 October, 1823, and they remained there throughout the winter (it was then unsafe to travel because of storms).

What does not take a primary place in the reports of Father John is the fact that during this voyage he had his first experience of sea-sickness, an experience which would be repeated thereafter every time he went to sea (either by ship or by kayak). When he was asked about it, he mildly responded that every time he was on a ship he had to withdraw to his room with a bucket for 3 days, and "pay the usual tribute", after which he was able to manage.

In Novo-Arkhangelsk, Father John asked the general manager of the Russian-American Company how he might be useful in this community. He was given an Aleut tutor, who began his exposure to the language, which he would soon need to use. Meanwhile, through interpreters, he gave catechetical instruction to the children (boys and girls separately during the week) and to the adults and children of the community together an hour before the Divine Liturgy on Sundays. He also tried to clarify his relationship with the Russian-American Company, particularly with regard to his personal compensation. There was the matter of what to do with voluntary gifts of furs. He soon simplified the potential complexity of paperwork by renouncing all contributions of furs, of any sort of gift-in-kind, and of money. He said that he chose this,

 since a simple, sincere, and altruistic teaching and preaching of the Faith as befits a servant of the Gospel can have a greater 
 and freer impact on the souls and hearts of the newly-converted than can an equally sincere and eloquent teaching which is, 
 nevertheless, accompanied by remunerations through such offerings [...}.  

It is possible and even likely that at this time, Father John made his first acquaintance with the Tlingit People and language. Father John wrote to Vladyka Michael that the communications between Novo-Arkhangelsk and Russia were so slow and inadequate that the priest in Novo-Arkhangelsk, Father Sokolov, had not yet even known what was the full name of the diocese in which he was serving until he was told by Father John. As the mission developed, so the organisation of the diocese was adjusted. Father John therefore requested that he be sent a copy of all decrees that concerned the mission.

Departure for Unalaska, July, 1824

The Veniaminov family finally sailed westward on the brig "Rurik" for the Aleutian Islands on 1 July, 1824, and they arrived at Unalaska on 29 July, 1824.

After their difficult 14-month journey, they had travelled in all about 10,480 km (6,512 mi) between Irkutsk and Unalaska via Novo-Arkhangelsk.

Unalaska, Aleutian Islands, 1824

Upon arrival at Unalaska on 29 July, 1824, they found only a tumbled-down and disused chapel, several nearby sod-houses, and a dozen or so earthen mounds (yurts made from dugout dwellings). The settlement was Harbour Village ("Illiuliuk", or "Harmony Village"). The first Divine Liturgy was served in Unalaska on 1 August, 1824, very soon after their arrival. Since the site of the settlement was separated from the main part of the island by a stream, they took the opportunity to bless water there as well. Since the local people had already been baptised, Father John spent the winter preparing them for the receiving of further sacraments, including the blessing of their marriages.

Unalaska port, 1815

Within the whole Aleutian archipelago (69 islands spread over 1,900 km/1,200 mi from end to end), Father John’s parish included the island of Unalaska and the other neighbouring Fox Islands and Pribilof Islands, whose inhabitants had been converted to Christianity before his arrival, in 1795, when they were baptised by Hieromonk Makariy. Other groups of islands under his pastoral care included the Rat Islands, Krenitsyn Islands, Shumagin Islands, and the Near Islands. Theoretically, his parish stretched from the mid-point of the Alaska Peninsula all the way to the Kuril Islands. In fact, his responsibility ended at Atka Island, the farthest point from Unalaska. Unalaska was the largest missionary community of the 3 at that time (the others being Kodiak and Novo-Arkhangelsk). Although people may have been baptised, they had not received much instruction or formation, and they retained many of their pagan ways and customs, despite the sincerity with which they had accepted the Gospel. The Sitka Parish stretched from Mount Saint Elias south to Fort Ross, California. The Kodiak Parish stretched from Mount Saint Elias to the middle of the Alaska Peninsula.

As for the local diet, there were very few if any fruits and vegetables available. The main food seems to have been whale blubber. It was both food and fuel, and the smell and the grease of it permeated the homes.

After Father John and his family had constructed and moved into an earthen hut, he set about studying the local languages and dialects so that he could communicate with the local people. Father John began to teach the Aleuts about carpentry, metalwork and blacksmithing, making bricks and masonry. In this working together with his parishioners, he became close to them, and he began to understand his parishioners, their character, their customs, their understanding of the world, and he began to be able to use their language properly. No Temple could be constructed immediately, and there was no adequate wood available locally. They waited until the appropriate sort of lumber was sent by ship much later by the Russian-American Company.

Father John had 3 main goals : to learn the language ; to establish a central place for the mission, which would include both the Temple and school ; to visit the territory of the mission. His primary support and aid came from John Pankov (†1850), a Christian chieftain of Tigalda Island, who helped greatly in producing the first translations of the Scriptures.

It was the "Fox-Aleut" language that Father John Veniaminov then learnt from John Pankov. In addition to the “general appellation, Unangan”, Father John provided local names for people of various island groups (eastern or western). The word “Unangan” (plural : Unanga-x) evidently translates to “Seasider”. This and more information may be found here.

On 24 March, 1825, Father John opened the first school for 22 children in one of the yurts, and he used the occasion to provide a formal procession, prayer and blessing to mark the beginning of teaching. This was during Great Lent, and Stefan Veniaminov (also called Popov) joined in the teaching.

After the Feast of Pascha, 1825, Father John made his first missionary visits to the villages of Unalaska. He then travelled to some of the islands westward of Unalaska. He did not use the accustomed woolen Russian-style clothing, but he adopted the appropriate and practical clothing used by the local indigenous people. This equipment and clothing were provided by the Russian-American Company. Even on the high seas during storms, he travelled in a kayak made of leather ("baidarka"), in the local fashion.

Baidarka with sails

Sketches of baidarka/kayak types, by Bishop Varlaam (Novakshonoff)

Father John commented about the forthright honesty of the peoples, and about their innate lack of concern about "tomorrow". This particular characteristic caused some Europeans to consider them lazy, whereas their tendency was to depend on the Lord's provision. Everywhere he went, he provided the people with sacramental consolation and sustenance. He further commented about the contrast between the inability of Europeans with their footwear to negotiate the mossy rocks, whereas the indigenous people had no trouble at all since they wore the appropriate local footwear.

When he travelled to the nearby Umnak Island (one of the Fox Islands), Father John visited the Nikolsky village on the northwest coast of the island. There, he found a chapel that had been made of driftwood in 1806 under the direction of Ivan Kryukov, whom he had not long previously met in Irkutsk. In similar fashion to his practice in Unalaska, Father John began a cycle of services which included periods of instruction through which he prepared the people to receive further sacraments. Many were chrismated, since their baptisms had been done by lay-persons. Others had their marriages blessed. Confessions were heard in advance of receiving Holy Communion. By Saturday, all had been completed. The Divine Liturgy was served, and then Father John visited each family in their yurt. Thus he completed his visit to the farthest west village of his initial missionary journey. It was the middle of the night when Father John was accompanied to the shore as he made his departure to Unalaska for the Feast of Pentecost. Of course, it was scarcely dark at that time year. Father John traversed very turbulent waters stirred up by strong winds. They skirted dangerous whirlpools, and they arrived in Unalaska at 9:00 p.m. on the eve of the Feast of Pentecost. He immediately left the baidarka, and he went to the Temple to serve the All-Night Vigil of the feast.

Original chapel at Nikolsky, Umnak Island

After having celebrated the Feast of Pentecost in Unalaska, and when the Aleut builders were sufficiently prepared and the materials had arrived (in June), work began on the erection of the Temple. On 2 July, 1825, after a Moleben in the existing chapel, there was a procession to the work-site, where both the site and the materials were blessed. Protocol required that Father John, each of the Russian-American Company officials, and the local indigenous leaders first take a turn with sawing some wood before the real work could begin. Because the carpenter supplied by the company would not remain for the duration, the work had to be led by Father John himself. Because nothing required for the construction beyond a basic floor-plan had been provided, Father John also had to design the whole structure. He further constructed both the Holy Table and the iconostas, and he gilded the iconostas with his own hands.

On 29 June, 1826, on the Feast of the glorious and All-praised Apostles Peter and Paul, the first Temple on the Fox Islands was sanctified in honour of the Ascension of the Lord.

Father John often travelled between the islands in a 2-seat kayak, as he struggled over the stormy Gulf of Alaska. Following on the same missionary path as Saint Herman of Alaska, who lived rather farther east at the time (on Spruce Island), Father John served the Yupik and Unangan people, often incorrectly called “Aleut” by the Russian-American Company officials. The well-known martyr, Peter, was of this people, and he is better not referred to as “the Aleut”. The name “Aleut” comes from the so-called Aleut word "allíthuh", meaning “community”. A regional self-denomination is "Unangax", "Unangan" or "Unanga", meaning “original people”. The name "Aleut" was given to the Unangan people by Russian fur-traders in the mid-18th century (perhaps because it was easier to say, or because that is how their ears heard the words). Father John lived amongst the indigenous people of the Fox Islands from 1824 to 1834, extensively studying the language and the people. He does not equivocate on the name Unangan, writing in his journal :

 The inhabitants of these islands, called ‘Aleuts’ by the Russians and by all the Europeans, called 
 themselves Unangan.  

His travels to the many islands greatly enhanced Father John Veniaminov’s familiarity with the local dialects. In a short time, he mastered 6 of the dialects. He devised an alphabet of Cyrillic letters for the most widespread dialect, the Unangan dialect of the Aleutiiq language.

During his pastoral travels, Father John's only companions were the Aleutian paddlers and the interpreter. More than once they were overtaken by a storm, and they had to put up their baidarkas in a deserted place. They didn't carry many supplies, and they were forced to wait for a change in the weather. Sometimes, they could get to the nearest village by going over mountains while carrying both the kayaks and all their belongings. However, God sent spiritual consolation to the selfless priest : the Aleuts received him with sincere love, and they surprised him with their zealous fulfilment of Christian duties.

Translation work

As he travelled about on his pastoral rounds, Father John Veniaminov acquired a sufficient fluency in the Aleut language to begin translating. His preliminary work was with the fundamental prayers : “Our Father”, “Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos” and the “I believe”. Much more followed after this.

From 1826-1827, Father John spent much of his time in refining his knowledge of the language, and in preparing the full catechism for the purpose of supporting his missionary work. When the draft of the first section was complete, in March, he sent it to Ivan Pankov for review. By Pascha, a first draft of the complete work in the Fox-Aleut language was complete. He continued to refine the text until he was satisfied that there were no errors. Meanwhile, he was preoccupied with construction.

Saint Nicholas Church, Atka Island, founded 1825

1827

In April, 1827, Father John travelled eastwards by ship to Unga Island (at that time, called "Grekodelarovskoye", after a Greek explorer in the employ of the Russian-American Company). This was 402 km (250 mi) distant from Unalaska, and the visit required a sea-going ship to make the voyage. This was the farthest outpost of his responsibility. Because of fierce headwinds, a 60-hour journey took 11 days. There, he visited the various villages, and he read the catechism to the people. The catechism was so well-received that the people prepared petitions to the Most Holy Synod for its publication.

When they attempted to voyage to the Alaskan Peninsula, the winds marooned them on an uninhabited island for a time, and they celebrated the Feast of the Ascension there. Later, they arrived on the peninsula in May. From village to village, Father John travelled and nourished the Faithful with the various appropriate sacraments and with his teaching. By the end of June, he had reached Deer Island, where he visited the villages. He also took on freight (walrus tusks) for the Russian-American Company in the kayak he was using. At sea, he was sometimes in danger of sinking. Once, when he was 48 km (30 mi) away from land, a strong wind arose. He was constantly bailing out the water, as were the others in kayaks with him. He commented :

 By then I had grown accustomed to being at sea, and I hoped, moreover, in God who 'guides a man safely in the way he should go'.
 Thus we overcame our fear, and other than seasickness, I observed no fear or discomfort in anyone. [...] I was, however, continually
 in danger of losing my life, for (as they say) 'there is not a single board here to save you from death – just skins'.  

He returned safely to Unga, and from there, by ship they arrived at Unalaska. Even on this trip, the stormy seas inhibited his timely arrival because it was difficult to enter the harbour. He arrived back on 12 June, after 49 days of absence.

In June, 1827, soon after his return, the brig "Golovnin" arrived in the harbour. Amongst the deliveries was a parcel containing a pectoral Cross which he had been awarded by the Most Holy Synod in Saint Petersburg. This award was in recognition of his praiseworthy, exemplary behaviour, and even more for his holy obedience and his willingness to fulfil this obedience in the missionary parish of Unalaska. It is understood that this pectoral Cross must have been one decorated with jewels, because the comments about its presentation express how extraordinary this award was for a young priest. A simpler pectoral Cross is often awarded at 10 years of service, and such an award only a little early would not provoke amazement.

At this time, Father John had all prepared, and he sent a copy of the catechism to Vladyka Michael in Irkutsk, along with a letter in which he asked for the blessing for its being printed by the Russian-American Company for local distribution. He sent the text both in Russian, and in Unangan, since many of the local people could also read Russian.

Soon afterwards, on 1 July, 1827, Father John boarded a ship bound for the Pribilof Islands, in order to make another missionary journey. The principal islands of this group are Saint Paul Island and Saint George Island. These islands are situated in the Bering Sea, to the north of the Aleutian Island chain (about 230 km/200 mi north of Unalaska, and the same distance southwest of Togiak on the Alaskan coast). As usual, once he landed on Saint George Island, he administered all the appropriate sacraments, served the Divine Liturgy, and taught the Faithful. During the course of his ministrations, on one day, he chrismated 32 (who had been baptised by lay-persons) ; he married 11 couples ; he heard 51 confessions. The next day, he served the Divine Liturgy, and he married one more couple. Thus, everyone on the island had received the consolation of the Holy Mysteries.

After the arrival of favourable winds (there were 3 days of calm), he was able to move to Saint Paul Island for 12 July, and the possibility of celebrating the Feast-day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. The chapel of the Apostles Peter and Paul there had been built by the local Faithful in 1821. At their request, Father John served a Moleben and he blessed water in the chapel. Afterwards, he chrismated 41 persons. The next day, another 32 were chrismated, and they served the Vigil, and he spoke with the children. He continued a daily cycle of services, teaching and hearing confessions until the arrival of the ship on Monday. By then, he had heard 103 more confessions, and he had blessed 13 more marriages. Greatly hoping to be home by 1 August, Father John boarded the ship for his return to Unalaska. He arrived there on 31 July ; but the ship was becalmed before the entrance, and it was unable to enter the harbour. Father John prayed, however, and in the early morning the winds took the ship into the harbour. He was rowed quickly to shore ; he hastened to the Temple, and the Divine Liturgy was able to be served immediately, together with all the festal elements. Such answers to Father John's fervent prayers proved to be frequent.

Saint George Church, Saint George Island

Saints Peter and Paul Church, Saint Paul Island

1828

In addition to everything else he did, Father John made most of his own meteorological instruments, and by 1828, he was able to establish his own local meteorological station on the shady side of the island. The instruments included a thermometer, a barometer, an anemometer. He kept a daily diary of every sort of detail of the weather conditions as well as the character of the local flora and fauna, tides, currents, precipitation and the like.

Meeting Ivan Smirennikov

In April, 1828, an especially noteworthy incident took place. Having been requested to do so, during Great Lent, Father John joined a group of 4 kayaks from Unimak Island which escorted him to visit Unimak Island, 177 km (110 mi) distant. Father John travelled in a fifth kayak. However, on his way there, after a voyage of 129 km (80 mi), he unexpectedly asked to stop first on Akun Island. The population, who had never seen him before, met him on the shore as he arrived. They were dressed up as for a festive occasion. Surprised, he asked them how they had found out about his arrival. They answered that old Ivan Smirennikov from Rechetny, whom they called a “shaman”, had predicted his arrival, and he had correctly described Father John's appearance.

After having met and spoken with Ivan Smirennikov, Father John learned that he had been being taught about the Christian life for more than 30 years earlier by first one and then 2 "white people", that is, angels. They had begun to appear to him after his baptism 30 years earlier by Hieromonk Makariy, and they had taught him all necessary Christian theology and Christian virtues. The angels taught him how to live a life pure in every aspect, so that he could teach others as well. These angels taught him what he otherwise could not have learnt, because he was illiterate, and he had no visible person to teach him such things. With the visitations of the angels came also the gift of healing. Locally, there were many attestations to these healings amongst the people. The angels had come to him almost every day during the daytime. In time of sickness and famine, they brought him help, and to others also at his request. However, the angels aided others only after they had first asked the Lord whether they had the blessing to do so. They told him about expected events such as the arrival of Father John only if the Lord directed it because it would be helpful.

When the angels told Ivan about the arrival of Father John, they directed him and the people to obey the priest. Father John was amazed, but he understood with humility. He also understood from the description that Ivan gave of the angels, that they seemed to be like icons of the Archangel Gabriel and icons of other angels that he had seen in various places. He wrote to Archbishop Michael in Irkutsk about this, but when the response arrived after 3 years, Ivan Smirennikov had reposed in the Lord. Later, Andrey Muravev in Irkutsk analysed the reports written by Father John to Vladyka Michael about this man and these wonders. He supported Father John's assertion that what had been given to Ivan Smirennikov were authentic signs of God's care for the spiritual, rational sheep on the island. Ivan Smirennikov was illiterate, but he had understood in his heart what was right :

 It is comforting to read about such miraculous Divine Providence towards the indigenous people, sons of Adam who, although 
 forgotten by the world, were not forgotten by Providence, but because human means were lacking, were fed through the faith 
 of one of their elders in the saving Faith – even though this was preached to them only in part.  

Mr. Muravev later commented also that the sudden repose of Mr. Smirennikov shows that his gifts and guidance had been necessary only until the arrival of the missionaries, who would then continue the guidance of his people on the same path.

After completing this visit, Father John continued on with his entourage to visit on Unimak Island, as planned. He then also visited Tigalda and Avatanak Islands. After this, he returned to Akun Island where he again spoke at length with Ivan Smirennikov. He then returned to Unalaska.

In June, 1828, Father John received the response of Archbishop Michael of Irkutsk to his letter of 13 September, 1826. In this letter, he was informed that he had received the blessing for the clergy of the Mission to use the excess income of the Church for the needs of the school, and for the poor.

In the summer of 1828, the sloop "Seniavin" arrived unexpectedly with a load of grain for the settlement. The skipper, an acclaimed scientist, Fyodor Petrovich Lyutke (Theodore Litke), became quickly aware both of the intelligence and gifts of Father John, and he saw the many books of scientific observations that Father John had written. From this meeting, and from the subsequent reports he sent to Saint Petersburg, this pious young navigator became in the capital city, the first agent for Father John's scholarly works. After this, Father John began to send Fyodor materials on a regular basis. Both the priest and the skipper had a great love of and interest in observing nature.

Later, the tender "Unalaksa", westward bound, stopped in the harbour, and Father John took the opportunity to board it and to travel to Umnak Island, where a chapel had been constructed in Nikolsky by the indigenous people from the flotsam and jetsam of wrecked ships. They had lacked the patience to wait for promised lumber from the Russian-American Company, and they wished to pray immediately. They had used the plans that Father John had left previously in order to do this. The chapel was very well constructed, and it included the iconostas, the Altar and Holy Table. He then sanctified the chapel of Saint Nicholas on 15 August, 1828.

Saint Nicholas Temple, Nikolsky, Umnak

The ship had sailed on its way, and Father John walked about this island and visited the settlements. He also went to 2 other nearby islands in order to visit the people there. After all this, he made his way back to Unalaska at the end of August.

Immediately, envoys from nearby islands to the northeast had arrived, and he made his departure for those pastoral visits.

On 12 September, 1929, Father John returned to Unalaska, and this concluded the travels for this year.

Immediately, he began more construction work in Harbour Village in accordance with the blessing he had received in the letter that arrived in June. This first construction work was concerned with erecting a bell-house for the Temple. Other works followed.

In 1827, Father John had sent away the completed work on the catechism. Along with Ivan Pankov, he had completed much of a draft of a translation into Fox-Aleut of the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew. The work on the final text took several more years.

1829

Just after Feast of Pascha, 1829, Father John made his regular biennial pastoral visitation to the settlements to the east of Unalaska. He returned to Unalaska in June.

In the summer of 1829, with the arrival of the "Golovnin", arrangements were made to carry Father John northwards into the region of the Bering Sea. Father John had hoped to be able to make a more northerly missionary journey, and this ship was scheduled to visit Bristol Bay on the west coast of the Alaskan mainland, and the Pribilof Islands. The ship stopped in the Nushagak Bay of Bristol Bay on the West Coast of Alaska, at the mouth of the Nushagak River. Father John paddled in a kayak from the ship along the Nushagak River, and he arrived later in the day at Fort Alexander. This Russian-American Company fort had been established in 1819. There, there were only a few indigenous persons present, since most others were in the forests at that time of year (where they collected food for the coming winter). He taught those he found (besides any Russians who required his services). On the Sunday, he chrismated 8 children who had received lay-baptism, and then he celebrated the Divine Liturgy in a tent. Others were watching. In the evening, 7 more arrived, and Father John continued to teach. On Monday, 7 more arrived, and Father John continued his teaching. On Tuesday, they all requested to be baptised, and Father John baptised them in the river. Although the sponsors of baptism wished to provide the newly-illumined with white shirts (as customary), Father John resisted this. He gave the baptisands their own clothes from before the baptism, since he was being careful to avoid making a temptation to the local people to request baptism for the sake of receiving the gift. One of those received at that time was a shaman. Of course, he did give each one a small copper Cross, because this was necessary.

On the following Saturday, he returned to the waiting ship (which had meanwhile remained and attended to other matters). The "Golovnin" then sailed for the Pribilof Islands. For 13 days, he visited, taught, preached, baptised, and served the Divine Liturgy on both Saint Paul and Saint George Islands. Again the "Golovnin" was engaged in business matters, and when they were ready, he was taken home to Unalaska.

On 31 July, 1829, Father John arrived again in Unalaska. On his return, he learnt to his great joy that their daughter Olga had been born. Their son Alexander was 1 year old ; Gabriel was 3 years old ; Catherine was 5 years old ; Innocent was 6 years old.

During this year, Innocent Veniaminov had begun to attend the school, and he found himself there with 24 other students.

Sometime in 1829 or 1830, Father John received a notice (referring to an Ukaz dated 14 November, 1828) which affected his 1827 letter regarding the publishing of the catechism. The Most Holy Synod requested that the existing translation be adjusted. Once this was done, it could be printed and used (without requiring a further blessing). He therefore undertook this necessary editing work.

1830

During 1830, much of Father John's time was occupied with the refinement of the translation of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew into the Fox-Aleut language. It had reached a stage in which it could be edited through the opinions of several local interpreters.

At home, Father John was always surrounded by children (his own and those of others). Without fail, he would find an occupation for them. He told them a sacred story ; he played ball with them ; he walked in the mountains with them, they collected stones, and he talked to them about the stones. When the stones had accumulated sufficiently, he invited the children to use them to lay out a path from the house to the Temple. He involved the children in all his projects and activities, and he explained to them what he was doing. They helped him by holding parts and tools, and by taking meteorological measurements for his reports.

During the more formal periods of instruction, Father John was teaching the 25 children catechism ; history of the Old Covenant ; Russian language : reading, writing, grammar ; simple arithmetic.

In the evenings, as he had once done in his homeland, he often made clocks and musical organs for sale, and he also introduced children to this sort of work.

During times when trips to the other islands were not possible, Father John wrote a scholarly work, "Notes on the Islands of the Unalaska Mission".

When he was able to stay at home for longer periods of time, it was no doubt a blessing for him, since the arthritis which had begun to develop earlier was not diminishing. It is generally assumed that the arthritis developed as a consequence of the long hours of immobility in a kayak, and being exposed to the effects of the cold water for long periods of time. The cold and damp climate on land did not in any way help to alleviate the pain he felt.

1831

Especially when he was able to be at home, Father John continued the construction projects which, through the use of excess funds from other works, he could now complete. He perceived that these excess funds were provided through God's blessing. The school was improved ; a 6-bed hospital was established which was led by a "feldsher" (paramedic) ; a school for orphaned girls and a foundling home were established and opened in March, 1831.

On the Feast of Pascha, 1831, the appointed reading from the Holy Gospel according to John (John 1:1-17) was read in Church Slavonic (by himself), in Russian (by the cantor), and in Fox-Aleut (by a Creole, Zachariy Chichinev).

After this, Father John made a pastoral visit to Unimak Island with the Creole Stephan Kriukov. While they were there, Father John read to the people the last three chapters of the Gospel according to Matthew in Fox-Aleut (and Stephan translated the reading into Russian). The people listened attentively and they immediately asked that the book be made available to them. This, he could not do immediately. As he explained to Vladyka Michael in a letter, he wished to do yet more proof-reading and editing of the text so that it would be without mistakes when it could be printed. He also continued with the re-translation of the catechism. They returned to Unalaska on 11 June, 1831.

At the same time, in his "free" time, Father John was also carving a new iconostas for the Temple of the Holy Ascension.

When a ship arrived in 1831, it also carried some mail. In this, Father John learnt that Archbishop Michael had reposed on 5 June, 1830. Seeing this, he understood that he, himself, would have to wait for the assignment of a successor before he could hope to see the fulfilment of his long-previous request that he be sent to a different assignment at about this time in his life (primarily because of the arthritis).

On 4 July, 1831, the new Governor of Russian-America, Captain F P Wrangel, somehow instructed him to calculate a report card for the company about the hunting. However, this was not the main aim of Captain Fyodor von Wrangel. The captain took the opportunity to speak to Father John about how it might be possible that he and his family remain in Russian-America, and that they might move to Novo-Arkhangelsk in the future. There, the climate was not as severe. Travel would be less. The governor also wanted to have a good and competent priest in the largest settlement in Russian-America.

After this encounter, Father John wrote to the new Bishop of Irkutsk. In the letter, he explained the proposal that had been made. He asked that if a replacement could be found, that he be released from his duties in Unalaska. Father John affirmed that if there be a vacancy, he would be willing to serve in Novo-Arkhangelsk. However, he asked that (depending on health) this be for a maximum of 5 years. He then waited for whatever would be the blessing.

Captain Fyodor von Wrangel

1832

In July, 1832, Father John accompanied Governor von Wrangel on a galiot (galley) ship. "Mariner", that took them to visit Fort Alexander on the Nushagak River, and they arrived on 8 July. At that time, these were his northern-most parishioners. Through the zeal of the commander of that fort during the past 2 years, the number of Faithful there had increased to 70 members of the local indigenous peoples. In addition to this, the children of the first-received were brought to Father John for Holy Baptism. He first addressed and taught these new Christians, and he chrismated them all on the next day. Together with the Russians and the Creoles, the newly-chrismated received Holy Communion at the Divine Liturgy.

Baron von Wrangell was so moved that he instructed that a chapel be constructed at the fort for the sake of all the believers there. Later, when he wrote to the new Bishop of Irkutsk, he explained that already in Nushagak, there were 220 Orthodox Christians amongst the indigenous, in addition to the Russians and Creoles who were employed in the fort. Father John had very high hopes, since the people were very willing to share their hope in Christ with those they knew.

Fort Alexander, Nushagak

Holy Transfiguration Temple at Fort Alexander, Nushagak

After a week, the "Mariner" sailed for the Pribilof Islands on 15 July. There likewise, there were many to be chrismated, many to be married. He also visited the elderly. The people eagerly awaited his teaching and his answers to any questions. They would listen attentively until he could no longer continue from fatigue.

During the summer of 1832, Father John's brother Stefan Veniaminov (Popov) boarded a ship since he was now on his way back to Irkutsk to resume his seminary studies. With him went his young Aleut wife Melany and their year-old son Theodosiy. Father John's sons Innocent and Gabriel also accompanied him, since they were old enough to begin studies at the seminary there. Father John's mother Thekla also accompanied them, since she considered that at her age it was better that she end her days in the midst of her relatives there.

1833

In the spring of 1833, after Pascha, Father John made a thorough visit to the eastern part of his pastoral responsibility in the Aleutians.

In the winter of 1833-1834, he spent most of the time occupied in the production of his own book about the Christian life, "Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven", in the Fox-Aleut language.

1834

After the Feast of Pascha, Father John carried with him the manuscript of his new book with him. In every place, he read from this book to the people.

By the summer, he commented that he had not permitted any obstacle to stop this visitation. He had nothing but high praise for the nature and quality of these rational sheep. He, the diligent shepherd, fed them spiritually with everything that was life-giving. The people were boundlessly grateful.

In early June, Father John had received word that his replacement, the Priest Gregory Golovin, had been assigned. Two weeks later, Father Gregory arrived. They spent 2 months together, during which Father John prepared his family for their departure. Father John, his family, and Father Gregory celebrated with the local Faithful the 10th anniversary of Father John's service in Unalaska on 1 August, 1834. At that time, Father John wrote that

 They are good sheep of Christ's flock – even exemplary, I must say frankly, 
 in terms of their zeal, and rare in today's world for their zealous and 
 constant hearing of my teachings.  Furthermore, their simple, sincere 
 gratitude for this is a tremendous satisfaction for me – and one of the 
 greatest rewards on this earth. [...] I owe the Aleuts more thanks than 
 they owe me for my work, and I will never forget them.  

Father John and his family made their departure towards Novo-Arkhangelsk on 15 August.

Painting of Holy Ascension Temple, Unalaska, painted locally 1980

Photographs of the Sobor

Exterior

Iconostas

Interior

Temple, village and harbour

Move to Novo-Arkhangelsk (Sitka), 1834

On 22 August, 1834, Father John and his family arrived on Baranof Island, and the town of Novo-Arkhangelsk (New Archangel), later called Sitka. They found the town to be busy and thriving as it had been when they had first stopped there in 1824.

Engraving of a Tlingit man looking at Novo-Arkhangelsk (Sitka) in 1827

They found that the population of 1,300 persons (mostly Russians and Creoles) lived within the fort itself. The reinforcement of this fort reflected the response to the 1801 attack by the indigenous people who had been suspicious of the Russians, and who feared them.

Sketch of Novo-Arkhangelsk, about 1825, by Bishop Varlaam (Novakshonoff)

Shortly after his arrival, Father John set about replacing the Temple in the settlement, which had been constructed in 1816 by Priest Aleksei Sokolov, who had reposed in 1833.

1836

Upon arrival in Arkhangelsk, Father John was busy for a long time with affairs related to the Unalaska Mission which required his attention in the beginning. Moreover, at this time of year, the local indigenous people, the Tlingit (who are also called Kolushchan, or Kolosh) were not present in their village, since they were away fishing, as was their annual summer custom. As a consequence, he was not able to meet the people, and it was certainly not possible to get to know them. The term "Tlingit" reflects the term used by this people for themselves. The term "Kolosh" seemed to Father John to be an Aleut word that referred to the lip-plug worn by the Tlingit women. It is known from recent genetic studies that there is a relationship between the Tlingit people and the Ainu people of Japan, the near mainland, and some islands.

Besides his being so occupied with other matters, Father John later mentioned that at that time he felt an uncharacteristic reluctance even to begin to preach. This lasted until after the time of the Nativity of Christ in January, 1836. Feeling shame that he had not yet begun to preach and teach, he had been determined to begin after the Feasts of the Nativity and the Theophany. However, smallpox suddenly broke out amongst the Tlingit people on about 4 January. The timing of this outbreak was, in fact, providential.

Father John reported that smallpox had begun to rage along the West Coast of North America, and it came to Novo-Arkhangelsk. Those within the walls of the fort were essentially unaffected, but within 3½ months, half the Tlingit population had died from the disease. The most affected were the oldest, those who had the greatest anger and fear towards the Russians, and who most resisted any offers of vaccination. They saw also that the curses of the shamans on the Russians failed, as did their attempts to heal the sick. It was only then that they permitted Dr. Blaschke to administer the vaccine. From then, the Tlingits eagerly welcomed aid from the Russian fort.

If Father John had visited them before this outbreak, then the hostile Kolosh would have attributed the infection to the new Russian "shaman". Indeed, until that time, no Russian priest had set foot in the home of any Tlingit. Had the events unfolded otherwise, and such blame were to be levelled against Father John, then there could well have been a revival of hatred for Russians, and a possibly permanent obstacle raised against any missionary approach to the people. Instead, the Tlingit themselves reached out to the Russians, since they could see that the disease did not harm them.

Father John reflected that it was at this turn of events that the reign of rank ignorance ended, and their enlightenment began. Thereafter, the Tlingit honoured Father John, and with great reverence they welcomed him into their houses. They even rivalled one another about giving him hospitality. Such was this respect that during his visit to one home, his host unhesitatingly threw a richly-carved box into the fire in order to be assured that Father John would be warm enough.

Later, Father John wrote about this beginning of his missionary labours :

 All of man's good enterprises are brought to fruition solely by the will of Providence, 
 and then only at the appointed times ; and that Providence often uses not only ordinary 
 incidents, but even our own weaknesses, for good. 

On 24 April, 1836, he wrote to Archbishop Meletiy (Leontovich) of Irkutsk, and he asked that he be released from this particular missionary labour by 1839. [He could not know that Vladyka Meletiy had already been transferred in 1835.] He explained that his presence and personal supervision were required for the correct and final publication of the catechism. At the same time, he asked for the bishop's blessing for the publication of the second edition of this catechism. He further asked for the blessing, upon his release, to travel to Saint Petersburg for this purpose, and for the needed internal passport for such travel. In addition to these reasons (not mentioned in the letter), Father John had been made aware that the Most Holy Synod had not blessed the official publication of the Gospel according to Matthew in Fox-Aleut. Questions had been raised about the verification of the accuracy of the translation, and about the ability of the language itself to convey clearly and correctly the meaning of the Greek words. The Holy Synod did bless the informal distribution of the text locally in order to help through editing the bringing of this text to the greatest possible accuracy. In order to provide the needed assurances and evidence, Father John had to be personally present in Saint Petersburg.

Father John was now welcomed amongst the indigenous people, but he was in no hurry to seek to baptise more people. Instead, he waited for their own request for this, and he always asked for the consent of their mothers and their leaders ("toions"). Moreover, his attempts to speak with the people were slowed by the fact that large numbers of them went to the forests, the sea, and other places during the summer in order to collect food.

Nevertheless, Father John had time in which to observe and to analyse the overall situation. The fierce independence and pride of the Tlingit was the first obstacle to their being willing to listen to him. The second was the deplorable witness of those Russians who worked in the Russian-American Company there. Those particular workers were impious. The third was that the baptised Aleuts were treated so badly by the Company that the Tlingits were not willing to give up their highly-valued freedom for similar mistreatment.

By 1936, Father John had undertaken a very determined attempt to learn the Tlingit language. However, despite the fact that he spent 2 hours every day in the attempt, he found that he was making slow progress, and he began to wonder how long it might be before he could speak in this language and not need an interpreter. Since in the earlier days, Father John was able to observe the Tlingit more than to communicate with them, he found himself very favourably impressed by them as a people. He remarked repeatedly that they were far from the wildness of their reputation. In their culture, their use of colour and bold lines in their art, the intricacies of their woven-goods and carving underlined their keen intellect. This gave him more hope.

Old Tlingit village at Sitka ; Original Tlingit Temple at Stika (sketches by Bishop Varlaam (Novakshonoff))

On 1 July, 1836, Father John began a pastoral visit which extended 2,414 km (1,500 mi) to the south, to the Ross Colony north of San Francisco, and to the Spanish missions of northern California.

On 16 July, they landed at Bodega Bay (north of Tomales Bay and Point Reyes, 60 km (40 mi) northwest of San Francisco) south of the Ross Colony, and they journeyed by horse for 5 hours to the north, to the fort. He and the cantor who had accompanied him conducted services at the fort's small, wooden Holy Trinity Chapel, which had been established about 10 years previously. The chapel was very spare because of the constant threat of being removed by the Spanish. The places he visited were also areas in which the Russian-American Company at that time conducted business. There were 260 inhabitants within the fort (Russians, Creoles, Kodiak Aleuts, and local indigenous people). They had not seen a priest there in many years, so Father John immediately set about chrismating those previously baptised, and marrying couples. He also established a daily cycle of services of the hours. Because of their ignorance, he could not yet serve the Divine Liturgy. First, he taught people and answered questions by groups : Russians, Aleuts, local indigenous. After this, people began to ask that he hear confessions, and as many as 46 would come in a day. On 1 August, he chrismated 2 indigenous local persons, and then he served the Divine Liturgy. After this, he blessed water, and there was a procession all around the stockade walls.

Father John's work was cut short after only 2 weeks, since he learnt that the ship that was to take him back north now had to receive him in San Francisco. On his way there, he was accompanied by a visiting sea-captain on the horse-ride to San Francisco, 232 km (144 mi) to the southeast. En route, they visited a Franciscan Mission. When they arrived in the city, they found that the ship had not yet arrived, and they took the opportunity to visit several other Franciscan Missions in the region. When speaking to the Franciscans, he had at last the opportunity communicate in the Latin he had learnt so long ago. On 11 August, he returned to the port. He returned then to Novo-Arkhangelsk.

Holy Trinity Chapel, Fort Ross

1837

In 1837, Father John went to the Stakhin Redoubt (Stakhine, Stikine, Stikeen – formerly Fort Saint Dionisiy), which was on the mainland. This place was later named "Wrangel". There, he performed the first Divine Liturgy, which also inspired respect in the local wayward and brave hearers, who expressed a desire to see the priest again. Not only had the Tlingit taken note of the invitation to be present, but 1,500 of them were present. Father John was particularly aware of the politeness of the people, and of the intensity of the attention they gave to the service, to the associated events, and to his words. He respected them yet more. He lost no opportunity to share words about the Lord with them. After this service, the inhabitants at Stakhin Redoubt sent a message to him in Novo-Arkhangelsk, and they asked that he return as soon as possible. Thus peace grew between the former enemies, the Tlingit and the Russians.

Tlingit Village at Wrangel, 1868 ; Old Fort Wrangel and the Tlingit Village (sketch by Bishop Varlaam (Novakshonoff))

On Baranof Island, Father John organised a school for converts and their children. He taught them the Law of God (catechism), literacy and various crafts. He compiled the textbooks himself. Moreover, Father John taught the children and the adults as well various practical crafts. The Tlingit, being technically inclined, were ready to learn. In order to support the mission, he organised a mechanical workshop, in which to make exportable barrel-organs. The destinations of export included the Spanish missions in California, whose clergy had learnt about this product. He also did cabinetry. While he worked together with the people, this inevitably helped the people to feel free to speak with him. It gave him opportunities as well to teach (he took every possible opportunity to teach, to inform, to enlighten, to enrich the people). The whole experience and interaction nurtured human dignity in the people.

Father John did not neglect his academic works. In the midst of all his activities, he completed the “Trial Grammar of the Fox-Aleut Language”. He was one of those who devised an Aleutian alphabet. Father John took up the Tlingit and Kodiak (Alutiiq, Supiak) languages ​​with the same thoroughness. He kept records about the customs and traditions of the parishioners. He did not forget his first flock, for whom he completed the translation of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew in the Fox-Aleut language in 1838, as well as various prayers. He also compiled small books about the Orthodox Christian Faith and the Orthodox Christian way of life.

In the preface to his translation of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, Father John gave 1838 as the year of the completion of the draft translation. In that preface, he cautioned that the text probably still required adjustments and refinements. He had therefore given clues about possible alternative translations through the use of a different typeface for such words.

In writing this, he therefore was encouraging them not to become too soon attached to this particular translation ; but instead he instructed them to listen with their hearts, and to ask the Lord for illumination and direction. He asked that the readers provide him (through those who would now serve them) with the needed adjustments before a spiritual attachment to this translation could occur (just as the Most Holy Synod had implied in their response to him).

Besides explaining the nature of the work, the preface served as a fitting farewell to the flock of the rational sheep of Christ, which he had served faithfully.

Title page of Saint Innocent's Aleut Grammar (photo by Archbishop Lazar (Puhalo))

His studies there produced the scholarly works, "Notes on the Kolushchan Tlingit and Kodiak Tongues and Other Dialects of the Russo-American Territories", with a Russian-Kolushchan glossary. Once Father John had grasped the Tlingit language sufficiently, he began to preach in this language. The people were greatly moved at hearing him speak these words of life in their language. It was then that he began to translate sacred books into the Tlingit language, beginning with prayer-books. In this context, as elsewhere mentioned, Father John would not baptise anyone who did not first ask in sincerity for baptism. Neither he nor any other Russian Orthodox missionary priest unduly disturbed the inherited customs of the indigenous people. Rather, he and they studied their customs, and then provided the people with a Christian understanding or interpretation of them. The missionaries attempted to discern every evidence of what was true about their belief in God, and to link this to what is similar in the Orthodox Christian Faith. This missionary attitude and experience prepared him for the writing of an article later on about the importance of such missionary methods, under obedience to the Most Holy Synod.

"Our Father" in Father Veniaminov's Tlingit prayer-book

In addition to this work, Father John undertook various building projects, and he continued also to make clocks. Father John further is well-known for having established the first meteorological station in this region, and for his identification of various flora and fauna in the region, together with geological, geographic, climatic, and other aspects of the region (just as he had done on Unalaska). This study, which included a detailed ethnographic study of the peoples, became another book of information which was sent to Saint Petersburg. Other titles include "Characteristic Traits of the Aleuts inhabiting the Fox Islands" ; "The Mythological Traditions of the Tlingits inhabiting the Northwest Shore of America". These were part of a steady flow of manuscripts that he was sending to the Academy of Science in Saint Petersburg (beginning in 1835), of which he had become a corresponding member. He wrote a 1,200-word Aleut-Russian Dictionary, and a Trial Grammar of the Fox-Aleut Language. Father John perceived that a grammar was of little practical use to the Aleuts or many others ; but the systematising of the language did serve to refine his own understanding of the way in which the language functions, and the nature of the roots of words.

At the expense of his health, Father John truly expressed a fatherly love towards the flock entrusted to him. His patient paternal care enabled the conversion to Christ of this people, just as it had in the Unalaska mission.

The Tlingit people are very distantly related to the Haida People of the Queen Charlotte Islands (now more correctly called "Haida Gwaii"). Both their languages are somehow in the distant past derivatives of the Na-Dene languages.

As Father John had continued to live and serve in Russian-America, he increasingly loved the local population, and he gained greater respect from the Russian-American Company's management. Had it not been for Father John's dedicated and disciplined labours in translating the Holy Scriptures and liturgical texts, the Russian Orthodox Church would never have been able to publish such translations, since he was the only source, nor would the indigenous peoples of Alaska have had available these texts in their own languages. It would also have caused much greater difficulty in sharing the Orthodox Christian Faith with the indigenous peoples.

Indeed, for the successful adoption of Christianity in the vast Russian-American lands, far more missionary personnel and far greater means were needed than were available at that time. Regardless, the translation work of Father John opened the way for others, and in particular for the Priest Jacob Netvsetov. Father Jacob, who had already begun the extension of Father John's missionary labours in Alaska, had also helped him with the translation of the Gospel according to Matthew. In this, he had made adjustments that made it better understood by the people of Atka (far to the west in the Aleutian Island chain).

Engraving of "Castle Hill", Novo-Arkhangelsk, 1827

In October, 1837, Father John received the response to his letter of 24 April, 1836, which had requested a release by 1839. Bishop Nil (Isakovich) (the successor to Archbishop Michael) had replied that Father John would have the blessing as requested, and he gave Father John the necessary time to prepare.

Travel to Saint Petersburg, 1838

In the morning of 8 November, 1838, Father John served a Moleben in the Temple of Saint Michael.

Later that day, Father John bade farewell to his family, and he boarded the brig "Saint Nikolai" (constructed in Finland, probably in Turku) in order to begin his journey. He was accompanied by his youngest daughter Thekla. The other 4 surviving children who were in Novo-Arkhangelsk were about to travel with their mother to Irkutsk and to their extended family. Thekla was accompanying her father so that she could study in Saint Petersburg and eventually be qualified to return to Irkutsk to teach.

The ship was captained by Lieutenant-Commander Evgeniy Andreievich Behrens. Father John departed from Novo-Arkhangelsk with the intention to visit Saint Petersburg and Moscow in Russia. He was preparing to report on his activities, and to request the blessing for an expansion of the Church's activities in Russian America, and also to travel to Moscow, in order to arrange matters related to the publication of his works. This voyage took almost 8 months.

After 43 days at sea, the ship Saint Nikolai arrived at Honolulu, in the Kingdom of Hawaii. There, they had 12 days of pause. From there, they sailed with fair winds to the Kingdom of Tahiti. It is to be expected that Father John as a naturalist would have had much to observe, learn and record in these completely different climates. On 2 February, 1839, the ship made for Cape Horn at the south extremity of South America. In accordance with its reputation, Cape Horn proved to be stormy and difficult for this ship. Despite the storms and turbulent waters, and with God's help, the ship arrived in Rio de Janeiro, in the Empire of Brazil after 54 days on 29 March, 1839. On 10 April, 1839, the ship set sail again northeastwards across the Atlantic Ocean. It stopped first in England (United Kingdom), at Falmouth in Cornwall. After a brief pause, the ship then made for Copenhagen in the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway, where there was another stop. Again the ship set sail. On 22 June, 1839, the ship "Saint Nikolai" arrived in Kronstadt, at the Kronstadt Island docks. From there, it was necessary to travel by a small boat into the city. Then, on 25 June, 1839, the Priest John Veniaminov and his daughter Thekla arrived in Saint Petersburg. For the first time in his life, the Priest John (Veniaminov) set foot in the capital city of the Russian Empire.

The missionary Priest John Veniaminov was warmly received in Saint Petersburg, where he correctly presented himself to Metropolitan Seraphim (Glagolevsky) of Novgorod and Saint Petersburg. After receiving the blessing, he transmitted various letters from Bishop Nil, and he explained the reasons for his arrival. After this, the next required stop was at the office of the Ober-Prokurator, Nikolay Protasov. On behalf of the Most Holy Synod, the Ober-Prokurator received Father John's manuscript of "A Review of the Orthodox Church in the Russian Settlements in America, together with my Opinions as to how their Condition might be improved". The Ober-Prokurator was favourably impressed with his meeting, and he invited Father John to come to him whenever he wished. At this time, he received permission to travel to Moscow in order to see to the publishing projects.

Upon arrival in Moscow, Father John Veniaminov presented himself to Metropolitan (Saint) Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow and Kolomna. This holy man and Father John had many gifts in common. As a consequence, the metropolitan opened his apartments at the Holy Trinity Podvoriye, and he was given a carriage and driver also. He was received with the warmest hospitality, and Father John was invited to serve with Metropolitan Philaret in the Annunciation Sobor in the Moscow Kremlin. At this time, his contacts with various noble families opened doors of generosity which brought financial and other support for the mission in Russian-America. In October, Father John began overseeing the publication of those scholarly works that were not within the purview of the Most Holy Synod. All the arrangements for publishing these books were completed by November.

In the November, 1839, Father John was invited to travel to Saint Petersburg and to present his report about his activities in Russian-America to the Most Holy Synod.

A few days after his presentation, in recognition of his apostolic activities, the Priest John Veniaminov was elevated by the Most Holy Synod to the dignity of archpriest.

Bereavement, 1839

On 25 November, 1839, Matushka Ekaterina Veniaminov, the wife of the Archpriest John Veniaminov, who had returned with her children to Irkutsk for family visits, suddenly fell asleep in the Lord.

This news took much more than a month to arrive in Saint Petersburg.

1840 ; publications

Meanwhile, on 7 January, 1840 (the Feast of the Nativity), the Most Holy Synod elevated the Archpriest John Veniaminov to the dignity of protopresbyter. On 24 January, 1840, the Most Holy Synod received from Father John for consideration : "A Review of the Orthodox Church in the Russian Settlement in America, together with my Opinons as to how their Condition might be improved".

On 12 February, 1840, the Most Holy Synod also received 2 more petitions from him concerning publications of his theological works in Aleut. The Holy Synod acknowledged the value of these works and the need to have them published. The highest praise was given to his work "Indications of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven". This book is a simple and profound work in which he shows that the path opened by baptism is the only one that leads surely to eternal joy with Christ. The Most Holy Synod expressed the hope that it would be published in the Aleut, Russian and Church Slavonic languages. (Afterwards, there were further translations and publications in Tlingit, French and English. There were more than 46 editions in Russian.)

Facing-page of a translation of the "Indications" in English

In 1840, Father John's "Notes on the Islands of the Unalaska Mission" was printed, the result of many years of his observations in Alaska, which he had first begun to assemble in 1833. This completed work became his most famous work internationally (beyond the Church). It contains 658 pages divided into 3 parts : 2 are about the Aleuts, and 1 is about the Tlingit. It contains extensive notes about ethnology, topography, climatology, minerology, demography, vital-statistics, botanical observations, fish and wildlife observations, and notes on national customs.

News of bereavement, February, 1840

It was in February that the Protopresbyter John Veniaminov learnt about the unexpected demise of Matushka Ekaterina in Irkutsk in November.

Shocked by grief, the Father John wanted to go immediately to his orphaned children, and he requested the blessing to do so.

However, Metropolitan (Saint) Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow went to him. Metropolitan Philaret believed that he perceived the hand of God in these events, and he began to try to convince Father John to become a monk.

Metropolitan Saint Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow

Father John could not give any response to this suggestion at that time, nor could he for many months. He was in inward turmoil since the news of his widowing, and he did not comprehend why it was necessary that he become a monk. He considered himself unprepared for that way of life, since it would be so difficult to live that sort of life as an active missionary. He could see that without doing so he could still serve the Church as a missionary pastor.

At first, he travelled to Moscow, and to the Holy Trinity-Saint Sergius Lavra, where he offered services for his recently-departed wife, and where he prayed at the Holy Relics of Saint Sergiy of Radonezh. At this monastery, he received no clear indication of God's will for him with regard to monasticism.

Meanwhile, Father John had been required to complete his report about how to do missionary work amongst the non-Orthodox and how to bring them into the Orthodox Christian Faith. This report was submitted to the Most Holy Synod in November, 1840, and it became the document "Instructions to Priests assigned to convert non-Orthodox and to lead those converted into the Christian Faith". The acceptance and endorsement of this document by the Most Holy Synod gave the document the force of official policy throughout the whole Russian Orthodox Church.

Because Father John was still struggling with the proposal about monasticism, he took the blessing to travel to the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev, where he prayed at the Holy Relics of the many saints there. This visit brought blessings, but no more clarity about the question at hand.

On his return to Saint Petersburg, Father John presented himself to Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov). At that time, he learnt that Metropolitan Philaret had resolved at least one of his concerns : the needs of his children. Metropolitan Philaret had informed Tsar Nicholas I about the plight of the Veniaminov family. This had brought about imperial patronage for the children, along with support and protection from other nobles. The daughters were to be admitted to the "Patriotic Institute" (also called the National Institute for Girls), and the sons were to be admitted to the seminary in Saint Petersburg. This required the transfer of the children from Irkutsk to Saint Petersburg, and it did not happen until the following year. This 4,185 km (2,600 mi) journey was always an arduous journey for everyone (whether it be winter or summer).

After Father John heard this news, and after he had reflected on all the events of the past months, he prayerfully discerned that the hand of God was in all this, and he accepted that everything pointed towards the importance of his accepting through willing obedience the tonsure to become a monk.

On 24 November, 1840, that is, on Matushka Ekaterina`s name-day, he submitted his petition to the Most Holy Synod to be so tonsured.

The Most Holy Synod accepted the petition and made the due preparations quickly.

Monastic tonsure, 1840

On 29 November, 1840, the Priest John Veniaminov was tonsured to be a monk by Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow. He was given the name Innocent, after (Saint) Bishop Innocent (Kulchitsky) of Irkutsk. It was to Saint Innocent that he had prayed all these years, and asked for help in his missionary work. His sponsor at the tonsure was Bishop Nikodim (Kazantsev) of Yenisei and Krasnoyarsk.

On 30 November, 1840 (the Feast of the Holy Apostle Andrew), at the Divine Liturgy, the Hieromonk Innocent (Veniaminov) was elevated by Metropolitan Philaret to the dignity of archimandrite.

The next day, on 1 December, the Emperor Nicholas I of Russia summoned him to come to speak with him. During this conversation, the archimandrite gave the tsar an Icon of the Saviour. The subsequent conversation was mostly concerned with the missionary work in Russian-America. The conversation was open and forthright. Such was the warmth of the conversation that until his departure from the capital, he was a frequent guest of the imperial family in order that the royal children could learn about life in the very distant eastern reaches of the empire.

Emperor Nicholas I

At that time, the Most Holy Synod decided to form a new Diocese of Kamchatka and the Kuril and Aleutian Islands. This diocese would include the parishes along the Pacific Coast from Okhotsk and on the Kamchatka Peninsula, as well as the parishes on the Aleutian Island region, and on the West Coast of North America. They then asked Tsar Nicolas I to approve one of the 3 candidates for this diocese. Archimandrite Innocent (Veniaminov) was one of the candidates, and it was he whom the emperor approved. The Most Holy Synod further decided to establish the see of this new diocese at Novo-Arkhangelsk (Sitka).

Episcopal ordination, 1840

On 15 December, 1840, Archimandrite Innocent (Veniaminov) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate in the Kazan Cathedral in Saint Petersburg. He was ordained by Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow and Kolomna ; Metropolitan Jonah ; Archbishop Kirill (Bogoslovsky-Platonov) of Podolsk and Bratslav ; Archbishop Joseph (Semashko) of Litovsk ; Bishop Benedict (Grigorovich) of Revel (Talinn).

Although Metropolitan Seraphim (Glagolevsky) of Saint Petersburg was to have been included amongst those ordaining the new bishop, it was clear at the time that he was too feeble to participate.

Episcopal service

At the time of the episcopal ordination, Bishop Innocent (Veniaminov) made several comments regarding his perception of the Lord's Providence :

 [...] My gratitude ought not to be expressed in words but in deeds – of service to my Church and nation.  
 [...] In this election – so very unexpected ! – I perceive the same all-directing will of my Lord [...] the
 kind attention of Your Holinesses to my meagre labours, the arrangements of my domestic affairs in such a way 
 as to make possible the service before me – the more these things are unexpected, the more I perceive in them 
 the finger of God.  [...] I firmly trust and believe that the Lord, who has guided me so long and is now giving 
 me a new lot of service by His Grace, will also give me new strength to complete my service.  I pray you, chosen 
 Fathers in God and Primates of the Church existing on earth, keep me in your prayers ; and pray to the Lord, that 
 Grace and mercy be with me always.  

At that same time, Metropolitan Saint Philaret (Drozdov), Metropolitan of Moscow, is reported to have commented, "There is something apostle-like in that man".

As previously determined, Bishop Innocent (Veniaminov) was assigned to serve as the Bishop of Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands in Russia, and the Aleutian Islands in Russian-America.

Departure from Saint Petersburg eastwards towards his assignment

On 10 January, 1841, Bishop Innocent (Veniaminov) departed from Saint Petersburg. He first bade farewell to Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov). At that time, the metropolitan gave him a letter to be transmitted to the Abbot of the Holy Trinity-Saint Sergius Lavra at Sergiev Posad. He requested that the abbot give Bishop Innocent an icon from the monastery's treasury. He also asked that whatever monks Bishop Innocent might choose from amongst the brotherhood to serve in the new diocese might be given to him as requested. Bishop Innocent made several visits from Moscow to the lavra in search of potential candidates. After interviewing those who might be willing, he found that only three were both willing and suitable to undertake such work. While Vladyka Innocent remained for a time in the Chudov Monastery in the Kremlin, he spent his time packing for the coming journey. The materials he departed with filled two sleds. He made his departure towards Siberia on 30 January, 1841. During his travel, he stopped to visit each diocesan bishop on the way. Not only was this normal protocol and normal Orthodox Christian respectful behaviour, but it was also an opportunity to learn from these experienced bishops.

Dog-sled

Pause in Irkutsk

On 11 March, 1841, Vladyka Innocent arrived in Irkutsk. The people met him in droves at his arrival, and all the Temples greeted him with bells ringing. The bishop visited the Temple of the Annunciation, where he had previously served as a priest, and he served the Divine Liturgy there with thanksgiving on the first Sunday after his arrival. The crowding was so intense that the police had difficulty maintaining any order. Bishop Nil welcomed him with warm hospitality, and kept him from continuing his journey for a month. Meanwhile, Bishop Nil added to Vladyka Innocent's retinue. Moreover, he added many liturgical items to be taken for the needs of the mission, many of which were offered from various parishes in addition to the bishop's gifts. The number of clergy who made ready to leave with him numbered 3 deacons, a student from the academy, 2 seminarians, and 5 lesser clergy. All but 3 came from the Irkutsk Diocese.

Continuing the journey via Anga to Yakutsk

After leaving Irkutsk, Vladyka Innocent stopped at his birthplace in the village of Anga. He went to the hut in which he was born and where he had spent his childhood ; he visited the graves of his parents and his wife ; he visited his old friends.

From there, he sent his 3 sons Innocent, Gabriel and Alexander, and his daughters Olga and Paraskeva (aged 10 and 8 years) to Saint Petersburg in the care of their relative, Father George Dobroserdov (one of the most pious priests of the city, who had received this name instead of his birth-name, Popov, because of his good-heartedness). From this time, there is no further mention of his son Alexander in the writings, and it is presumed that he may have reposed in the Lord. The children carried letters from Bishop Innocent to their benefactors. The girls were cared for by Barbara Sheremeteva. The sons were cared for Alexander M Potemkin.

His daughter Ekaterina, who had married her childhood friend, Ilya Ivanovich Petelin in 1839, went along with her father and her husband to Russian-America. Ilya Petelin was the son of the manager at Unalaska when the Veniaminovs had arrived there in 1824. He was one of the first indigenous children to have enrolled in and completed studies in the school there. After serving a moleben (prayer-service), Bishop Innocent resumed the long journey towards Russian-America.

Yakutsk, and the journey to the east coast and Okhotsk

They arrived in Yakutsk on 28 May, and they remained there for 2 weeks. From there, they travelled in an unexpectedly easy manner on the difficult road to Okhotsk, where they arrived on 15 July. They spent a month there, waiting for the date of departure. Meanwhile, they cared for the believers in the surrounding region, who had not seen a priest since 1837.

They departed on 20 August, 1841, aboard the brig "Okhotsk". There was only one stop en route, while the clergy cared for isolated hunters on Simushir Island (one of the Kuril Islands).

Novo-Arkhangelsk (Sitka), 1841

On 26 September, 1841, Bishop Innocent, his daughter, his son-in-law, and the rest of his entourage disembarked on the shore of his diocesan see in Novo-Arkhangelsk.

On 28 September, 1841, the first Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was served in Novo-Arkhangelsk (and in all Russian-America). Soon after this, Bishop Innocent ordained his son-in-law Ilya Petelin to the Holy Diaconate and to the Holy Priesthood.

Vladyka Innocent passed the autumn and half the winter in Novo-Arkhangelsk as he attended to the first concerns about the new diocese.

Opening new parishes

He began with the opening of new parishes, of which there was yet a great lack. The very first was the mission in Nushagak, to which he assigned Father Ilya Petelin and his wife. When he assigned priests in newly-opened parishes, Vladyka Innocent gave them the most detailed instructions, and he urged them to act by the power of personal example and preaching the Gospel, not by coercion or tempting promises. In this regard, even when the indigenous persons would request to be baptised, they were tested closely to ascertain that they were truly serious about embracing Christ. Only then were they baptised. The usual response was a serious and zealous following of the directions about how to live the Christian life in the context of their inheritance.

In places regularly visited by missionaries, there were almost no cases of falling away or of returning to shamanism ; however, if they did occur, they soon ended in repentance and correction.

First Pastoral School

Besides the opening of parishes, Bishop Innocent opened the first pastoral school in Russian-America, which began with 23 students. The school was led by one of the hieromonks who came with him from Russia. Another of the Russian recruits, a hieromonk, was sent to Kodiak, in order to begin studying the languages. The third hieromonk, Father Mishael, began constructive and fruitful conversations with the Tlingit. Through the initial and inspired preaching and teaching of Father Mishael, 80 persons were soon asking to be baptised. He and they all perceived themselves to be instruments of the Lord's work.

There were cases of miraculous healing after baptism. For instance, one old woman, being near death, wished to be baptised. Since she herself could no longer walk, she was brought for the sacrament on a stretcher. After baptism, she returned home on her own, only leaning on a stick. Likewise, a young man who had suffered from fits of madness since childhood was completely healed after baptism. Of course, such events testified to the Divine power of Christianity, and they especially contributed to the conversion of the indigenous people.

In addition to preaching and giving instruction in the law of God, Bishop Innocent instructed the missionaries to teach children and all who desired it, to read and write in both local and Russian languages, which the population was very willing to do. Soon, the literacy of the native population became even higher than the literacy of the population of Russia itself.

1842, return trip to Kodiak

As soon as navigation opened, on 19 February, 1842 (on the third attempt to leave, adverse winds having hindered them), Vladyka Innocent began a tour of the diocese. The first part was a return trip to Kodiak. They boarded the schooner "Kwikpak", and they joined a fully-loaded ship with other passengers. Included amongst the extra passengers were Father Ilya and Matushka Katherine Petelin and their infant daughter. The voyage was peaceful until 23 February, when the seas became heavier. Since there was no wind, they perceived that the danger was perhaps a consequence of a probable earthquake. The passengers and crew were enclosed in the hold while the ship was tossed about by waves, and a strong storm then developed. The situation became dire, since the sea remained tumultuous for 29 days, and rationing of water was required. Meanwhile, Bishop Innocent regularly prayed and interceded.

On 15 March, land was sighted, the skies cleared, and they perceived that they had come to Spruce Island (north of Kodiak). It was then that Vladyka Innocent interceded with Starets Herman (later glorified as a saint). He asked Father Herman that if he had found favour with God, he ask for favourable winds for the ship. The request was immediately granted. Then, despite the danger, because of the need, they approached the island, and they anchored. They fired the cannon to inform the locals of their need ; they gave thanks, and they landed. All the passengers were well despite the dire situation. They remained there on Spruce Island for a week. During this time, Vladyka Innocent served a Panikhida (memorial service) at the grave of Starets Herman. Before their departure for Three Saints Harbour on Kodiak Island, the other passengers expressed their gratitude to Vladyka Innocent that he had prayed as he had and when he had.

Holy Resurrection Sobor, Kodiak

They remained in the Kodiak settlement for the Feast of the Annunciation on 25 March. Bishop Innocent was glad to see the condition of the community there. The local priest and the local governor worked in harmony. Both gave the example of a truly Christian life, and from this came amazing fruit. In contrast to the former disregard of Church life, the Temple was now over-filled for services, and more than 400 took part in the Great Lenten Fast. While Vladyka Innocent was organising the archives, he found a letter to one of the early monks that referred to himself as a child. Father Ilya and his family continued on with the schooner "Kwikpak" to their assignment in Nushagak, and Vladyka Innocent boarded the brig "Promysl" ("Providence") for the return to Novo-Arkhangelsk. He arrived there on 8 April.

1842, construction of the Bishop's House

In 1842, while he was again briefly in Novo-Arkhangelsk, Bishop Innocent began the construction of the Russian Bishop's House. (The construction was completed by the Russian-American Company.) It included a chapel that was sanctified in honour of the Feast of the Annunciation to the Theotokos. During the brief moments at his disposition, he made many pieces of furniture himself.

The bishop's house in Sitka in the 21st century

Bishop Innocent spent the next decade in the administration of his see, as well as in making several long missionary journeys to its remote areas. For example, in 1842-1843, 1846 and 1850 Vladyka Innocent travelled through the diocese, and he visited the regions within the diocese : part of Yakutia ; the Okhotsk coast ; Kamchatka ; Chukotka ; the Alaskan mainland ; the Kuril, Commander, and Aleutian islands. On these journeys, in addition to providing spiritual nutrition, Bishop Innocent also gave vaccinations against some diseases (particularly smallpox) to as many people as possible.

First archpastoral visitation of the diocese, 1842-1843

After Pascha, 1842 (in Novo-Arkhangelsk), Bishop Innocent was ready to embark on his first major pastoral visitation. On 4 May, 1842, with a retinue of 6, Vladyka made his departure on the brig "Okhotsk". Now that steam-powered vessels were available, it was one of those, the equivalent of a tugboat, that towed the ship out of the Novo-Arkhangelsk harbour until it could set sail. With fair winds, they travelled westward for 12 days.

Unga

Upon arriving at Unga Island in the Aleutian Archipelago, they had to wait for a day, since the winds became briefly unfavourable. They landed at Unga on 20 May.

Vladyka Innocent wrote that he was met as a beloved father, and that he greeted them as a loving father who loves his children with pure Christian love. He greatly rejoiced that his translations were very much in use. One particularly outstanding reader was a creole woman, whose reading was remarkably clear and intelligent. As usual, he prayed and taught. That evening, Father Gregory Golovin had arrived by kayak on his own pastoral rounds, and he was astounded to see his predecessor, now a bishop, already there. Bishop Innocent was equally astounded. They served the Divine Liturgy together, and on 23 May, Father Gregory was taken with them (to save him the trouble of paddling the 400 miles home).

Unalaska

On 28 May, the Feast of the Ascension, the ship arrived at Unalaska early in the morning. Bishop Innocent and his entourage boated to land as the bells were ringing for the Divine Liturgy of the Altar-feast of the Temple. Many of his indigenous flock greeted their archpastor (chief shepherd) with tears of joy. After the Divine Liturgy, Vladyka Innocent preached a homily on the same Gospel reading (John 16:16) that he had preached when he left (because this reading was prescribed for that day). The Aleuts he loved brought him an "orlets" (eagle-rug) extremely skilfully-woven from tree roots and various herbs. In turn, he sent this very "orlets" as a gift to Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov).

Bishop Innocent was constantly cognizant of the frequent repetition of signs of Divine Providence in the activity of the weather and other phenomena which were always timed in amazing ways. Because of a delay in the departure of the ship (because of lack of wind) that would take him away, Vladyka was able to spend 38 days instead of 14 days with the people of Unalaska. He visited virtually every parishioner, because by this time almost everyone had returned from hunting. He reported that the Temple was well-kept, and that the parishioners were avid readers of the Scriptures. There was no word of crime nor transgression amongst the Aleuts in this region. There was clearly a relationship of mutual love amongst the people and between them and the clergy.

Pribilof Islands

Having departed from Unalaska on 2 July on the brig "Baikal", they arrived at Saint George Island in the Bering Sea on 5 July. Vladyka and his group boated to shore. There was very little time, but enough for a Moleben, a brief homily, and giving of comfort to the people (whom he found to be in as healthy a condition as those in Unalaska). The ship then took Vladyka and his entourage to Saint Paul Island, where they arrived on 7 July. The winds were unfavourable, so Vladyka paddled to shore in a kayak. In the settlement, he went straight to the chapel (again only for a short visit, with prayer and teaching). They requested the services of a priest, whom they assured him they could pay. He asked for a request in writing, which he could then act on.

Atka

On 9 July, the ship set sail for Atka Island (again in the Aleutian Archipelago). On 14 July, they arrived early at Atka. Vladyka boated to the shore, and he soon offered a Moleben in the Temple. On Sunday, he served the Divine Liturgy, and he preached and taught. He gave the people great encouragement at that time. He had more time with the people of Atka as he awaited the larger ship, the galley "Seafarer" that could sail on the open North Pacific Ocean.

To Kamchatka

On 24 July, he made his departure for Kamchatka. The priest from Atka accompanied him since he was making a pastoral visit to Bering Island (probably to Nikolskoye). This island is the westernmost of the "Commander (Komandorsky) Islands". Despite other arrangements, the winds bore the ship and Vladyka to Bering Island on 8 August, where there was a pause of 2 days, and he was able to serve the Divine Liturgy. This island is 544 km (338 mi) northeast of Petropavlovsk.

The grave of Vitus Bering (†1741) on Bering Island

Petropavlovsk

Having left the priest on Bering Island, the ship then resumed the original course, and with fair winds they arrived in Petropavlovsk on Kamchatka after 3 days.

After arrival at Petropavlosk, the very difficult entrance to the harbour through narrow channels required local people to come to the ship and to pilot them into the harbour.

Early Petropavlovsk

Tebenkov's map of Petropavlovsk harbour ; early view of the Holy Trinity Temple, Petropavlovsk

The Archpriest Prokopiy Gromov, the Dean of the Cathedral, and Vladyka Innocent's old friend from seminary days in Irkutsk, met him on the ship with great joy. When the ship came to the pier, there was a formal greeting by the local governor and other dignitaries. They then went to the Cathedral Temple of the Holy Trinity, and they served the customary Moleben of Thanksgiving. As he stayed there, he became aware of the general poverty of the village. Vladyka stayed there for the rest of the autumn.

Modern views of Petropavlovsk and of Holy Trinity Cathedral

On 22 August, there was a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in the cathedral, together with the ordination of both a priest and a deacon. No-one of the local population had ever seen such splendour and beauty, and they were greatly encouraged by this service. Vladyka remained in Petropavlovsk until the development of the winter snow-road required for his further visits on the peninsula. Meanwhile, Vladyka attended the daily 6:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy. He then took tea and he walked. Until noon, over the next 2 months, he read the deanery journals of the region for the past 2 years, and he wrote more than 150 pages of resolutions that came from the information he found there. Daily at noon, he had a light lunch. Then he would either spend time in conversation about ecclesiastical matters with Father Prokopiy Gromov, or he would work on the needed repairs of the damage done to the cathedral by an earthquake. On Feast-days, he would serve the Divine Liturgy in the morning, and then spend the afternoon in conversation with officials in the fort. In the evenings, he would chat with Father Gromov, and partake of a supper of bread and salted fish. In addition to his work in repairing the cathedral during September, Bishop Innocent helped to construct a supplementary chapel attached to the cathedral.

Bishop Innocent was gratified that Father Prokopiy had brought the parish and the deanery records into good order. He was also gratified to know that every Saturday evening after Vespers, he was offering classes about the Orthodox Christian Faith and way of life to the children. He could see that there was good fruit being produced through these classes. Before Father Prokopiy's arrival, children had been roaming about in disorganised mobs. For the adults, during the time of the communion of the clergy, a non-serving priest would read in Russian some portions from the Holy Scriptures or a short published homily that had been provided. There were now not even petty quarrels amongst either the clergy or the people.

While he was in this village, Vladyka Innocent visited the people in a very simple manner. Because of his Christian love, he brought a sense of life and hope to this very isolated village (even though it was a naval centre).

Pastoral visit to Kamchatka villages

Vladyka Innocent and Father Prokopiy Gromov set off for the pastoral visits to various Kamchatka villages on 29 November, 1842. Just before this, on 26 November, they had celebrated the name-day of Vladyka Innocent with great joy. Now, they entered the dog-sleds, and they began their journey (during which Vladyka Innocent learnt many practical lessons about what must be brought, and what is necessary).

Dog-team

This archpastoral visit by dog-sled and reindeer-sled covered more than 5,310 km (3,300 mi). A dog-sled was frequently pulled by 6 pairs of dogs. First, they travelled north, along the eastern side of the peninsula, where they visited Malkinsk.

On 30 November, they arrived at Malkinsk (133 km/81 mi north from Petropavlovsk). Vladyka found that the hospital and chapel were rather far from the healing mineral springs, and they were not useful. He closed the chapel, and he moved the clergy elsewhere.

On 2 December, they arrived in Milkovo, where he found the parishioners building their own Temple. He was there in time to improve their plans to make the building more suitable to the climate, the land and their means. On 6 December, they celebrated the Feast of Saint Nicholas, and they made their departure on 7 December.

On 9 December, they arrived in Kliuchi, a Russian-Creole village, a hub of many Kamchatka settlements. After praying and speaking with the people, and because the weather was favourable, they soon departed for Nizhny-Kamchatsk.

On 11 December, they arrived. The Temple of the Dormition in this village was the oldest one on the peninsula. It and the village had been founded during the reign of Emperor Peter I and at his direction, but it had now become greatly diminished because of changed circumstances. Because of its history, Vladyka Innocent proposed to establish a monastery at this Temple, but to transfer the very few remaining faithful people to Kliuchi. The clergy would either remain at the monastery or be transferred. On 13 December, they began their return to Kliuchi. They arrived there the next day, and they remained there for several days. This was a large parish which included an old-age home and an orphanage besides the Temple. On 15 December, he served the Divine Liturgy, when he both preached and taught.

Crossing to the west coast of Kamchatka

On 17 December, after having accomplished other pastoral acts, Vladyka Innocent and Father Prokopiy made their departure, and they passed through 14 Kamchatka villages on their way to the Cossack Fortress of Bolsheretsk on the western coast of the peninsula. This distance was at least 213 km (132 mi). They were in Bolsheretsk for the Feast of the Nativity and for the post-feast. They served the Divine Liturgy, and they preached, taught, visited and inspected.

On 28 December, they departed northwards to Kolovsk, where they arrived the next day, and then to Icha, where they arrived on 31 December. After immediately having served a Moleben, they remained there until 6 January, and the Feast of the Theophany. In the course of these travels, he was being exposed to the Kamchadal languages (languages spoken on Kamchatka).

On 7 January, they travelled northwards up the coast.

On 10 January, 1843, he arrived at the Tigil Fortress, where he talked with the Koryak elders, who until then (unlike their neighbours) had resisted baptism. He discovered that their reason was because of the poor witness of the Russians, who often did not tell the truth.

On 12 January, Vladyka served the Divine Liturgy, and he ordained a new priest for this parish. At this time, he exhorted the people to pay attention to the effects of their sinful behaviours. They passed through 5 villages, and on 15 January, they arrived at night at Lesnov. It was in this very village that his own brother, Priest Stefan Popov was caring for the people who greatly loved and appreciated him.

Koryak "yurt", dwelling

Lesnov : Father Stefan Popov, brother of Bishop Innocent

In 1832, the younger Stefan had returned to Irkutsk with his family in order to complete his studies. He was ordained to the Holy Priesthood after his graduation. He had been assigned then to the parish in Kachuka Landing. The Siberian winter was too taxing for his Aleut wife ; when a parish in Kamchatka was available, he asked for a transfer there, in the hope that she might feel better in that climate. At their departure, they were joined by Father Prokopiy Gromov, who was also travelling in that direction. Regardless, Matushka Melania's health was too weak. Even before reaching Yakutsk, she fell asleep in the Lord, and she was interred by the banks of the Lena River.

Father Stefan had continued on with his son as far as Lesnov, a rather large village. There, his responsibility was to care for the community and to build a Temple there. Little Theodosiy easily learnt the language, and he helped his father. Father Stefan taught the local people how to do construction and stone-masonry. However, this territory was not fruitful either in fish or in soil for growing food. Because the resources were so limited, Theodosiy was sent to Petropavlovsk for his education. Vladyka Innocent asked his brother to remain there until he had constructed a new Temple and until he and his son had compiled a dictionary of the Koryak Language (a relative of Chukchi). Meanwhile, Bishop Innocent spent 9 days attending to paperwork.

Vladyka Innocent and those with him then departed for their next stop, and Father Stefan accompanied them at this time. On their second day, they encountered a ravine of abyssal depth which had to be crossed. There was no choice but to cross the chasm with great caution, since it was a pastoral necessity to arrive at Dranka (also called Iumgura). Vladyka Innocent had to be lowered by ropes. Dog-teams and sleds were likewise lowered. Some experienced travellers could slide down the precipice on animal-hides. They continued north at the bottom of the ravine until they encountered the sheer ice-face of a glacier. After this, on 26 January, he reached Dranka, the farthest village in the north-east of the peninsula, where the last Temple belonging to the Kamchatka region was also located (the Temple of Saint Innocent of Irkutsk).

On the first morning, they served a Moleben to Saint Innocent of Irkutsk, and on the next day, they served the Divine Liturgy. After this, Father Prokopiy and some others of the entourage began their return to Petropavlovsk. Those who continued were few so as not to be a burden on the hospitality of the poverty-stricken people of this region.

From here, Vladyka went on with his brother towards Gizhiga. He met various Koryak hunters en route, who showed him great kindness and hospitality (contrary to their reputation amongst the Russians as being violent). Vladyka Innocent and his brother stopped in a hut (pit-house) at Kamenets for a week because of a blizzard.

Sketch of a pit-house, or under-ground house

Such houses were built mainly under-ground. First, a little shanty is put up, under which a hole like a well is dug. From there, a branch like a sewer runs some metres, along which one must crawl on hands and knees to reach the proper dwelling. This dwelling consists of a square hole in the earth, over which is raised a low dome-shaped roof, with a hole in the top to let out the smoke of the fire, which is built directly underneath. When the fire gets low the smoke-hole is covered with a skin, which keeps in not only the heat but the manifold scents engendered by the crowded occupancy. The slight heat from below makes the roof a favourite place for the dogs (one sometimes falls in through the smoke-hole).

In Kamenets, there was warm hospitality. In that community, there was no theft. Vladyka discovered that the negative reputation he had heard about came from the Koryak response to rough behaviour towards them by the Cossacks of Dranka.

After leaving Dranka, and after skirting 2 bays to the west, they started south along the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk.

South along the mainland east coast

On 22 February, they arrived in Gizhiga. It was after this that Father Stefan returned to Lesnov so as to be home for Pascha. After having served the Divine Liturgy several times in Gizhiga, Bishop Innocent continued on alone with his guides.

They passed through Yamsk, and on his way to Tauisk, Vladyka encountered a difficult terrain which he had been warned was better to avoid. The terrain was on the seashore, but dangerous because of ice and salt water. In order to arrive in Tauisk in time for the Feast of the Annunciation, he decided to trust God and to risk this shorter but very dangerous route. With God's help, they did arrive safely and in time for the Feast-day.

Arrival in Okhotsk

From there, they headed for Okhotsk, where they arrived in time for Lazarus Saturday, on 3 April. There, he led the services of Holy Week and the Feast of Pascha.

He undertook all this with joy and hope after having travelled for 126 days (during 68 of which he was in transit from one place to another). His actual distance of travel on this pastoral visit would be approximately 6,440 km (about 4,000 mi).

Father Prokopiy had previously followed this route 8 times on his pastoral rounds.

Remaining in Okhotsk until September, Vladyka Innocent spent his time writing reports. He gave thanks that during the trek, no-one had become ill, and no-one was injured. He was thoroughly impressed by the kindness and generosity of all the peoples he had encountered. At that time, he wrote to Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov) :

 Although my flock is not very large numerically, 18,500, in good examples it is 
 far from being small.  The Aleuts are not, as I had previously thought, the only 
 ones who can (or could) share their last fish with those who are hungry.  They 
 are not the only ones who are patient, meek, obedient, peaceful, pius and so 
 forth.  Almost all of the peoples [...] living in the Diocese of Kamchatka share 
 these qualities.  [...] Even the unbaptised Koryaks and Chukchi have many good 
 traits and customs.  

While he was in Okhotsk, he also went into the surrounding territory, and he visited even the hunting and fishing camps of the Koryak, Chukchi and Tungu peoples. Through his own meekness in conversation and his paternal affability, he earned the love of these peoples. Wherever he went, he put himself at the service of everyone, and he organised schools in every place. The fruit of this was that the indigenous peoples came to have a higher rate of literacy in Siberia and the Far East than did the Russians. The book-merchant I I Golubev reported that in one season, he sold more than 18,700 books in the territory of this diocese. Vladyka Innocent's labours were very much like those of the Holy Apostles.

Return to Arkhangelsk

On 6 September, 1843, Bishop Innocent returned to Novo-Arkhangelsk. This long journey had involved a considerable amount of travel by ship, and also a long and difficult journey along Kamchatka and the Okhotsk coast. On Kamchatka, he had travelled most of it by dog-sled and partly by deer-sled.

1843-1846, service in Novo-Arkhangelsk

After his return from the first extended archpastoral visitation, Vladyka Innocent began to prepare to establish and open a theological seminary in Novo-Arkhangelsk (beginning with well-attended catechetical classes), and he continued to organise Orthodox missions in remote corners of the diocese. While he had been absent, 41 more Tlingit had been added to the Orthodox Christian family in Novo-Arkhangelsk.

All along, Bishop Innocent had had 3 aims : to confirm the piety of the neophyte Christians ; to draw back those who had strayed away ; to spread the light of the Gospel amongst those who had not yet heard. For this purpose, he had given pastoral directions for isolated communities. He provided for the preparation of certain pious persons who would baptise new-born babies with water previously blessed by a priest and kept in reserve. The priest would complete the baptism when he arrived. He made the rules for marriage easier to fulfil. He exhorted the clergy to give the people the best possible example of Christian behaviour and proper worship, so that the people would come to understand and absorb their Faith without distraction or disturbance. He was grateful to God that he could see that the local Russians were now themselves becoming more serious Christians, and trying to live more repentant lives.

Vladyka Innocent, with great energy (to make up, as it were, for his 3-year absence), personally began work on the construction of a new Cathedral of Saint Michael the Archangel. He designed and built a two-domed Temple, which replaced the first buildings of 1816 and 1834. The Temple of 1816 had been constructed by Father Alexei Sokolov. Vladyka designed the Temple in the Russian ecclesiastical architectural style, and the design received much praise.

The foundation stone for the cathedral was laid in 1844. The Russian-American Company had funded the project. The bells were forged in Alaska. The clock, which was fixed in the belfry was made by Vladyka Innocent himself.

Saint Michael's Cathedral under construction (on the far left, looking past the trading-post)

In 1845, since the Most Holy Synod had blessed the transfer of the seminary from Petropavlovsk to Novo-Arkhangelsk, Bishop Innocent made a quick visit to Petropavlovsk for this purpose. He had arrived in Petropavlovsk in time for the Feast of Pentecost, after which he quickly attended to the transfer of the meagre resources of the seminary there to North America (including the remaining students). Vladyka Innocent was sufficiently gifted in administering finance that the funds given towards the new seminary bore much fruit. By this time, the seminary which he had already founded began the classes of the theological courses on 1 December, even though the construction of the new seminary was yet unfinished. The seminary also offered courses in the local languages, Church Slavonic, Russian and Latin languages, and medicine.

In an ironic manner, it was during this year when Vladyka Innocent was very much concerned with the development of theological education in the diocese, that he received painful news about his son Innocent. In the letter he received, he was informed that his son had fallen into some sort of difficulties which caused him to be expelled from one seminary, and then another. After the second expulsion, Innocent had declared that he did not wish to become a clergyman, and he had disappeared. At that time, when the clergy of the Orthodox Church were, in fact, an oppressed class in Russian Imperial society, it was difficult for sons of clergy to receive other than a theological education. There had developed an expectation that sons of clergymen would themselves follow the same path, regardless of their sense of calling (or lack thereof). Vladyka Innocent sent messages to his various friends in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, in which he asked them to assure Innocent of his love for him, should they encounter him. He further asked that he be helped as needed, and that he would reimburse the friends. Vladyka Innocent later learnt that in 1846, Innocent had joined the army and served in the Caucasus, and that he had married thereafter.

Novo-Arkhangelsk

Views of the Cathedral of Saint Michael, Novo-Arkhangelsk/Sitka, during and after the lifetime of Saint Innocent

His book, “Comments on the Kolosh and Kodiak Languages and partly on other Russian-American Languages, with the Addition of the Russian-Koloshan Dictionary containing more than 1,000 Words, some of which are explained”, was published in Saint Petersburg in 1846.

Second archpastoral visitation of the diocese, 1846-1847

In the spring, Bishop Innocent prepared for his second Asiatic archpastoral visitation, and in Novo-Arkhangelsk on 9 May, 1846, he boarded the ship "The Heir Alexander", one of the finest ships belonging to the Russian-American Company.

Ayan

The ship was bound for Ayan, newly-added to the diocese in 1843, because the Okhotsk port had been closed (Ayan was a far better port) ; Ayan is situated 430 km (270 mi) south of Okhotsk. Even so, they arrived late (24 June) because the ice was late in melting. Vladyka was further delayed here, because he was waiting for a hieromonk and a hierodeacon who were to travel to Novo-Arkhangelsk to work in the cathedral and the seminary. They had not been able to arrive until 13 July. After he explained to them their duties and responsibilities, he saw them off.

Although Ayan was but one year old, Vladyka Innocent was overjoyed to see that the people had first built a Temple dedicated to the Kazan Icon of the Theotokos, even before building their own homes. On 20 July, they served the first vigil in the new Temple, and on 21 July, he sanctified the Temple and served the Divine Liturgy. Vladyka Innocent soon sailed for Petropavlovsk, where he arrived on 14 August, in time for the Vigil of the Dormition in Holy Trinity Cathedral. On the Feast-day, he served the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy with all the clergy. All were arrayed in matching vestments, including a new matching episcopal set that had been provided as a gift by the parishioners, the people of the town, for this occasion. He well understood that the spiritual value of such an offering in love far exceeded the considerable actual cost of the vestments. He remained in this town until after his birthday on 26 August.

Port of Ayan

Nizhny-Kamchatka

At the end of August, the company ship "Kamchadal" carried him north along the east coast of Kamchatka as far as Nizhny-Kamchatsk. He then progressed up the Kamchatka River as far as Miklovo, all the while stopping at settlements on the way. From Milkovo, he rode 150 km (93 mi) on horseback through 3 villages (inaccessible during the previous winter visit) until he came to the Bystraya River. He followed the river to Malkinsk. After 2 more days on horseback, he and his entourage reached the Avacha River, which descends to Petropavlovsk, on 25 September. On this trek, he had visited the whole interior of the peninsula. During October in Petropavlovsk, Vladyka Innocent ordained 2 priests and a deacon who would be assigned to parishes that would be visited during the next portion of the visit.

Bolsheretsk

On 10 November, Vladyka and his entourage set off by dog-sled towards Bolsheretsk. From there, they went on quickly to Icha and Tigil. By 19 December, he was in Palan on the west coast, where he hoped to celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. It was there that he again met his brother, Father Stefan. Besides serving as the priest there, he had also received medical training so as to be available to the people as a "feldsher" (paramedic). Once again, pastoral needs prevailed.

Bishop Innocent elevated his brother to the dignity of archpriest, and with some reluctance, after the Feast of the Nativity, Father Stefan accompanied his bishop/brother to his next assignment, in Gizhiga.

Gizhiga

They arrived in Gizhiga by mid-February, 1847. After the farewells, Vladyka Innocent continued on to Yamsk and Tauisk, where he sanctified the newly-completed Temples and served a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in them. He arrived in Okhotsk on 12 March, 1847. An epidemic had been raging there, and Vladyka Innocent himself suffered from this illness. He was able to serve only on Great Thursday. He continued serving daily until Bright Tuesday, which was also the Feast of the Annunciation. There, the parishioners gave Vladyka Innocent a set of episcopal vestments which had been ordered from Moscow. On that day, he ordained a second deacon for the parish, since their present deacon was rather aged.

Because of the changed circumstances of the port, instead of depending on any unreliable possible sea transport, he and his retinue continued on southwards towards Ayan by dog-sled. He chose the safer, but much longer route that passed near (150 km/93 mi distant) Yakutsk on the way. After 5 days, they arrived at Churopcha Station near Yakutsk. After 2 more days, they stopped in Anga. Again he was bed-ridden with fever for 2 days. He continued on albeit with a cough. They reached the Ayan Road which had a chain of way-stations. After (242 km (150 mi) the road under construction ended. From there, between dogs and reindeer, they travelled through deep snow and forests. They finally arrived in Ayan on 5 May.

Because there seemed still to be time before the ice broke, on 6 June, he and his retinue made for a Russian settlement, Udsk, 402 km (250 mi) to the south, near the border with China. Travel was by kayaks and "umiaks" (kayaks with several seats) along the coast. They also brought Russian-American cargo for supplying the village. There was no difficulty until 11 June when they encountered heavy ice floes. The onshore winds lashed them, and they were in danger of being dashed against the ice by a strong current. This lasted until 15 June when the tide took away the ice. There was again clear evidence of the help of Divine Providence in narrow escapes and the arrival of some helpers (including the priest in Udsk).

They arrived at the mouth of the Uda River on 17 June, and with favourable winds, they arrived at Udsk on 19 June. Udsk was very small, many of whom were Yakuts. Even the Russian residents no longer understood Russian, and an interpreter was needed for all. These Russians were descended from Russian refugees of the 1680s who had been expelled from Albazin (farther northwest on the Amur River), in the Amur River region by the Manchus (around the time of the establishment of the Qing Dynasty of China).

Vladyka delayed his departure since the re-construction of the very old Temple was nearly complete. He then sanctified the new Temple of The All-Merciful Saviour and Saint Nicholas on 22 June. After this, the entourage departed by sea towards Ayan. Adverse weather slowed their progress somewhat, and they arrived on 15 July.

Return to Arkhangelsk, 1847

By 23 August, 1847, Vladyka Innocent had returned to Novo-Arkhangelsk. This visitation in Asia by various means of transport had covered 10,460 km (6,500 mi).

The return trip by sea covered about 13,438 km (8,350 mi) across the Pacific Ocean. The total time required for this visitation had been 14 months.

Upon his return, Vladyka Innocent took up his responsibilities in North America with the usual archpastoral visitations. In his 1847 report to the Most Holy Synod, he drew attention to the generally positive progress that was evident in the many places he had visited in Asia. He reported that of the 15 Temples, there was still a lack of a priest for 2 of them. He continued that he was reluctant to ordain anyone directly from seminary studies, or anyone younger than 25 years old to the Holy Priesthood. He preferred that the graduates have 2 or 3 years of experience as a deacon before priestly ordination, but he had some doubt that he could maintain this principle without exceptions.

In 1847, Vladyka Innocent's son Gabriel Ivanovich graduated from the Theological Seminary with a degree. He then travelled to Novo-Arkhangelsk, where he began to assist his father. He was immediately tonsured to serve as a reader, and he was blessed to serve as a subdeacon in the cathedral. In the Novo-Arkhangelsk seminary, Gabriel was able to serve as the only full-time instructor and teacher (the other teachers were clergy, who had other responsibilities). He also served as secretary, librarian and assistant-dean for the following 3 years.

During this time, Vladyka Innocent was, as usual, reading reports, writing, teaching, building and visiting.

On 20-21 November, 1848 (the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos to the Temple), Bishop Innocent (Veniaminov) sanctified the new Cathedral Temple in the presence of 50 representatives of the diocesan clergy, many of whom graduated from the seminary that was created 3 years previously.

Saint Michael's Cathedral as it looked in the 1880s

This particular building was burnt to the ground in 1966, and an exact replica (with fire-proofing) was soon afterwards constructed. This was possible because the plans of the first cathedral were still available.

After the construction and sanctification of the cathedral, Bishop Innocent (Veniaminov) undertook the construction of a Temple for the Tlingit in their own village.

During this time in Novo-Arkhangelsk, Bishop Innocent met another serious pastoral need : he constructed a ecclesiastical calendar for local use. This calendar harmonised in some manner the yearly solar calendar in use in the Russian Orthodox Church and the calendar that was used by the various indigenous peoples of Far-East Asia. Potentially, it could serve the peoples of Alaska.

Because of the way of life of the indigenous peoples, the manner of calculating the seasons has different criteria from the solar-based European calendar. From ancient times, the northern peoples kept a festival that is still kept by the Inuit and other northern peoples, called "Quviasukvik". It constituted the beginning of the new year in midwinter. This calendar kept this festival for about a week. The time of this festival coincided with the time of the Orthodox Christian celebration of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, and it ended at the time of Leave-taking of the Feast. On this basis, Bishop Innocent's harmonised calendar used the Nativity of Christ as the beginning of the new year. This manner of reckoning continued to be observed thereafter. To facilitate this calendar's marking of the passage of days and seasons, Vladyka Innocent devised a board with movable wooden pegs (resembling somewhat a cribbage-board). This system enabled the indigenous people to calculate the observance of both immovable and movable feasts throughout the year, in harmony with the calendar used in the Church.

In addition to all his various activities, Bishop Innocent continued to write and send his regular reports to the Most Holy Synod in Saint Petersburg. One of Vladyka Innocent's repeated themes in his reports by this time was his (prophetic) assertion that not only the Russian people but also the indigenous peoples north of the Amur River needed spiritual care and missionary activity. The difficulty faced by Russia was in part that the area north of the Amur River still belonged to China ; the indigenous Gilyaks were Chinese subjects, even though they were already interested in the Orthodox Christian Faith. There were certainly many Russians who were settling in this region, and this began to raise concerns. As an Orthodox Christian archpastor, Bishop Innocent could not make distinctions between peoples. It was not possible that he limit himself to serving only the Russians, as he had been hitherto directed to do by the Most Holy Synod.

The Amur River

1850 pastoral report

In May, 1850, Bishop Innocent (Veniaminov) submitted a major report to the Most Holy Synod.

In this report, Vladyka Innocent commented that he felt that the condition of the diocese was steadily and perceptibly improving in all areas. He did suggest that it could be possible (because of the nature of the limited resources in Novo-Arkhangelsk and its distance from the imperial capital) to consider moving the see to Asia. The early need for the headquarters of the diocese in North America had borne much of the intended fruit by God's mercy. However, maintaining this headquarters in such a small and distant site (in a diocese where transportation was almost entirely by boat and dog-sled) required more personnel and financial resources than could be available in North America, especially with the changes in the Russian-American Company. The substantial financial support promised in 1840 had only very partially appeared after 10 years.

One of the long-term and nagging concerns of Archbishop Innocent with regard to the Russian-America part of the Kamchatka Diocese was the failing economic situation of the Russian-American Company itself. Long ago, Vladyka Innocent had shown the leadership of the company what an advantage there was in applying conservation methods regarding the hunting and amassing furs for sale. He had repeatedly said that if they were to restrain their so-called harvest of the animal population, then, despite there being less immediate profit, the supply would last a long time and remain profitable. However, the leadership turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to this advice. Already the animal population was becoming so depleted that profits were now minimal. As a consequence, the support from the company for the mission was becoming very small. The company itself was in danger of collapse and closure. In fact, the company did eventually collapse. (Moreover, it took until 1911 for an international convention, the "North Pacific Fur Seal Convention" to be signed.)

At the time of Vladyka Innocent's 1850 report, there was already insufficient housing for the clergy and staff of the diocesan administration.

With regard to the Kamchatka Diocese, he rejoiced that of the large number of Faithful (most of whom were new Christians) only about 25 percent were Russians and Creoles. He reported that of a total of 89 clergy, only 7 were seminary graduates ; 15 had attended some seminary courses ; 67 had only fundamental theological education. He also opined that because there had been a seminary established within the diocese, this seminary would slowly help to raise the level of education and competence. He further reported that amongst those who failed to appear for at least an annual confession, only a very few were not Russians. The indigenous people were serious Christians. He commented that the fundamental goodness, kindness and generosity of these peoples is simply refined and increased with their exposure to the Gospel. Moreover, strife, struggles, crimes and battles disappear with this exposure.

Catechetical instruction had been instituted in 17 parishes, with 6 yet to establish regular teaching. In more than half the parishes, reading had been taught, and the literacy rate on the Aleutian Islands had risen dramatically. He added that missionary priests had now penetrated far into the interior of the Alaskan mainland to such an extent that making a hierarchical pastoral visitation was becoming a great challenge. The difficulties they faced were related to the fact that the Russian-American Company vessels on which they depended very seldom approached these regions. In addition, especially in the region near Novo-Arkhangelsk, an increase of a focussed pastoral presence amongst the indigenous people was very important. They needed their own, indigenous clergy.

Marriage, ordination of Gabriel Veniaminov

In July, 1850, Vladyka Innocent sent his son Gabriel to Moscow in order to find a wife. There, he had help to do so, and the search did not take long. The orphan of a priest, Catherine Ivanovna Popova was found for him through the help of others. She was one who knew from her own life about the difficulties of the life of a priest, and she came to understand the dangers involved in missionary work. Gabriel had left the choice of a spouse in the hands of God. In effect, they both undertook this marriage in obedience, and they were duly married in Moscow. It was the arduous trek afterwards between Moscow and Ayan on the east coast that would develop their loving obedience to the Lord into a godly love for one another.

On 24 February, 1851, Bishop Filothei (Uspensky) of Dmitrov ordained Gabriel Veniaminov to the Holy Diaconate.

On 25 February, 1851, Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow ordained the Deacon Gabriel Veniaminov to the Holy Priesthood in Moscow. Very soon afterwards, the young couple departed from Moscow, and they arrived in Ayan in July, 1851. After returning to Baranov Island and Novo-Arkhangelsk, on 3 October, 1851, Priest Gabriel Veniaminov was assigned to serve as second priest in the Archangel Michael Cathedral. He was also assigned to serve as a member of the New Arkhangelsk Spiritual Board, as well as serving as assistant inspector and mentor to the third year students of the seminary. By 1852, he had been assigned to serve as the Treasurer ("econom") of the seminary.

Third archpastoral visitation of the diocese, 1850-1852 ; elevation to archbishop ; visit to Kodiak and Kamchatka, 1853

In the spring of 1850, Bishop Innocent (Veniaminov) once again boarded a ship bound for Kamchatka, in order to begin his third major archpastoral visitation to the Asian part of the diocese.

When he arrived in Kamchatka at Petropavlovsk, he was greeted by the governor, who passed him a letter from Saint Petersburg. In this, he was informed that on 21 April, 1850, he had been elevated to the dignity of archbishop. The letter also informed him that this elevation had been given because of his fruitful missionary labours.

Archbishop Innocent (Veniaminov)

While Archbishop Innocent (Veniaminov) was still in Petropavlovsk, there occurred an unexpected encounter with the new Governor-General of Eastern Siberia, Nikolay Muravyov, who had taken up residence in Irkutsk in 1847 (although he was not finally confirmed in office until 6 December, 1849). It was during this unprecedented visit (of any governor-general) to Kamchatka that the two met. They had long consultations which proved to be very helpful to the governor-general. Moreover, they were in agreement about the urgency of taking both practical and spiritual care of the Amur River region. Furthermore, at his assignment, the governor-general had been personally instructed by Tsar Nicholas I to press for an advantage against China. From the beginning of his service, Nikolay Muravyov rooted out financial corruption ; he ordered more exploration of the region, and he encouraged the construction of Christian Temples without discouraging the local non-Christians. However, both the governor-general and the bishop received many signs of hesitation from Saint Petersburg about activity on the north bank of the Amur River (even though many Russians by then lived there), for fear of a confrontation with China at that time.

After this, Archbishop Innocent, with a single missionary companion, undertook another missionary journey in Kamchatka. During this visit, he returned to many of the sites that he had previously visited. He hoped that he would be able to mark the 10th anniversary of his episcopal ordination on 15 December in Dranka. Beyond his expectations, he had arrived there on 13 December. This permitted time for the sanctification of the new Temple named for Saint Innocent of Irkutsk, and also the marking of his anniversary with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. Most people there had never seen such a Divine Liturgy before, nor such beauty, and there was great rejoicing. Having completed his visits on the peninsula, he ventured farther north into the mainland region near Chukotka, where he moved westwards into the territory of the Diocese of Irkutsk.

The territory he then entered was associated with Yakutsk, the region surrounding which is called Yakutia. This travel involved crossing several mountain ranges. He had ventured there with the permission of the Archbishop of Irkutsk, since this region was expected to be joined to the Kamchatka Diocese. He found that Yakutia was so different from the rest of Russia that it seemed appropriate that it be associated with the also unique Kamchatka Diocese. He quickly observed the pastoral difficulties associated with the population of about 200,000 persons. They were mostly nomadic animal-herders. There was nothing permanent in their society, except the small groups in which they lived. The usual parish structure did not, therefore, apply, since in the case of any fixed-position Temple, the attendance was always very small. The priests were faced with the challenge of caring for people whom they could only visit in the spring and autumn. He met with the clergy to discuss the situation. He then made his way to Ayan on the mainland coast.

In July, 1851, Vladyka Innocent was already in Ayan, where he met his son Priest Gabriel Veniaminov and his wife, Matushka Catherine, who had completed their post-ordination journey from Moscow to the east coast, and who were on their way to their assignment in Novo-Arkhangelsk. At their meeting, they brought him news of the other children. Vladyka Innocent's encounter with Matushka Catherine came to be extremely positive. Her love, her openness, her missionary zeal, and her readiness to learn languages (in order to teach children) all caused Vladyka Innocent to give thanks to God that he had met her, and that his son had such a superlative wife.

In Ayan, Bishop Innocent received a letter from Tsar Nicholas I, written on 24 January, 1852, which he received in May, 1852. In this letter, he was denied permission to open a mission in the Amur region, and in which he was ordered to cease writing with requests about this matter. This order came despite the fact that Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov) was personally and actively in favour of the missionary project. The order also contradicted Vladyka Innocent's experience in Ayan of petitions for baptism from the Gilyaks of the Amur region. However, the threat of trouble from the Manchus (whose territory it was at that time) provided the official obstacle. Nevertheless, petitioners were baptised. Vladyka had sent someone to Nikolayevsk to assess the situation. It was his intention that he, himelf, would be baptising anyone requesting it.

Pre-settlement encounter on the beach at Nikolayevsk

Archbishop Innocent departed from Ayan later in May, 1852. With a stop in Petropavlovsk, he returned to Novo-Arkhangelsk.

In Novo-Arkhangelsk, he spent the winter in his usual archpastoral responsibilities.

Official transfer to Yakutsk, 1852

On 26 July, 1852, by a decision of the Most Holy Synod, the Yakut area had been included in the Kamchatka, Kuril and Aleutians Diocese. This increased the population of the diocese to more than 200,000 Orthodox Christian believers. However, Archbishop Innocent was as yet unaware of this change, since he had not yet received the notification.

After the Feast of Pascha, 1853, Vladyka Innocent undertook another missionary journey to Kodiak, and the Aleutian Islands. In the context of the extension of the diocese to Kamchatka, the natural extension of this journey would have been to Petropavlovsk on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Subsequent events suggest that this must have been the case.

It may be useful to understand that by 1844, there had been established the "Yakutsk-Ayan Track", which supplied the port town Ayan from Yakutsk from 1844 to 1867. There were 3 sections to this track : first a 378-410 km (235-255 mi) road southeast from Yakutsk, crossing the Amga River at Amginsk to Ust-Maya where the Maya River joins the Aldan River ; then about 400 km (250 mi) south up the Maya to near its southernmost point at Nelkan ; and then a 240 km (150-mile) horse trail over the Dzhugdzhur Mountains to Ayan. Because the Maya River flows northwards, it took 13-23 days to go north and 30-40 days to go south. In 1845, the Russian-American Company established ferries and 23 families of settlers there ; and in 1852, the government spent 20,000 roubles rebuilding the route and the government sent 211 persons to settle there. This track, despite its difficulties and complexities, greatly expedited travel in those parts.

In March, 1853, Archimandrite Samuel of the Spassky Monastery in Yakutsk had fallen asleep in the Lord. Since there was no-one to replace him, Archbishop Innocent shouldered this responsibility. With it came a salary which could help in the administration of the diocese. Whatever he received from the Russian-American Company had value only on their territories.

1853, Mission in Nikolayevsk on the Amur River

On 10 April, 1853 , Vladyka Innocent assigned his son, the Priest Gabriel Ivanovich Veniaminov, to serve in Nikolayevsk at the mouth of the Amur River, to preach the Word of God to the 3 local peoples : the Ghilyaks, the Goldi (Nanai), and the Negidals. This assignment made Father Gabriel Veniaminov the first priest to serve in the Amur River region since the 1689 Treaty of Nerchinsk, at which time Russia had ceded a huge amount of territory north of the Amur River to the recently-established (1636) Manchu-led Qing Dynasty of China. Nikolayevsk, developed on a previous Manchu foundation, was established as a Russian settlement in 1850.

Priest Gabriel I Veniaminov served as a missionary along the Amur River, between Nikolayevsk and Mariinsk, a distance of more than 300 km (186 mi). Some time later, he was assigned to serve as Dean of the Amur Temples and missions, and he soon became the senior missionary in the Amur region. This responsibility also included the communities and peoples along the Argun River, the Bureya River and others.

Move to Yakutsk, 1853

In July, 1853, Vladyka Innocent was again in Ayan. There, he finally received the news that one year previously, Yakutia had been added to his diocesan responsibilities.

Immediately, Vladyka set about organising all the affairs of the diocese (including his own domestic affairs) which would be directly affected by this big change. Very soon, he was following the Ayan-Yakutsk Track northwards.

On 11 September 1853, Archbishop Innocent took up permanent residence in the town of Yakutsk, in the centre of the region, and he settled on the territory of the Spassky Monastery. It was then that he began to learn the Yakut (Sakhatgla, Sakha, Saqa) language.

It was not long after this that Archbishop Innocent transferred his son-in-law Priest Ilya Petelin from Kamchatka to the recently-established town of Mariinsk, on the Amur River, and about 200 km west of Nikolayevsk. After a time of service in Russian America, Father Ilya Petelin and Matushka Katherine had been transferred to Kamchatka, where they worked very hard. There, they opened a school for boys, and through it they successfully began their evangelical preaching and teaching. There, they built a Temple, in which the number of baptised Kamchatka residents increased to 925. However, because of the missionary rigours, Father Ilya had become unwell, and the family had become very poor.

Archpastoral visit to the Yakutsk region

In January, 1854, Archbishop Innocent, concerned about caring for the widely-separated people of this region, began a 6-week archpastoral visit. In this region, it was possible to travel by horse. During his general survey of the Lena River region and also the interior reaches, he and his companions travelled about 4,249 km (2,640 mi). Vladyka was able to determine where there were any settlements, and he also encountered people living in the boreal forest and tundra areas. He discovered that there were many nominal Christians (most of whom had converted for the sake of receiving some sort of goods or money) after already 200 years of exposure to the Church. He understood that in order to provide the people with the authentic Orthodox Christian Faith, it was necessary to find and provide many more properly trained missionaries who would not bribe people to become Christian, but who would accept only those who sincerely wished to become Christians. This was Vladyka Innocent's main missionary method. He further confirmed his previous perception that more clergy were crucially needed. Of the 15 priests for this region, only 9 were capable of coping with the necessary travel. In fact the ratio of the 15 priests to people was 1 for 6,000 people. Of course, since only 9 could circulate on the land, the actual number of people per priest would be rather higher. He considered that if clergy could be borrowed from other dioceses, the proportion of 1 priest per 2,000 people could be more manageable. He was nevertheless pleased with the people who received him warmly and supported his travels. They showed that they understood something at least about their Faith.

In 1854, having returned to Yakutsk, he set about building and amending the monastery buildings. Translation work was never ceasing. It was about this time that a Russian naval expedition finally coerced the Japanese Empire to allow commercial and diplomatic exchanges with the Russian Empire. The Russian author Ivan Goncharov had been with this expedition, and afterwards he remained in the Far East for a time. He found himself in Yakutsk in early 1857, at which time, he became somewhat involved in the translation work of Archbishop Innocent. In his book "Frigate Pallada", he described Vladyka Innocent and his translation labours. Many of the clergy knew the Yakut language, and they would gather in Vladyka Innocent's cell, where they worked on the final review of the translation of the Gospel according to Matthew. He recounted that a Yakut grammar was now available. Vladyka Innocent also explained that making a literal translation from Russian to Yakut made nonsense because the grammar was so different ; but once they had received the necessary inspiration about the proper way to express the Holy Gospel in this language, new vistas opened regarding the Gospel and service books. Ivan Goncharov further commented that amongst the Tungusic peoples, advances had also been made by the missionaries. The Holy Gospel according to Matthew as well as some services had already been translated, and a grammar had been established ; but much more literacy amongst the peoples was required before printing could be envisaged.

Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, Yakutsk (1869/1993)

The Crimean War (October, 1853, to February, 1856) did not interrupt the activity of Vladyka Innocent. However, there was an incident.

Pastoral visits in Yakutia

In the spring of 1855, Vladyka set out on his pastoral rounds. He went first for a second review of Yakutia, then to Ayan, and from there to the Amur River. He was providentially late for catching the brig "Okhotsk", which was then sunk by the enemy, the British (during the Crimean War). He was nevertheless captured by the British in Ayan. He was arrested after he had served a Moleben in the Temple, before which for some days he had been baptising, teaching and serving the Divine Liturgy. The "arrest" was followed by his inviting them to tea in his quarters. This was followed by an amicable conversation with their superior. Then the chief-in-command received Vladyka Innocent aboard ship with generous hospitality. By his humble and spiritual intervention, he managed to convince the British to release not only himself and his companions, but also the Russian priest they had captured. All this was followed by peaceable conversation for several weeks. They all left the port of Ayan unscathed. Vladyka Innocent then spent all of August in Nikolayevsk, (now called Nikolayevsk-on-Amur) with his son Gabriel and his flock (which consisted mainly of Ghilyaks). It had now been 5 years since the settlement of this village. At that time, Vladyka was delighted with the birth of a grandson. He returned to Yakutsk in September, 1855. It was at about this time that the Priest Innocent Gromov was also assigned to the Nikolayevsk missionary area.

Pastoral visits in the Amur River region

On 11 February, 1856, Vladyka Innocent began another attempt to visit the Amur River region. Taking the safer, inland route, he went first to Irkutsk. There, he recruited a priest, 2 deacons (seminary graduates), and 3 lesser clergy for the new missions. With them, he crossed the frozen Lake Baikal to Kyakhta (at the mouth of the Kyakhta River) in time to celebrate the Feast of Pascha in early April. This town was just at the border with Manchuria. After portages, they reached the beginning of the Amur River, where they boarded barges that carried them downriver. On 27 May, he met the Governor of Trans-Baikalia, who informed them that there was no obstacle to their continuing to use the river.

On 29 May, they arrived at Aigun, a Manchurian town. There, Vladyka invited the Chinese authorities aboard, but they instead invited him to visit them. He accepted the invitation. He sent wine and canapés before he arrived on the shore, and there he met 2 Chinese governors. They had long conversations with many cups of tea. The communication required 2 translators in either direction : between Chinese and Mongolian, and then to Russian (and the reverse). From there, Vladyka was able to continue his voyage. After his various encounters and his general survey of the situation along the Amur River, Vladyka Innocent wrote a report to the Ober-Prokurator Alexander Karasevskiy, entitled “Something about the Amur River”, in which, based on personal observations and surveys, he substantiated a continuation of the navigating of the Amur River and the populating its shores. He included in his remarks :

 Present circumstances make it quite clear that the See of the Diocese of Kamchatka ought 
 to be located on the Amur, where there are already more than 5,000 inhabitants in addition 
 to the locals who, some say, number from 30,000 to 70,000.  

When they began to consider possible sites (were this to be blessed), it was determined that Nikolayevsk was too close to the ocean and too vulnerable to enemy attack. Lack of availability of building supplies (trees) also limited the development.

On 13 July, 1856, the Priest Gabriel Veniaminov was elevated to the dignity of archpriest.

On the way back, Vladyka Innocent encountered very strong winds, but he safely returned to Yakutsk on 1 December, 1856.

1857 pastoral visits

In early 1857, Archbishop Innocent was travelling again. He went first to the Vilyuy and Olekma Rivers (both tributaries to the Lena River), where he visited what people he could find. He returned by the Feast of Pascha in early April.

He had intended then to go to visit Russian-America in early July, 1857, but he received a summons to go to Saint Petersburg to attend a session of the Most Holy Synod. Therefore, instead of sailing east, he returned to Yakutsk in order to prepare for such a trip.

Meanwhile, Vladyka Innocent's son, Archpriest Gabriel Veniaminov was active in missionary activities. During just one of his missionary travels, in June, 1857, Father Gabriel brought 154 people from paganism to Christianity.

1858, Treaty of Aigun

Vladyka Innocent departed Yakutsk for Saint Petersburg on 21 January, 1858, after the Feasts of the Nativity and Theophany.

His way was to be circuitous. En route, he spent the Feast of Pascha in Irkutsk.

Soon after Pascha, 1858, in company with the governor-general, Nikolay Nikolayevich Muravyev, he travelled along the Amur River in order to participate in the negotiations with the Chinese ambassadors about the border between the Russian Empire and the Chinese Empire.

Ust-Zeisk, Zeya River

On 17 May, 1858, they arrived at the Ust-Zeisk settlement at the mouth of the Zeya River.

On 21 May, 1858, Vladyka Innocent blessed the foundation-stone and established a new Temple in Ust-Zeisk. He named the future Temple "Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos".

On 24 May, 1858, the negotiations began between representatives of the Qing Empire and the officials of the Russian Foreign Ministry, led by N N Muravyev. They met in the Manchurian town Aigun. The negotiations lasted for 5 days, and they were accompanied by numerous ceremonies in accordance with Chinese and Russian customs.

The boats of N N Muravyev at Aigun

On 28 May, 1858, a new peace treaty, the Treaty of Aigun, was signed, under the terms of which the entire left bank (the whole Russian Amur region to the north) of the Amur River was recognised as being Russian territory.

Signing the Treaty of Aigun

On 29 May, 1858, Nikolay N Muravyev and his entourage solemnly returned to the Ust-Zeisk settlement. There, Archbishop Innocent immediately served a Moleben of Thanksgiving.

On 30 May, 1858, during a gala reception held on the occasion of the signing of the agreement, N N Muravyev congratulated all the participants with these words :

 Countrymen ! Congratulations ! We did not work in vain : the Amur became the property of Russia. 
 The Holy Orthodox Church is praying for you ! Russia - thanks ! Long live Emperor Alexander 
 and his newly-acquired country flourishing under his protection.  Hoorah ! 

Vladyka Innocent addressed these words to Nikolay Nikolayevich :

 Our Orthodox Church will never, never forget you, for she remembers those who have founded but 
 a single church, while you, O chosen one of God, have opened the possibility, the hope, the 
 prospects for thousands of churches to be built in this boundless Amur Basin. 

Count Nikolay N Muravyev-Amursky and his wife Ekaterina

Although it was not being mentioned in this context, the Amur River Basin was not the only concern with regard to populating this region with Russians. Just to the east of the mouth of the Amur River, and not far from Nikolayevsk, lay Sakhalin Island, a very long island of strategic importance, which was also being populated with Russians at that time, particularly in its northern part. It already had a large population of indigenous Ainu people and others, but Russians were now being added.

The fact that Vladyka Innocent had been the visionary undercurrent and true moving force behind this whole project was not mentioned in any open manner, although by his behaviour Nikolay Nikolayevich certainly understood this. At the same time, in Vladyka Innocent's humility, he would avoid drawing attention to himself. His role may have been completely overlooked by others in "high places" because of the prevalence of the politics of the time. Regardless, amongst the many gifts he had been given, Archbishop Innocent had been given a gift from God to be able to see the potential for a great many things. He had many years before, by God's mercy, foreseen the importance of what had now been accomplished and how important this was (most particularly for the Church). One might say that from his perspective, the political benefit was the "fringe benefit", whereas the immense missionary potential was the true substance. Indeed, open recognition came only posthumously in 1881 with a statement by Admiral Zavoiko.

On 2 June, 1858, the text of the treaty and a plan of further actions proposed by N N Muravyev were sent for familiarisation to Emperor Alexander II. After N N Muravyev achieved the solution for this difficult task with the delimitation of territories, Emperor Alexander II elevated Nikolay N Muravyev to the dignity of Count. The word "Amur" was added to the name, which became "Muravyev-Amurksy". More than 200 people who participated in the signing of the contract were given an award.

Emperor Alexander II

At this time, Archbishop Innocent received word from Ayan that Archimandrite Peter (Ekaterinovsky), together with the faculty and staff from the seminary in Novo-Arkhangelsk had arrived, and that they were on their way to Yakutsk, to establish the new seminary there. With this, he quickly made his way to Yakutsk for the purpose of facilitating the establishing of the seminary. Archimandrite Peter and the teachers and students had settled everything by 12 September, 1858, and the beginning of teaching occurred on 17 September. At the end of that year, Archimandrite Peter was relieved of his responsibilities as rector of the seminary, in view of his pending major change in responsibility.

Vladyka Innocent continues his journey towards Saint Petersburg

In late June, 1858, Archbishop Innocent was finally able to continue his journey westwards to Saint Petersburg in order to participate in the work of the Most Holy Synod, in accordance with the summons of the previous year. He arrived in the capital in August of that year.

Archbishop Innocent remained in the capital for 4 months, during which he settled matters concerning the printing of translations of the Holy Scriptures into the Yakut language. He also visited with his daughter, the nun Polyksenia.

These months proved to be frosty for the archbishop. In stark contrast to his last visit, he found that Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov) had been in virtual exile in his own Diocese of Moscow since 1842. Vladyka Innocent perceived that without the guiding strength of the metropolitan, the lively expression of the Orthodox Faith of the former days seemed now to have become politicised and paralysed. The disposition of the bishops and the Ober-prokurator seemed now to have become that of cynical administrators rather than compassionate pastors. Missionary activity and education had fallen to the bottom of priority.

Despite the sometimes hostile atmosphere that he had encountered in the capital, much to his deep concern, his participation in the work of the supreme body of Church administration helped to resolve the matter of the opening of vicariates in Novo-Arkhangelsk and in Yakutsk. At that time, there was enough support within the administration that it was ultimately determined to assign 2 Vicar-Bishops to support Vladyka Innocent. Vladyka Innocent kept the eyes of his heart open and alert regarding possible candidates.

On 20 December, 1858, by order of Emperor Alexander II, the Amur Region was formally founded. Blagoveshchensk became its centre of administration. The city became an outpost of Russia on the banks of the Amur River, for the purpose of protecting the country's Far Eastern borders.

1859, transfer of the diocesan centre to Blagoveshchensk

On 2 January, 1859, through the efforts of Archbishop Innocent of Kamchatka, the Kuril and Aleutian Islands, the centre of this see (together with its administration) was transferred from Yakutsk to Blagoveshchensk. This change was undertaken in harmony with the imperial naming of this city as the regional centre. (On 17 July, 1858, the name of Ust-Zeisk had been changed to "Blagoveshchensk" (Annunciation), and Blagoveshchensk had been made a city by an imperial decree.)

By this time in January, Vladyka Innocent had received word that Archimandrite Peter (Ekaterinovsky) and the seminarians from Novo-Arkhangelsk in Russian-America had arrived in Ayan. Therefore, as soon as possible in January, 1859, Archbishop Innocent took the blessing and made his departure eastwards. It was necessary that he be present in Yakutsk in order to aid in the establishment of the seminary within the monastery, and to supervise the beginning of studies.

On his way, as is customary, he made stops to visit each of the bishops in the 8 dioceses through which he passed. It was to his great sadness that he encountered en route yet more evidence of the less than pastoral and missionary disposition of the bishops and their administrations. He recognised that the aloofness of the bishops from their people left everyone vulnerable to the activities of various sorts of sectarians. Church schools were in decay.

When he arrived in Yakutsk, Vladyka Innocent learnt that his cells in the Spassky monastery had burnt down, and with them the manuscripts of translations and scientific works. Despite this shock, he did not have time to grieve, since with the annexation of the Amur region, his pastoral and administrative burdens had increased significantly. Moreover, he also received word that the episcopal ordination of Archimandrite Peter (Ekaterinovsky) for Novo-Arkhangelsk had been approved. Immediately, the archbishop and the archimandrite made their way to Irkutsk.

1859, Episcopal ordination of Bishop Peter (Ekaterinovsky)

On 29 March, 1859, in the Irkutsk Holy Epiphany Cathedral, Archimandrite Peter (Ekaterinovsky) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate by Archbishop Innocent (Veniaminov) of Yakutsk and Archbishop Evsebiy (Orlinsky) of Irkutsk. Bishop Peter (Ekaterinovsky) was assigned to be the Bishop of Novo-Arkhangelsk and Vicar-Bishop of the Kamchatka Diocese.

Afterwards, Bishop Peter (Ekaterinovsky) departed for Russian-America, and Archbishop Innocent returned to Yakutsk. There, he attended to the development of the seminary, to the improvement of the state of affairs of the office, and of the parishes round about. He was also preparing for the future move of the diocesan centre to Blagoveshchensk.

Bishop Peter (Ekaterinovsky) of Novo-Arkhangelsk

A major worker in the project of translating various texts and preparing them for printing had been Priest Dimitry Khitrov, whom Vladyka Innocent had ordained in 1841. He had been sent as an emissary for Vladyka Innocent to the Most Holy Synod in Saint Petersburg with regard to the preparations for printing. Vladyka Innocent urged Father Dimitry to consult with the authorities in Saint Petersburg regarding the acceptable use of paraphrase for the cases in which the Yakut language had no equivalent words, particularly in the translation of the Gospel according to Matthew. There would be a bilingual preface to the Gospel according to Matthew in which the matter of non-equivalent words would be very carefully explained. Following the exhortation of the Apostle in Ephesians 4:3, he exhorted Father Dimitry not to make any unilateral changes without consultation with the committee.

Father Dimitry returned sometime early in 1859 not only with permissions, but also with printed copies of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew and a large number of copies of various liturgical texts. By July, 1859, preparations were complete for blessing the beginning of using the service-books in the various parish communities.

On 19 July, 1859, in the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Yakutsk, before the beginning of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy (after the entrance of the archbishop and his vesting), the clergy came solemnly before the archbishop, and they presented the books upon a table. Vladyka Innocent then read the prayers of blessing, and he sprinkled them with Holy Water. The books went into immediate use in the midst of a very overcrowded Temple. Particularly upon hearing for the first time the Divine Liturgy in their own language, the people were profoundly affected. Some were so affected that they fell on their knees. Even in the case of one Russian who spoke Yakut, he remarked that when the Canonical Hours were read in that language, he comprehended that he could understand the meaning of the words very much better than he could when he heard the Church Slavonic that he had been exposed to all his life. The people themselves were so delighted that they asked that this date be added to the annual ecclesiastical calendar of festal celebrations in that region.

Through such an experience, many times to be repeated, Vladyka Innocent was reinforced in his determination to feed the spiritual flock by providing such nourishment.

During a recent trip across Russia, Archbishop Innocent had met the Priest Peter Popov, who had a very positive reputation in Krasnoyarsk, a city in the Yenisei Governorate, a city by the Yenisei River (west from Irkutsk). He recognised the potential in this priest, and he had become aware that his Matushka Iriada was very ill.

In early 1860, the wife of the Priest Peter Popov, Iriada (born Shastina) fell asleep in the Lord.

On 10 February, Vladyka Innocent received the blessing that he proceed with the episcopal ordination of the Priest Peter Popov for the Yakutsk Vicariate of the Kamchatka Diocese. He was notified that Father Peter had already been dispatched to Irkutsk.

Soon thereafter, in Irkutsk, Archbishop Innocent tonsured Father Peter to be a monk. He gave the newly-tonsured the name Paul.

On 2 March, 1860, the Hieromonk Paul (Popv) was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite.

1860, Episcopal ordination of Bishop Paul (Popov)

On 6 March, in the Holy Epiphany Cathedral in Irkutsk, Archimandrite Paul (Popov) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate by Archbishop Innocent (Veniaminov) of Yakutsk and Archbishop Evsebiy (Orlinsky) of Irkutsk.

Bishop Paul (Popov) was assigned to serve as the Bishop of Yakutsk, and Vicar-Bishop of the Kamchatka Diocese.

After a week of intensive instruction, Bishop Paul set off for Yakutsk, in order to begin his very challenging work.

On 31 March, 1860, Bishop Paul arrived in Yakutsk. He was met on his arrival by the civil governor of the Yakutsk region of the Irkutsk province Julius Stubendorff. In his responsibilities in Yakutsk, Bishop Paul discovered that not all the clergy were of the one mind regarding the missionary use of conducting services in the Yakut language. Those clergy resisted its introduction. Bishop Paul considered that this resistance expressed a disrespect for the will and the firm direction of Vladyka Innocent.

Bishop Paul (Popov) of Yakutsk

Before the ordination in March in Irkutsk, Archbishop Innocent had fallen ill after having contracted a cold on his way there, and not having had time to take care of it properly before or after his arrival. He completed the ordination and instruction in the midst of his illness, which was later diagnosed to be erysipelas ("Saint Anthony's Fire"). As a consequence, Vladyka Innocent was required to rest until early April. He then set out for the Amur region, but he once more had to stop to rest because of the fever and pain. Nevertheless, he got up and persevered relentlessly on his way despite any inconvenience, since the interior pastoral fire for nourishing the spiritual flock was stronger than the physical fever and pain.

Although Archbishop Innocent had a constant sense of the urgency for the evangelical missionary work, he was also acutely aware of the difficulties and dangers that he and everyone faced. The first concern was the great lack of experienced clergy of all levels who had enough missionary experience and an even greater lack of those who could speak the language of the Goldi People of the Amur region. The second major concern was the lack of faithfulness and the poor behaviour on the part of very many of the Russians who were coming to settle in this region. They were hedonists and opportunists. By contrast, the Goldi people were honest, hard-working and good people. As with others whom Vladyka Innocent had met, the Goldi would find it difficult to believe the missionaries, because the Russian settlers behaved in ways that contrasted starkly with that Holy Gospel which the Goldi had been glad otherwise to hear.

In due time, Archbishop Innocent arrived in Blagoveshchensk. There, he spent about 2 months working on the diocesan centre with its complex of buildings that was being developed. From there, he continued downriver to Khabarovsk. He visited various settlements both of Russians and of the indigenous Goldi. From there, in July, he continued on to Nikolayevsk, where he had time to visit his son, Priest Gabriel Veniaminov and his growing family, which included another grandson.

His attempt to visit Petropavlovsk in Kamchatka was frustrated by the incapacity of the scheduled steamship to complete the voyage. Instead, they stopped in Port de Kastri. From there, he went to Nikolayevsk for the winter. At that time, he encountered the young Hieromonk Nikolay (Kasatkin), who was about to begin missionary work in Japan. Because they spent the winter in the same town, they had many conversations which were invaluable for the young missionary. Vladyka Innocent awarded him with a pectoral Cross, one he had himself been previously given, and he also made a new and appropriate cassock/soutane for the young hieromonk. Father Nikolay wisely heeded the advice of Vladyka Innocent that he learn and employ the Japanese language in the course of his missionary work.

Saint Nicholas Sobor, Nikolayevsk

Peking Convention, 1860

The 1858 Treaty of Aigun itself paved the way for another final agreement and treaty which was accomplished in October, 1860, by Count Nikolay Pavlovich Ignatiev at the Convention of Peking in China. Although this treaty primarily concerned the establishment of English and French business and colonial interests, as a consequence of the interventions of N P Ignatiev, the treaty also ceded parts of Outer Manchuria to the Russian Empire.

This agreement granted Russia the right to the "Ussuri krai" (part of the modern day "Primorye"), the territory that corresponded with the ancient Manchu province of East Tataria. In English, this province, and the Tatar Strait between Sakhalin Island and the mainland are often given as "Tartary", which is both a mistake and a misleading word. For those who are aware, "Tartary" is the lowest and darkest part of Hades.

Encounter and meetings with Hieromonk Nikolai (Kasatkin) in Japan, 1861

In 1861, after having spent the winter in Nikolayevsk, during which he visited such communities as the weather permitted, Vladyka Innocent then returned for some time to visit communities along the Amur River in the spring. Since he wished to attempt again to go to Kamchatka, he found a ship that was to sail there in August. He therefore boarded the clipper ship "Gaidamak", a naval sail-steamship bound for Petropavlovsk.

Clipper "Gaidamak"

Providential escape in disaster

After arriving on the nearby Sakhalin Island, they stopped for several days. At that time, a strong storm suddenly overtook them. It tore the ship from its moorings. Lacking an anchor, the ship was blown about amidst towering waves. Vladyka Innocent prayed calmly ; during the night, the ship was grounded on a sand-bar. Everyone was taken safely off the ship, which then broke up. Once everyone was on land, Vladyka Innocent began a Moleben of Thanksgiving service, during which everyone was kneeling. A popular saying is : "Whoever has not been to the sea has not prayed to God". Later, when the chief or the local Russian administration arrived at the scene of the accident, he offered Vladyka and his retinue passage on the ship "America" as far as Japan. He arrived at Hakodate, Japan, on 9 September, 1861.

Another meeting with Father Nikolai (Kasatikin)

It was there and then that Vladyka Innocent and the Hieromonk Nikolai (Kasatkin) had a further 2 weeks of conversation. Father Nikolai had been assigned to the chaplaincy of the Russian Consulate in that city. Hakodate is on Hokkaido Island, and the Ainu People who are numerous on this island were also very numerous at that time on Sakhalin Island. These long meetings with Archbishop Innocent proved to be invaluable for the young hieromonk's future missionary labours. No classes in the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy could have prepared Father Nikolai for this work. From this encounter with Vladyka Innocent, he understood the importance of learning Japanese in order to be able to share the Holy Gospel with the people amongst whom he now lived. He followed the example of his mentor in every way. Although he faced very many difficulties, through the prayers of his mentor, the missionary labour bore fruit.

Seven years after this meeting, Father Nikolai, having learnt to read and write in the Japanese language, began to translate service-books and the Holy Scriptures into Japanese.

Saint Archbishop Nikolai (Kasatkin) of Japan

On 5 October, 1861, the corvette "Kalavala" (a ship of the Pacific Fleet on its way to San Francisco) arrived with Vladyka Innocent at Petropavlovsk, where he disembarked.

Corvette "Kalavala"

Archpastoral visit to Kamchatka and Nikolayevsk

During the following month, Vladyka Innocent prepared for a pastoral visit. In November, he set out with his retinue on a trip round about the peninsula by dog-sled. This took 28 days. The 2 blizzards they encountered stopped their progress for more than 40 hours each time. He found that although the visit took longer than when he was younger, the usual pains that he suffered were very much ameliorated.

At the conclusion of this archpastoral visit, he returned first to Nikolayevsk, and then when the weather permitted in 1862, he travelled up-river to Blagoveshchensk. As usual, in each village, he stopped to offer liturgical services and to provide the people with consolation and empathy in their difficult situations in life.

In reflecting on this particular pastoral visitation after a 10-year gap, Vladyka Innocent noticed that there was a certain weakening in the devotion of both the clergy and the people. He remarked that it was obvious that the Faithful needed to see their archpastor on a more frequent basis. On the other hand, the immensity of the territory for which he was responsible made it extremely difficult to provide the needed supervision. He was quite aware that through regular visits, the archpastor could know both the people and their needs, and the people could know and benefit from contact with their archpastor. Over all, Vladyka Innocent (both as a priest before, and now as an archbishop) had the strength and love not only to preach to, but also to live with and keep the dignity of and learn from the various peoples he had served for more than 40 years.

Transfer of the episcopal residence to Blagoveshchensk, 1862

In the summer of 1862, Archbishop Innocent transferred his residence officially to Blagoveshchensk (Annunciation). This residence included a building for the administrative offices of the diocese. Besides this, monastic buildings were erected, including a chapel for the monks there. The group of buildings were about 6 in number.

In that same year, Vladyka Innocent expressed to the Most Holy Synod the need for a monastery to be established in the Far East coast. He understood, as did the Most Holy Synod, that this project was indeed an important consideration, but that it was beyond the available resources at the time. Nevertheless, more than a century later, the Monastery of Saint Nicholas was established later in the Diocese of Vladivostok, in the Kirovsky county of Primorsky.

Also in 1862, Vladyka Innocent transferred his son, Archpriest Gabriel Veniaminov and his family to Blagoveshchensk. There, he was assigned to be the dean of the cathedral, and dean of the Middle Amur Deanery. In 1863, he was also assigned to work in the diocesan offices.

On 23 October, 1863, Vladyka Innocent assigned Archpriest Gabriel Veniaminov to serve as member of the Kamchatka consistory. Vladyka then sent him to Moscow and Saint Petersburg during 1865-1866 in order to collect donations for the construction of Temples in the Amur region. In fulfilling this task, Father Gabriel was greatly assisted by Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, who had organised a special fund in Moscow to receive these donations. Especially large contributions were made by the chief board of the Russian-American company and by the Moscow merchant G M Kornilov. After returning to Blagoveshchensk on 29 September, 1866, Father Gabriel was assigned to serve as a member of the committee for the arrangement of Temples and chapels in the Amur region. On 20 February, 1867, he received official archpastoral gratitude for his work. By 1870, the donations collected included 40 thousand roubles in silver, as well as vestments and various utensils. All this allowed the diocese to build and equip 15 Orthodox Christian Temples in the Amur region. Because of subsequent government subsidies, it became possible to invite priests from other dioceses.

Founding of the Annunciation Cathedral, Blagoveshchensk, 1864

Until 1864, the Saint Nicholas Temple, built by the Cossacks in 1857, served as the cathedral in Blagoveshchensk. According to the project of Vladyka Innocent (and with his direct participation in the city) a cathedral was founded (sanctified in 1864) in honour of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Original Annunciation Cathedral, Blagoveshchensk

Modern Blagoveshchensk Annunciation Cathedral

The spiritual flock grew rapidly. Amongst the inhabitants of the Amur region, there were many good Christians who, having barely settled in a new place, immediately began to build a Temple in that place.

On his travels, Vladyka sanctified 2 or 3 new Temples annually. He would arrive at the consecration site of the Temple in advance and he always had a box with carpentry tools with him. He would build the Holy Table himself, and the next day he would bless it. In those villages where there were Temples, Archbishop Innocent would certainly celebrate the Divine Liturgy ; and where there was neither a Temple nor a chapel, there he led the reading of the Hours, and either the Divine Liturgy or other prayer services in the open air for the assembled people. After the service, he always talked with the residents : he taught them not only to pray, but also to work. He offered advice on agriculture, livestock breeding and other everyday wisdom, including beekeeping, and always presented parishioners with small icons and Crosses.

The Goldi people continued to be baptised, and for them, through the efforts of Archbishop Innocent, a Temple and a school were established.

On 4 April, 1865, Archbishop Innocent was assigned to serve as a permanent member of the Most Holy Governing Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Increasing ailments with age

By this time, Vladyka Innocent was feeling the approach of old age : his eyesight was weakening, his strength and good health began to leave him, and he was troubled with arthritis. He wrote a letter to Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov), in which he expressed his desire to settle in retirement and peace in a monastery in Moscow.

However, the holy Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow wrote to him and asked him not to leave the flock, because he was still part of the whole foundation of the diocese, much in the manner of the Holy Apostle Paul.

 Unlike us, you did not build upon another's foundations ; like the Apostle, you, yourself, 
 laid foundations for churches [see Romans 15:20 ; 1 Corinthians 3:10], and they would be 
 strengthened anew were the remains of your immense work to be laid atop them.  You son 
 is a precious servant of the Church there.  He can still minister greatly to the 
 salvation of souls and find great recompense.  [...] I have no intention of closing 
 Moscow to you, but in my inseparable love for you and the Church, I do not wish your 
 flock to suffer loss.  

He asked Vladyka Innocent to do what was necessary in order to preserve his eyesight and health for the sake of serving the Church. His letter concluded :

 May the Lord tell you what is pleasing to Him, and what is good for you and His Church.  
 Pray for me.  

This was the last letter he received from the holy metropolitan.

In September, 1867, Bishop Peter (Ekaterinovsky) met Archbishop Innocent in Yakutsk. Bishop Peter had repeatedly expressed how difficult the climate in Novo-Arkhangelsk was for him. At this time, Bishop Paul (Popov) was sent to serve in Novo-Arkhangelsk, and Bishop Peter served temporarily as the Bishop of Yakutsk. Bishop Paul understood that Novo-Arkhangelsk would be a suitable location for him, and he was ready to go.

This exchange of bishops in Novo-Arkhangelsk and North America took place in the context of the sale of Russian America (now known as the Alaskan Territory) to the USA. This sale officially took place on 30 March, 1867. The conjunction of these events strengthened Archbishop Innocent's hopes regarding the further development of the Orthodox Christian mission in North America. He was already very aware of the need to transfer the see-city south to San Francisco, but also towards the use of the English language in order to facilitate this development. Already, he was suggesting to the ober-prokurator that the North American Vicariate be subordinated to Saint Petersburg or to some other suitable city with better and faster communication possibilities.

On 19 November, 1867, Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov) fell asleep in the Lord. Vladyka Innocent was greatly saddened at his departure, since they had had a strong friendship for more than 25 years.

Election to be Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, 1868

On 6 January, 1868 (the Feast of the Theophany of Christ), an urgent message from Saint Petersburg arrived in Blagoveshchensk. This message informed the deeply astounded Archbishop Innocent that on 5 January, 1868, by decision of the Most Holy Synod and by decree of the emperor, he had been elected and assigned to be the Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, successor to Metropolitan (Saint) Philaret (Drozdov).

At that time, Archbishop Innocent (Veniaminov) had been elevated to the dignity of metropolitan.

After reading the dispatch, the face of Vladyka Innocent changed. He was very thoughtful for several minutes. Then he withdrew, and he remained alone all day ; at night he prayed long and hard, kneeling. Then, with deep humility, on 7 January (the Feast of the Forerunner after the Theophany), Vladyka Innocent accepted this new responsibility, and he began to pack for his departure.

In his letter to the ober-prokurator, Vladyka Innocent reminded him that because of weather and travel difficulties, he would not likely appear in Moscow until May. Responding to the request of the ober-prokurator, Metropolitan Innocent nominated Bishop Benjamin (Blagonravov) of Selinginsk, a Vicar-Bishop of the Irkutsk Diocese. as a candidate to succeed him in Blagoveshchensk. He pointed out to the ober-prokurator that Bishop Benjamin was already quite familiar with missionary work, with travelling, with the Amur Region, and with administrative matters.

Meanwhile, by the work of Divine Providence, concerns about Yakutsk were solved. Not aware of what had happened regarding Vladyka Innocent, both Bishop Benjamin (Blagonravov) and the Priest Dimitriy Khitrov arrived independently at Blagoveshchensk. By this time, the wife of Father Dimitry Khitrov and fallen asleep in the Lord.

Very soon afterwards, on 7 February, 1868, Father Dimitriy Khitrov was tonsured to be a monk, and he was given the name Dionisiy.

On 9 February, the Feast of Saint Innocent of Irkutsk, the Archimandrite Dionysiy (Khitrov) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate by Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov) and Bishop Benjamin (Blagonravov). Bishop Dionysiy (Khitrov) was assigned to be the Bishop of Yakutsk, and Vicar-Bishop of the Kamchatka Diocese.

These events enabled Metropolitan Innocent to make his departure earlier than anticipated. There followed many services and speeches accompanied with joy and tears as the departure date approached.

Farewell to Blagoveshchensk, travel to Moscow

On 15 February, 1868, after the Divine Liturgy and the Moleben for Travel, Vladyka Innocent set off for Moscow. He was accompanied by his son and faithful assistant Father Gabriel. Wherever he went during his journey, the bishop's entourage was greeted with a festive ringing of bells and warm greetings in the midst of a large crowd of people. For the first time in their lifetime, they were seeing the Metropolitan of Moscow. Vladyka spent the days of Great Lent in Irkutsk. During Holy Week, he withdrew to the Ascension Monastery, where often and for a long time he prayed at the relics of his heavenly patron, Saint Innocent of Irkutsk.

After the Feast of Pascha, Vladyka Innocent visited his native Anga, where he prayed at his family graves for the last time, and he then blessed his fellow countrymen and loved ones. He continued the journey.

Holy Prophet Elias Temple, Anga

When he arrived in Perm, for the sake of the Feast of Pentecost and the Holy Trinity, Vladyka Innocent lingered for several days. From there, having passed the Ural Mountains area, he was now able to travel the next approximately 800 km on the Kama River as far as the Volga River, and then a little north to Kazan, where he was met at the landing.

When he arrived in Kazan, he found waiting for him a letter from the emperor (the 16 April imperial ukaz). The official letter was proclaimed by the protopresbyter of the Kazan cathedral after he had entered together with Archbishop Antoniy (Amphiteatrov). At that time, he was presented with a white metropolitan's klobuk with a diamond Cross, which he placed upon his own head at the shrine of Saint Gury of Kazan.

Having left Kazan, again by boat, and now upon the Volga River, Vladyka Innocent progressed westwards until he arrived at Nizhny-Novgorod on 24 May. There, he was met by a delegation whose responsibility it was to prepare with him for the events of the following day. He then boarded a train for Moscow.

On 25 May, 1868, Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov) was met and greeted by the First See, Moscow. The ringing of all the bells of the city greeted his arrival that evening. He was greeted at the railway station by delegations from all the main elements of the diocese, as well as by his 2 Vicar-Bishops (Bishop Leonid (Krasnopevkov) of Dmitrov and Bishop Ignatiy (Rozhedestvensky) of Mozhaisk). They offered him a copy of the Iveron Icon of the Theotokos, and they escorted him to his quarters in the Holy Trinity Podvoriye. (A "podvoriye" is a representation Temple or embassy Temple.)

Vladyka Innocent then entered his new apartment, that of his holy predecessor.

Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, 1868

On 26 May, 1868, during the Primatial Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Theotokos in the Moscow Kremlin, Metropolitan Innocent (Veniamiov) was enthroned by the Most Holy Synod as the Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna. The essential elements of this service were approximately the same as all the Divine Liturgies that he had previously served. Very many had been served in the context of the poverty, deprivation and cold of his daily life, in the midst of people poor in resources but rich in heart. The cantors, singers and readers in various languages were often inexperienced, and helped by those who came with him on the missionary journeys. For the most part, they had been served in improvised chapels, tents and spartan new Temples. Now, he served before the emperor and royalty, amidst many bishops, clergy and strong singers in a large, historic cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. Metropolitan Innocent was still the same person as always.

Dormition Cathedral, Moscow Kremlin

At the conclusion of the service, Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov) spoke on the steps of the cathedral to the people, with visible and honest humility :

 Who am I, to dare to take up both the word and the authority of my predecessors ? – a student of a 
 distant time, a distant land, and who spent more than half of his life in a distant country ; no more 
 than a humble labourer in an insignificant field of Christ, a teacher of babies and of those young 
 in the Faith.  

Metropolitan Innocent of Moscow and Kolomna

Primatial service

At the time Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov) had come to this responsibility, he had marked 46 years since his ordination to the Holy Priesthood, and he was more than 70 years old.

On 31 May, 1868, Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov) boarded a special train bound for the Holy Trinity-Saint Sergiy Lavra to the north of Moscow.

Holy Trinity-Saint Sergiy Lavra, Sergiev Posad

One of the titles of the Metropolitan of Moscow is "Sacred Archimandrite of the Holy Trinity-Saint Sergiy Lavra". This is a prime reason for his making the monastery his first archpastoral visit. In the Holy Trinity Sobor, in the presence of the Holy Relics of Saint Sergiy (at the south end of the iconostas), he greeted the brotherhood of the holy monastery. He said to them that although he had been a monk officially more than 25 years, he was prepared to learn (now that it was possible) the deeper meaning of monastic life, even from the least-experienced monks there. The metropolitan then went to visit the seminary and academy, where he and the students were introduced to one another. While he participated in hearing the oral exams of students, he made corrections of mistakes in an unexpectedly gentle manner. He also inspected all the rooms and cells and storage spaces of both the monks and the students.

On 11 June, 1868, Archpriest Gabriel Veniaminov was enrolled amongst the clergy of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God Sobor of the Novodevichy Monastery in Moscow.

During all the following years of the primatial service of his father in the Moscow Diocese, Archpriest Gabriel Veniaminov was his closest assistant. During the time of his presbyteral service, Father Gabriel was awarded the Order of Saint Vladimir, 4th degree (in 1858) ; the Order of Saint Anna, 2nd degree (in 1869) ; and the Order of Saint Vladimir, 3rd degree (in 1877).

Metropolitan Innocent remained vigourous, although his eyesight was an increasing difficulty for him. It had been prudent that he brought his son with him.

Soon the life of Metropolitan Innocent flowed on as usual : he got up at 4:00 a.m. and he prayed for an hour in his prayer-chapel. Every morning, he attended the Divine Liturgy and they did not start the service without his blessing. He never missed a single all-night vigil. From 9:00 a.m. and almost the whole day, the reception of visitors of all ranks and classes continued. Because of his approachableness, more than 300 Muscovites would come to his office each week. Amongst them there were many needy and poor people, whom the holy metropolitan helped. He would meet their spiritual and other needs. Financially, he gave away annually about 10,000 roubles from his own personal resources. In the evenings, his grandchildren or his son Gabriel sometimes read something for him, since he could no longer read or write on his own. Whenever possible, he also attended sessions with the grandsons and their tutors (who were deeply impressed by his knowledge). In the evening before going to bed, he also prayed in solitude for about an hour, and he went to bed carefully at ten o'clock in the evening.

Metropolitan Innocent found that his 2 Vicar-bishops were very helpful in their pastoral care for the diocese. It was not vast in area as had been his previous experience, but it was very heavily populated. He visited some of the parishes ; but the Vicar-bishops gave pastoral care to the majority of them, and they visited the metropolitan weekly in order to keep him fully informed about the state of affairs in the parishes and in the diocese as a whole. Despite what might be expected, he remained in his manner and speech as before. His simplicity enabled the people quickly to trust and to love him.

Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov), Archpriest Gabriel Veniaminov, John Veniaminov

Archpastoral visit to the Moscow Diocese, 1868

In September, 1868, Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov) began a visit to the entire Diocese of Moscow. Since his travel was now principally by horse-drawn carriages, he had difficulty becoming accustomed to this comfort, and to the feeling of something like boredom that accompanied the hours of travel in them. He was quite aware that his previous modes of travel had kept him healthy.

In the late autumn, he travelled by railway to Saint Petersburg, where he began his annual time of commitment to the work of the Most Holy Synod. The warm greeting in Saint Petersburg was in sharp contrast to that of his previous visit. His presence at the Holy Synod meetings also seemed to improve the disposition of those involved. His first presentation to his episcopal brothers included his desire that new statutes be written for the seminaries in order to stem the tide of the influence of secularism and modernism that had developed ; that there be changes made in the monasteries in order to restore their vitality ; that there be improvements in the financial support of the parish clergy ; that there be new initiatives to promote missionary work ; that efforts be made towards healing the Old-Believer Schism ; that efforts be made to overcome secularism ; that an ecumenical council be convened to correct various heresies.

His episcopal brethren were receptive, but bureaucratic processes and discussions were such that, at this time, only one initiative went forward : the establishment of a missionary society. Metropolitan Innocent prepared the draft statutes of the Russian Missionary Society, and once they were accepted by the Most Holy Synod, they were forwarded to Emperor Alexander II. In many dioceses, corresponding societies were founded. Metropolitan Innocent's main concern remained the instruction of the people in the truths of the Christian Faith and the Orthodox way of life.

Imperial approval of the Orthodox Missionary Society, 1869

The statutes of the society were approved by imperial decree on 21 November, 1869. The founding of this missionary society constituted a continuation of the service that Metropolitan Innocent had exercised in the Church from the very beginning, when he was first a missionary-priest. Because of the activity of Divine Providence, Metropolitan Innocent was now able to accomplish all sorts of benefits for the whole Church which would have been impossible for him to imagine when he was serving as a missionary priest in the Aleutian Islands.

The Lord had clearly prepared him alone for this work.

Within 10 years, through this missionary society, there would be a multiplication of areas of missionary work ; missionaries would then be amply supported in their work ; 3,000 people per year would be requesting to be received into the Church, and 2,000 per year would be baptised. The Faithful of the Church would by then understand their responsibility in supporting missionary work, and they would do so. Under such circumstances, the beneficial effects of Metropolitan Innocent's life of loving missionary service are simply inestimable.

Various labours of Vladyka Innocent in his service in Christ as Metropolitan of Moscow

Every year, when he was in Moscow for Holy Week, Pascha and Bright Week, Metropolitan Innocent celebrated all the services of these days in one or another of the city's Temples. Besides that, he listened to the Holy Gospels and the Lives of the Saints being read to him by his grandchildren. He also kept a strict fast, and he gave generous alms to the poor. On Thomas Sunday, he returned to Saint Petersburg and to the spring sessions of the Most Holy Synod. He remained there until June, when he returned to Moscow for his pastoral rounds.

Included in his many activities as the Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, was his indefatigable undertaking of the revision of many Church texts that contained errors. Metropolitan Innocent furthered the work of Metropolitans Platon and Philaret regarding the healing of the Old-Believer Schism ; however, although there was noticeable amelioration of the gap, the complete healing did not occur.

When he was visiting the Saint Nicholas-Ukgresh Monastery of Dzerzhinsk, he saw abandoned buildings across the Moscow River from the monastery, in the settlement of Ostrov. Some months later, these buildings and substantial lands were transferred to the Church, and they served as an alms-house thereafter. It cared particularly for poor widows and orphans of deceased clergy.

Holy Transfiguration Catholicon, Nikolo-Ugrezhsky Monastery

In the second year of Metropolitan Innocent's work with the Most Holy Synod, a Department of Iconography was established. Included in its activities were : collecting books and manuals on the subject ; collecting copies of miraculous icons from throughout Russia and other lands ; collecting of artifacts, manuscripts and murals. The department assessed the various guides for painters in order to determine the adequacy of the background theology. The department was given authority to gather all the surplus icons from throughout European Russia so that a commission could determine which ones were worthy of preservation in museums. The rest were released to needy parishes for their use.

In January, 1870, the inaugural meeting of the Missionary Society was begun after a Primatial Divine Liturgy in the Dormition Cathedral in Moscow. The first meeting's attendance was so great that everyone could not be accommodated. Subsequent meetings were convened in larger rooms. Metropolitan Innocent established the first executive. The remaining officials were elected by secret ballot 2 weeks later.

By 1871, the society existed in local chapters in 17 dioceses throughout the empire. The society flourished until the Soviet Union began in 1919.

On 29 March, 1870, a decree was signed by the Most Holy Synod in which the vicariate diocese of Yakutsk was made an independent diocese. The former vicariate of Novo-Arkhangelsk needed special attention since it was likewise being made independent, particularly after the sale of Russian-America to the USA in 1867. Metropolitan Innocent's suggestion was accepted that the diocesan centre was to be moved to San Francisco. Because the whole diocese would be in territory generally hostile towards Russia (besides being mostly Protestant), it required a strong and energetic leader. It was also important that both the bishop and the clergy become fluent in the English Language. Vladyka Innocent also stressed the importance that American citizens be encouraged to enter the priesthood, and that the Divine Liturgy and other services be translated into the English language. Of the 6 candidates for bishop which were proposed, Tsar Alexander II chose Archimandrite John (Mitropolsky). He was ordained to the Holy Episcopate Episcopate in July, 1870.

Cataract surgery, 1871

In 1871, a surgery on one of his eyes was attempted in order to correct a cataract (he had a cataract in each eye).

On 10 May, 1871, the cataract was removed from his right eye (the one with the least sight remaining). However, an infection caused blindness in that eye.

On 18 May, 1871, while he was still bed-ridden and recovering from the surgery, Vladyka Innocent marked the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the Holy Priesthood.

After his recovery, he served the Divine Liturgy by heart, and he also read the prescribed Gospel passages by heart. In other work, his chief support was his son the Archpriest Gabriel, and others besides.

Under these circumstances, Metropolitan Innocent, confined to inaction because of being blind, at first became sad. He asked about his possible retirement to a monastery. However, Tsar Alexander II would not permit this. Rather he provided the necessary assistance for him to carry out his responsibilities. Vladyka Innocent made this request a second time later on, but Tsar Alexander II gave the same answer.

As always, Vladyka Innocent fully surrendered himself to God's will. He accepted his situation, and he returned to work as full of faith, courage and energy as before.

Practical School of Iconography, 1873

In 1873, a Practical School of Iconography was established in Moscow in order to train orphans of clergy who were too poor to be able to afford to enter a seminary.

Metropolitan Innocent raised funds to improve the living conditions of priests, and he established a retirement home for priests.

Thanks to his efforts, a school was created for the daughters of clergy families.

Metropolitan Innocent did not like praise, and he always said :

 The merit does not belong to me.  Many have worked with me.  It happened in my presence, but it was arranged by the will of God.  

He was always sincerely perplexed when people admired his apostolic travels : after all, he would say, he only had to get ready, and then he was taken everywhere.

Changes amongst the Vicar-Bishops of Moscow

On 15 May, 1876, Bishop Leonid (Kasnopevkov) was transferred to become the Archbishop of Yaroslavl and Rostov. He was succeeded by Bishop Nikodim (Belokurov).

On 7 October, 1877, the Vicar-Bishop Nikodim (Belokurov) of Dmitrov, unexpectedly fell asleep in the Lord. During the previous year, his health had deteriorated rapidly.

On 17 December, 1877, Bishop Ignatiy (Rozhdestvensky) was transferred to become the Vicar-bishop in Dmitrov.

On 5 January, 1878, Metropolitan Innocent marked the tenth anniversary of his service as Metropolitan of Moscow, and on this occasion the Moscow clergy gathered at the Metropolitan's Chambers in the Holy Trinity Podvoriye of the Holy Trinity-Saint Sergius Lavra in Moscow, and they presented him with a richly-decorated Iveron Icon of the Mother of God.

Holy Trinity Podvoriye Moscow

On 8 January, 1878, Vladyka Innocent travelled to Saint Petersburg for the continuation of that session of the Most Holy Synod. By that time, matters had developed in such a manner that he had to be concerned with arranging for the situation of the vicar-bishops in Moscow.

On 9 January, 1878, in Saint Petersburg, the recently-widowed Archpriest Alexander Lavrov-Platonov (renowned professor of Canon Law at the Moscow Theological Academy) was tonsured to be a monk, and he was given the name Alexei.

On 15 January, 1878, Archimandrite Ambrose (Klyucharev) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate. Bishop Ambrose (Klyucharev) was assigned to be the Vicar-Bishop of Mozhaisk.

On 11 February, 1878, Bishop Ignatiy (Rozhdestvensky) was transferred from Dmitrov, and he was assigned to serve as the Bishop of Kostroma and Galich.

On 17 March, 1878, the Hieromonk Alexei (Lavrov-Platonov) was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite. He was then assigned to serve as the Abbot of the Savvino Storozhevsky Monastery in the Moscow Diocese.

On 6 April, 1878, Bishop Ambrose (Klyucharev) of Mozhaisk was transferred and he was assigned to be the Vicar-Bishop of Dmitrov (Senior Vicar-Bishop).

After the Feast of Pascha, Metropolitan Innocent found himself so depleted of strength after all the pre-Paschal activities and the multitude of services of Holy Week, Pascha and Bright Week, that he was unable to return to Saint Petersburg for the continuation of the Holy Synod session.

On 30 April, 1878, Archimandrite Alexei (Lavrov-Platonov) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate in Saint Petersburg (without Vladyka Innocent). Bishop Alexei (Lavrov-Platonov) was assigned to serve as the Vicar-Bishop of Mozhaisk (Second Vicar-Bishop).

The Vicar-bishops of Moscow continued their service of support to Metropolitan Innocent as they were being sent to fulfil most of his pastoral responsibilities throughout the Moscow Diocese.

The last year : 1878-1879

However, Vladyka Innocent recovered some strength during the summer. A summer-house (datcha) had been constructed for him, and he spent much of the summer there with his family. He returned to the city on Sundays and Feast-Days only for services. Even there, he kept his usual work routine.

During this summer period, Father Gabriel observed how beneficial this rural environment was for his father. He commented :

 Oh ! If only it were not for his eyes – which now see almost nothing – he'd be like an eagle ! 
 (But may God's will be done.)

By October, Vladyka Innocent still had strength for a procession around the walls of the Kremlin.

By the beginning of the November sessions of the Most Holy Synod, Metropolitan Innocent had again become weak, and he had difficulty standing. He was completely unable to travel to Saint Petersburg for the sessions of the Holy Synod. His last year followed the same pattern as that of his predecessor Metropolitan Philaret. Ten years earlier, Vladyka Innocent had predicted that the short period of energy experienced by Metropolitan Philaret would precede his repose soon afterwards. He had been correct.

The physical condition of Metropolitan Innocent did not again improve. Nevertheless, he remained of clear mind ; he loved social encounters and conversations, and he continued to work as much as possible. His Vicar-bishops and others continued to give him reports about the state of the diocese and about the state of the Church.

In 1879, Metropolitan Innocent was 81 years old. He had served Christ’s Holy Church for 58 years and he was now completely blind. This blindness was not simply that which comes with old age. The "Synaxarion" (the series of books of the lives of saints by month) attributes his blindness to the many years during which he travelled over snow, which magnifies the brilliance of the shining of the sun. Indeed, it is known that cataracts do develop as a consequence of long exposure to very bright light. Nevertheless, at the end of his days, and in his blindness, he continued to serve the Divine Liturgy and other services completely by heart-memory, and as always to administer the the affairs of the Church of Russia. Moreover, this holy man in his later years had been suffering continually from the pain of arthritis, which is usually attributed to the many years of his travel by sea in small skin-boats. The very damp and humid climates in which he worked no doubt contributed to the development of this condition.

Preparation for repose

In this year, Vladyka Innocent also began to suffer from severe dizziness, so that he could scarcely get up from his chair. Sensing the imminence of his repose, he reread his will which was long-previously drawn up. He now changed the will to make it current.

Besides this, he ordered the donation of 6,500 roubles from his own funds to the Temple of Saint Elias in his native village of Anga. He was aware of the needs there for repairs to the building, of the need for additional articles in the Altar, and of the plight of the needy clergy who served this parish.

Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov) obeyed the will of God all his life, and as he prepared for his own departure, he gave a direction for the theme for the sermon to be preached at his funeral : “By the Lord are the foot-steps of a Man directed” (Psalm 36:23/37:23).

It was in the context of such obedience that Vladyka Innocent would be able calmly to prepare for what he certainly knew was coming. He had been long prepared through his experience of life, as related by Paul Garrett :

 Death had never been a preoccupation of Metropolitan Innocent.  [...] It seems clear that living never 
 far from sudden death most of his adult life had given him the kind of serenity and insight which he 
 ascribed to the saints when talking about the Tlingits many years before : 'They [the Tlingits] do not 
 fear death.  Why ? Because they do not know what will come after death.  Likewise, the Christian Martyrs 
 did not fear death.  Why ? Because they sensed – they felt – what would come after death.  Thus, only 
 those who do not know or who do know actively (i.e., who sense) what will come after death can be 
 unafraid of it.  All of us who only know but are not inwardly convinced of the things we hope for –  
 we cannot help but fear death'.  

During Great Lent, without changing his custom, Vladyka Innocent asked every day to be transferred to the Temple for the time of the service. He attended and he worshipped, even though he could not serve actively. On Sundays he would certainly partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Vladyka Innocent still wanted to work and to fulfil his responsibilities. When Bishop Ambrose expressed reluctance to continue bringing him reports and work, Vladyka Innocent replied that this work helped to distract him from his illness.

On Great Monday during Holy Week, the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, especially revered by Metropolitan Innocent, was brought to his chambers from the chapel at the Resurrection Gate of Red Square. He asked to be helped down to his knees ; and having prayed reverently, with tears in his eyes, he kissed the miraculous image. As others noticed, he then became especially calm. At this time, he asked that his last confession be heard, and that the Prayers at the Departure of the Soul be read.

On Great Tuesday, the sacrament of Holy Unction (Anointing) was performed over the sick man. This was given early in the evening by his 2 Vicar-bishops, 4 priests, and a choir of 6. There were also 30 others present. Afterwards, each one approached him to greet him. Of each one, he asked forgiveness, and to each one he gave a blessing.

On Great Wednesday, Saint Innocent ordered his steward, Father Arseny, that he serve the Divine Liturgy of Great Thursday very early. Already at 3:00 a.m., Father Arseny and others came to Vladyka Innocent with the Holy Gifts. When the Holy Mysteries were brought to him, Metropolitan Innocent rose unaided from his chair. He directed that he be vested in his mantiya, epitrahil, cuffs and omophor. Then he said the prayer firmly and distinctly : "I believe, O Lord, and I confess that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the living God [...]". Having received Holy Communion, his face shone, and he repeated several times : “Thank you, Lord ! I thank You that You have vouchsafed me the unworthy to partake of Your Holy Mysteries in full consciousness !"

In the evening of Great Friday, Vladyka asked that the Canon for the Departure of the Soul be read over him, and he then said goodbye to his loved ones. To each he spoke a few words of edification. He asked again that the Canon for the Departure of the Soul be read, and that he again receive the Sacrament of Anointing. He bade farewell to all those who had been serving him, and Vladyka fell into unconsciousness. Then he awoke again, and he asked : "What, have you finished reading ?" He was told that they had finished. He asked : "Why don't they say 'Amen' ?" The reader repeated : "Amen". Then Vladyka signed himself with the sign of the Cross and he said : "Let the will of God be done". These were his last words.

Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov) of Moscow and Kolomna

Repose, 1879

Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov) peacefully reposed in the Lord at 2:45 a.m. on 31 March, 1879 (Great and Holy Saturday morning). While the Divine Liturgy of Great Saturday was being served, the body of Metropolitan Innocent was being vested in the white episcopal vestments of Pascha. His body was then laid out on a table in the Holy Trinity Podvoriye Metropolitan Chambers in the reception hall. Bishop Ambrose (Klyucharev) then offered the first panikhida for the newly-reposed Metropolitan Innocent near this table.

At 11:00 a.m., the great bell of the Ivan the Great Belfry in the Moscow Kremlin announced to the Muscovites the repose of their metropolitan.

Ivan the Great and the Dormition Bell-houses

For 2 days, while the services of Pascha were being celebrated, the citizens of Moscow filed by the body of Metropolitan Innocent as they prayed for him.

On Tuesday, 3 April, 1879, (in Bright Week) the bells began to toll. Bishops, clergy and faithful assembled to form a great and numerous procession. This procession accompanied the transfer of the body of Metropolitan Innocent from the Holy Trinity Podvoriye to the Chudov Monastery (Monastery of the Miracle) in the Kremlin. There, the Divine Liturgy of Bright Tuesday and a Paschal Panikhida were served in a chapel of that monastery. After this, his body was transferred to the Annunciation Temple of the Chudov Monastery, where his body rested next to the relics of Saint Alexei (Biakont) of Moscow. People then resumed passing by his body resting there, and to pray for him. They continued to do this throughout the night until the next service.

On Wednesday, 4 April, 1879, the Divine Liturgy of Bright Wednesday, was served by Archbishop Makariy (Bulgakov) of Lithuania and Vilna, Bishop Ambrose (Klyucharev) and Bishop Alexei (Lavrov-Platonov), together with the senior clergy of the Diocese of Moscow in the Cathedral Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in the Moscow Kremlin. After the Divine Liturgy, the same bishops, as well as Bishop John (Mitropolsky) served the Funeral Service for the Burial of a Hierarch. Very many attended the services, and they came to make their farewells to Metropolitan Innocent.

After the completion of the funeral services, a great procession formed. From every Temple in the Kremlin there issued forth clergy, and lay-people who carried Crosses, banners and icons. Then the body of Metropolitan Innocent was carried through a passageway in the midst of the throng that was edged by people holding banners until the gates of the Kremlin. All the bells in the Kremlin were ringing. From there, a horse-drawn hearse carried the coffin through the crowded city streets to the railway station, where Archbishop Makariy was waiting to meet the coffin. At the railway station, the archbishop served another Paschal Panikhida, and the metropolitan's coffin was placed in the prepared carriage. Then the train proceeded north slowly towards Sergiyev Posad and to the Holy Trinity-Saint Sergius Lavra.

At 4:00 p.m. the bells of the Lavra were ringing. Bishops Ambrose and John were at the station when the train arrived. They and the clergy were vested in Paschal white vestments. The procession began towards the Lavra, and the whole route was lined with monks and faithful people. When the procession entered the Lavra, it went immediately to the Holy Trinity Sobor of the monastery (where rest the Holy Relics of Saint Sergiy of Radonezh). In this Sobor, a Paschal Panikhida was then served. The metropolitan's body remained in this Temple overnight, and once again there were long lines of people passing by his body throughout the night (the coffin was open, as customary) to say farewell to the Sacred Archimandrite of the Lavra, and to pray for him. As before throughout the week, at the times when there were no services, the Holy Gospels were being read constantly.

On Thursday, 5 April, 1879, after a Paschal Divine Liturgy and panikhida were served, the body of Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov) was interred, next to the grave of Saint Philaret (Drozdov) in the Temple of the Holy Spirit, and also beside Saint Maxim the Greek.

— Bishop of Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands in Russia, and the Aleutian Islands in Russian America 1840-1850. Preceded by : See was created. Succeeded by : Bishop Peter (Ekaterinovsky), Bishop Paul (Popov).

— Archbishop of Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands, and the Aleutian Islands in Russian America 1850-1852.

— Archbishop of Yakutsk, Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands, and the Aleutian Islands in Russian America 1853-1867. Preceded by : See was created. Succeeded by : Bishop Peter (Ekaterinovsky).

— Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna 1867-1879. Preceded by : Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov). Succeeded by : Metropolitan Makariy (Bulgakov).

Glorification, 1977

In March, 1974, at the regular meeting of the Holy Synod of Bishops of The Orthodox Church in America, the question was raised about the glorification of Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov) of Moscow and Kolomna, the ever-memorable Enlightener of Alaska.

On 8 May, 1974, the American hierarchs asked the Church of Russia in Moscow to study the question of the possible glorification of Metropolitan Innocent, if the Holy Spirit and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church deigned. Although Metropolitan Innocent had served both as priest and bishop in North America, he was nevertheless a bishop of the Church of Russia, and the decision belonged to the Church of Russia.

It required 3 years to study carefully the testimonies of his life and equally his apostolic writings collected in the USA and in the saint’s homeland. It may be that this amount of time reflects the fact that the authorities of the Soviet Union were officially atheistic, and that they exerted limitations upon the Church.

On 6 October (23 September Old-style), 1977, the Russian Orthodox Church, acting on the official request of The Orthodox Church in America, glorified (canonised) Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov) as a saint.

They gave him the title "Enlightener of the Aleuts, Apostle to America".

Saint Innocent of Moscow, Enlightener of the Aleuts, Apostle to North America

Feast-days

The Feast-day of Saint Innocent is celebrated 3 times a year : on 31 March (13 April), the date of his repose ; on 23 September (6 October), the anniversary of his glorification ; 5 October, the Synaxis of the Holy Moscow Hierarchs.

In 1994, Saint Innocent's Holy Relics were uncovered in the Holy Spirit Temple at the Holy Trinity-Sergius Lavra in Sergeiev Posad. Now, in Russia, the relics are venerated in the Dormition Sobor of the Holy Trinity-Saint Sergius Lavra. They are also venerated in North America and elsewhere (in icons containing particles of his body).

Tropar (Tone 4)

O Holy Hierarch, Father Innocent,

in obedience to the will of God,

you accepted dangers and tribulations ;

and you brought many peoples to the knowledge of truth.

You showed us the way ;

now, through your intercessions,

help lead us into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Tropar (Tone 2) (Glorification)

You evangelised the northern peoples of North America and Asia,

as you proclaimed the Gospel of Christ to the indigenous peoples in their own tongues.

O Holy Hierarch, Father Innocent,

Enlightener of Alaska and all America, whose ways were ordered by the Lord,

entreat Him for the salvation of our souls in His Heavenly Kingdom.

Kontak (Tone 2)

A true celebration of the Providence and the Grace of God

is your life, O Holy Hierarch, Father Innocent, Apostle to our lands.

In hardships and dangers, you toiled for the sake of the Gospel ;

and God delivered you and kept you unharmed.

From obscurity, He highly exalted you as an example

that truly, the Lord guides us in the way we should go.

Reliquary of Saint Innocent, Dormition Sobor (Katholikon), Trinity-Sergius Lavra

Reflections

Because this biography is written in as chronological a manner as possible, and because the life and service of Saint Innocent is so complex, it may be that this method makes it difficult for the reader in some respects. However, a chronological history can make certain details easier to find. Others have written in other styles, which may be easier to read. There are very many accounts about the life of Saint Innocent, and even all this writing will not give a sufficient expression of his life. The Providence of God and the Grace of the Holy Spirit were constantly active throughout his life, and there was so much fruit borne of his service that it cannot all be recounted.

At his funeral, Bishop Ambrose (Klyucharev) obediently spoke on the basis of the text that Metropolitan Innocent had provided from Psalm 36:23.

 Once, as he was leaving for Saint Petersburg to attend the Holy Synod, our Archpastor now 
 fallen asleep in God bade me farewell with the following expression whose originality is 
 so typical of him : 'I am leaving.  Perhaps I shall ride back again – but perhaps they will 
 carry me.  In the latter event, do not allow any speeches at my burial ; there is too much 
 praise in these.  Instead, preach a sermon over me, for this can give instruction to people.  
 Here is the text for you to use : "By the Lord are the foot-steps of a man directed"'.  This 
 same thing he confirmed to me several days before his death.  [...]
 
 Our subject is to reveal the special ways of God's Providence for him, manifested over the 
 many years of his life.  Our goal is – from his example – to learn to have faith in that 
 great truth of the Christian life, that 'the Lord guides us in the way we should go', 
 and to be unconditionally obedient to His holy will in every incident in our life.  

Saint Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, missionary priest and bishop in Russian-America, Bishop of Novo-Arkhangelsk, Bishop of Kamchatka, may be described as being an archetypal archpastor. Filled with the love of God, with the love of Christ, he led the flock of spiritual and rational sheep which had been entrusted to him, and his work bore fruit more than a hundred-fold. The sheep became so numerous that he had to have helpers to lead and to feed them. He co-operated with the Grace of the Holy Spirit (who always makes up for what is lacking), and he brought Christ's peace amongst peoples who were formerly at enmity. He brought healing, deliverance and hope to them.

Seeing what the Lord was blessing (far beyond mere political or economic plans), he helped to bring about a very substantial expansion of the Church in the Russian Far-East. He helped to refresh a spiritual sense of purpose in the centres of political power, where foreign influences and philosophies had begun to darken the hearts of many. He helped to renew the fundamental sense of missionary purpose in the Russian Orthodox Church. He laid the foundations of the Church in North America, and he guided the first steps of development in the North American Mission. This began with the northern indigenous peoples, and then with the immigrating peoples far to the south. Without his careful preparation, the Orthodox Church in North America would very likely not have become the source of hope for Christians in North America that she became.

Gabriel Ivanovich Veniaminov

Saint Innocent's son, the Archpriest Gabriel Veniaminov, who greatly helped him in Moscow during his years of primatial service, was very much a missionary cut from the same cloth. After the repose of his father, the Archpriest Gabriel Veniaminov himself reposed in Christ a year later, on 18 July, 1880 in Moscow. His body was interred in the Novodivichy Monastery Cemetery. Metropolitan Innocent had named Father Gabriel as the executor of his will, which Father Gabriel had begun to implement. However, because of his own early repose, others had to complete the fulfilment of the details.

Saint Innocent is included here amongst the hierarchs who have influenced the life of Canadians, not because he was himself present in Canada, but because the results of his work touched the lives of Canadians past and present. It is because of his faithful missionary work in the Russian Mission in Alaska, the Aleutian Islands, the Kuril Islands, Kamchatka, and Yakutia that the Orthodox Faith grew and multiplied later throughout North America. It is because of his faithful missionary labours that the Orthodox Faith touched the lives of the Inland Tlinkit people who live in northern British Columbia and in Yukon. Some few of them remain Orthodox until this day, although there has not been any persistent missionary activity in this region until recently, with the establishment of the mission of Saint Nikolai Bishop of Zhitsa in Whitehorse, Yukon. In former times, the Faithful from these areas would travel over the mountains to Juneau or to Sitka to worship.

Saint Innocent of Alaska, Equal-to-the-Apostles, is known for his missionary work, scholarship, and leadership in Alaska and the Russian Far East during the 1800s. He was a zealous worker, as well as being an able scholar, linguist, and administrator. As a priest and then as a bishop, his whole life was that of a missionary, whether it be in Alaska and the Russian Far East, or in the whole Russian Empire as the Metropolitan of Moscow. He learned several indigenous languages and was the author of many of the earliest scholarly works about the indigenous peoples and their languages, as well as dictionaries and religious works in these languages. He translated parts of the Holy Bible into several indigenous languages.

Bishop Innocent undertook his responsibilities in Russian-America and Siberia in such a manner that he confirmed the words that Saint Philaret had uttered at the time of the episcopal ordination in 1840.

Saint Innocent's well-known book "Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven" was published in Alutiiq in 1833. Afterwards, it was published in numerous Russian language editions and more than 7 English language printings. It is a work which continues almost 2 centuries later to be of help to Christians.

Andrew Nikolaievich Muravev asked Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow (just before his repose) what he would say were Archbishop Innocent to occupy the See of Moscow after him. The response, which was posthumously conveyed to the Tsar proved to be decisive. Metropolitan Philaret smiled broadly, and he replied :

 Why, I should be very pleased indeed, for I have a special love and respect for Archbishop Innocent.  

In 1867, the Russian Empire sold Alaska to the United States of America. Major General Jefferson C Davis of the US Army arrived in Sitka with several hundred soldiers, who then pillaged the cathedral, as well as local businesses and residences. This take-over was accompanied by the return to Russian territory of many Russian citizens. Many of the Tlingit fled to the interior to escape the violence that came with the take-over.

The Archpriest Michael Oleksa wrote about the valiant manner in which both the clergy and the Faithful persevered in living out their Orthodox Christian Faith despite all difficult circumstances and adversity. After mentioning the officially-recognised saints of Alaska, he continues :

 But there are certainly many more.  There are the laity who have maintained their faith, 
 often with very little formal schooling, with little pastoral attention, with few material 
 resources, who, despite all odds, and sometimes enduring harassment and even persecution, 
 have kept the Faith.  There are the clergy, especially after 1917, who remained at their posts, 
 guided their flocks, supported themselves and their families, travelled, preached, translated, 
 taught, prayed, suffered, and endured all for the sake of Christ and His Holy Church.  God 
 knows their names.  And there are their wives and families who shared all this and bore this 
 as their Cross, their lot in this world, and did so with joy.  God knows their names.  There 
 are the parish wardens and choir leaders, and the numerous benefactors (some of whom were not 
 of the Orthodox Faith themselves) who encouraged, assisted, sacrificed, and lived their Faith, 
 whose examples inspired their descendants down to the present day.  God knows their names too.  
 These are Alaska's real treasure.  These are the witnesses, the martyrs, the 'living stones' 
 with whom the Church is built, Christ Himself being the corner-stone.  These are the adornment 
 of the Orthodox Church in America, the fruit of two centuries of Alaskan Missionary Spirituality. 
 Saint Innocent was a remarkable preacher.  When he celebrated the Divine Liturgy, a moleben 
 or an All-night Vigil, he invariably instructed his flock.  As he said : Only he who abounds 
 in faith and love can have a mouth and wisdom, and the hearts of those who hear it cannot resist.  

Seeing off his son, the Priest Gabriel Veniaminov with his young wife on the Amur expedition to preach to the Goldi, he blessed him with these words :

 Go to the great work indicated to you by God.  However, be careful not to grow cold 
 in your heart in working the cornfield of Christ.  Die on it, and do not look back 
 until you have fulfilled your duty.  

Once he was enthroned to be Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, this aged man disregarded the fact that he was ill, exhausted and nearly blind. He engaged his new responsibility with all the faith, focus, hope and love which he had shown in every work he had undertaken in his life. He undertook the revision of various liturgical texts which contained errors ; schools were upgraded ; new societies for the support of orphans, widows and the poor were founded ; asylums were made to be more humane and better equipped. The administration of the Russian Church was also greatly improved. Vladyka Innocent continued his missionary activities as well. He founded the Russian Missionary Society which gathered and provided funding for various sorts of missionary works, in addition to any funding that was provided by the Most Holy Synod. He took special care for the impoverished clergy and their families by raising funds to improve their living conditions. He also established a retirement home for clergy.

The simplicity of Metropolitan Innocent was extraordinary. Priests and lay-people, noble and simple people, came to him freely, often even at non-reception hours, with different concerns and needs. Vladyka treated everyone without feigned importance and severity. He did not like official proceedings with the flow of government papers : he settled many misunderstandings and quarrels peacefully in his office. In relation to his subordinates, he had a paternal attitude (but he knew how to put the proud man in his place delicately). In the summer, Vladyka often lived in the village of Cherkizovo near Moscow, behind the Transfiguration outpost, where there was a Temple in the name of Elijah the Prophet and a bishop's dacha with a house church.

Bishop Ambrose (Klyucharev) said about Saint Innocent :

 Our late archpastor was richly gifted by nature.  He had a clear, perceptive and versatile mind, 
 despite the fact that his training failed to give him that special propensity and ability for 
 abstract thought and systematisation which is gained through higher education (and which, one 
 might note in passing, often robs minds of fruitfulness, and sometimes even brings harm to them 
 in real life).  Given the work which was his to do, his mind acquired a practical bent, with a 
 particular shade of practical creativity and ingenuity.  To understand the demands of times and 
 circumstances, to seek out the means required to satisfy these, to complete decisively and rapidly 
 that which he had contemplated, to surmount difficulties, resolve contradictions, mitigate extremes
 – all these together comprised that rare capacity and uniqueness of mind which expressed itself 
 in the institutions that he established both in Siberia and here.  
 
 With such a bent of mind, his views on the Church and her needs were naturally particular.  We 
 dare say his was an apostolic view : he knew what is required of one who would shepherd the 
 Christian people, how to approach those in need of spiritual enlightenment, how to help and comfort 
 people, how to direct a Christian life in accordance with the canons of the Church, in education, 
 in home life, in society and in those spiritual exercises which the Church presents to us for moral 
 success.  But when he saw attempts being made at putting a 'systematic order' (so-called) into the 
 Church's life, he was always struck with fear for her good.  He understood profoundly that any human 
 system which with inexorable consistency tries to develop some preconceived principles of ecclesiastical 
 administration will inevitably threaten with extinction all free manifestations of the human spirit 
 within Christian society, and will hamper the approach to believing souls of that Spirit of Grace 
 which 'blows where it wishes' (John 3:8).  
 
 This explains in our late archpastor the simplicity of manner which so amazed us.  [...]  His natural 
 ability forced its way to the surface.  [...] His speech breathed a certain truthfulness and drew you 
 immediately to him.  [...] In him one immediately perceived a pastor with a mighty spirit of zeal.  
 His judgements amazed you by the power of his spiritual experience.  His word was powerful.  [...] His 
 heart was pure ; his intentions always good ; neither pride nor conceit could master him.  He had no 
 use for seeking praise from people, no reason or object for pretence before others.  He appeared 
 outwardly exactly what he was within – a direct, and honest, and sincere, and loving, and well-wishing 
 pastor.  

Once, when Vladyka Innocent was in Russian-America, and when he was with a deacon on his pastoral rounds, in a boat on the sea, the deacon asked a question. The question (frequently posed by others) was : "If God is a good God, then why did He create Hell in order to put people there ?" Vladyka Innocent responded, "Why not turn around and look at me when you ask this question ?". The deacon responded, "Vladyka, I cannot. The brilliance of the sun shining on the sea around you makes it so that I cannot even see you". Vladyka Innocent replied, "In fact, God did not do that. Instead, there are many people who refuse to see the light of God, and they refuse to approach Him because they cannot bear the brilliance of the light of His love". Thus, he explained that their state of separation from God is of their own choosing. It seems that a similar sort of conversation took place in the home of Vladyka Innocent's brother Stefan in Lesnov in Kamchatka. In that setting, Vladyka replied : "God does not deprive of His Heavenly Kingdom sinners who do not repent. They, themselves, simply cannot bear its light – anymore than you can bear the light of the sun".

Ivan (John) Gavrilovich Veniaminov

According to the Archpriest Leonid Konstantinov (in a report), the grandson of Saint Innocent, Ivan (John) Gavrilovich Veniaminov, had completed a theological education, been married, and had become an archpriest.

 He lived a long life – over ninety years and died after the war, in 1947.  
 Before the October Revolution, he was the rector of the Church of the Holy 
 Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky in the Anichkov Palace, and what is especially 
 noteworthy and deserving of attention was the obedience of the confessor of 
 Empress Maria Feodorovna, wife of Alexander III and mother of Nicholas II.  

He reported further that Metropolitan Nestor (Anisimov), who had grown up in Kamchatka had written :

 I had the good fortune to know personally the daughter of Vladyka Innokenty – 
 Ekaterina Ivanovna Petelina.  As a boy, I listened with intense attention 
 to her stories about our father, Vladyka Innocent, about his fruitful 
 archpastoral activity in the distant outskirts of our vast state, including 
 the Kamchatka region.  

The great-great-grandson of Saint Innocent (also named "Innocent") is guided and saved by the prayers of the saint

In "The New York Times", an article appeared in 1989 with regard to the visit of the Great-great-grandson of Saint Innocent to North America. This visit was by the Hieromonk Innocent (Veniaminov), who had visited North America from the then Soviet Union in order to visit the places where his ancestor had served. When he was in Moscow in 1988, for the celebrations marking the Millennium of the Baptism of Rus', Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor) had invited him to visit North America, and with help he had done so.

This Priest-monk, Father Innocent, was a man for whom (because of the atheistic Soviet policies) his relationship with Saint Innocent had been kept private. He attributed to Saint Innocent's prayers the fact that from childhood he had felt inclined towards the Church. However, everyone was afraid of the consequences of having any association with the Church. His father, a Soviet naval officer, had been arrested in 1938, and he was never seen nor heard from again. At the age of 14, the young lad had himself been put in solitary confinement – in a secret-police orphanage. He had suffered much, including torture, but God had given him hope and consolation. One time, one of those assigned to torture him had come to him with weeping and was asking forgiveness.

He spoke about an occasion during World War II (when he was serving as a volunteer paramedic), when he met his grandfather very briefly. His grandfather was a priest Archpriest John Gavrilovich Veniaminov who had been persecuted for having been a confessor for the Russian Royal Family before the Bolshevik Revolution. This grandfather exhorted him to remember that his ancestor was a holy bishop who always prays for him. He gave him a few items that had belonged to Saint Innocent.

Father Innocent commented that he had always sensed this intercession. Father Innocent had become a navy physician after the war. Once, an American priest studying in Leningrad had visited him and asked for his blessing. He had been shocked, but the man said that he wanted the blessing of Saint Innocent that he carried by inheritance. The American priest then asked him to sort through some correspondence of Saint Innocent that he had brought from the US Library of Congress. When he had finished this, the priest suggested to him that when he found himself old enough, he ought to think about service to God.

When he had retired from the navy, he had been able to go to the services in Church without fear, since he was now a "nobody". Then, when his wife reposed, he was able to become a monk, and to be named "Innocent". He found himself grateful to God that the attitude of the government was changing, and that it was beginning to be possible to worship God without fear of imprisonment and even death. He was well-aware of the intercessions of his ancestor.

During his visit to the USA, this Hieromonk Innocent (Veniaminov) had been helped to visit many of the places where Saint Innocent had served. When he visited Fort Ross, he also visited the Monastery of Saint Herman of Alaska in Platina, California. He shared with the monks some otherwise unpublished things that he had been told by his grandfather about Saint Innocent. After this visit, he returned to Russia, where he served in obedience.

Olga Ivanovna Veniaminova

During 1853, Vladyka Innocent received painful news about his daughter Olga.

After her arrival in Saint Petersburg in 1841, she had completed a good education, and she had married a son of a notable Saint Petersburg clergy family. Thereafter, beloved by her husband's family, she had borne a daughter Natalia. However, by 1853, she had become a widow, and she had reposed soon afterwards. Her repose had been described by the family as having been both beautiful and holy, and this gave Vladyka Innocent very great consolation.

Paraskeva Ivanovna Veniaminova

After the repose of her mother, and having been brought to Saint Petersburg in order to complete her education, Paraskeva had, in July, 1851, decided (to her father's joy) to enter a monastery. She understood that she was being called by the Lord to embrace monastic life. As soon as he had received this news, Vladyka Innocent had given his blessing immediately that she do this.

Paraskeva travelled to the Borisov Bogoroditsko-Tikhvin Pustin monastery in Borisovka, west of Belgorod, in the Kursk Governorate. (Kursk is about 525 km (326 mi) south of Moscow.) There, in 1852, Paraskeva was received formally as a novice. Then, in October, 1854, she was tonsured to be a stavrophor monk, and she was given the name Polyksenia.

According to the Archpriest Leonid Konstantinov (in a report) :

 It is known that before accepting monasticism, Paraskeva asked her father not only 
 for the blessing for such a difficult feat, but also for advice in choosing a monastery.  
 [...] 

During a visit to Saint Petersburg in 1858, Archbishop Innocent managed to organise a meeting with his daughter, with whom he always maintained an exchange of letters. Before her tonsure, the correspondence between them was more frequent than afterwards, but it was always warm and open. This sort of correspondence continued between Mother Polyksenia and her father over the course of the remainder of Vladyka Innocent's life. Indeed, when Mother Polyksenia asked her father's advice about salvation, he rather asked her advice about his own.

At some time when Vladyka Innocent was still in the Far East and in the midst of his missionary labours, Mother Polyksenia sent to him (probably through her brother Gabriel) an "orlets" (bishop's eagle-rug) which she had woven with her own hands. This orlets was left by Vladyka Innocent in Saint Michael's Cathedral in Novo-Arkhangelsk in Russian-America.

Thekla Ivanovna Molchanova (born Veniaminova)

When Thekla Ivanovna was taken with her father to Saint Petersburg in 1838, Vladyka Innocent settled her into a school which would prepare her to be a teacher in the future. The intention was that she return to Irkutsk in order to teach there. In 1849, her brother was able to see her in the capital, and he was later able to share details about her life with their father. Vladyka Innocent learnt about the course of her studies, but he also understood that she was tempted (as many an adolescent) by pride in her position because of her father. Her father cautioned her about avoiding ever succumbing to any sort of pride, but rather to live a life of selfless love as a Christian. He encouraged her to persevere in both her prayers and her studies, and she did so. Later, she married the Priest Konstantin Molchanov, son of priestly family in Moscow. Father Konstantin was eventually assigned to serve at the cathedral in Peterhof, to which they moved. After this, they were transferred to other parishes.

Memoirs of the Buryat Archpriest Athanasiy Vinogradov

The Archpriest Athanasiy Vinogradov, a Buryat Orthodox Christian who had graduated brilliantly from the Irkutsk Seminary and the Kazan Academy, and who later met and served with Vladyka Innocent in the Far East, wrote the following memories about him :

 As a missionary, as a builder of several new dioceses, finally as a man, Archbishop Innocent must, 
 without a doubt be numbered amongst the most remarkable hierarchs of the Russian Church. [...]  
 In all those who were close to him, he left the fondest of memories, and in his subordinates, most 
 sincere feelings of filial love. 
 
 His Eminence was an excellent carpenter.  All the furniture in the priest's house in Sitka was 
 built by him.  Nor did he abandon his carpentry after his consecration to the episcopate.  As in 
 Sitka, so too in Yakutsk and Blagoveshchensk (in Amuria) he maintained in his residence a small 
 carpenter's shop, and every day after dinner he would work for a while with a saw or plane, more 
 for the exercise, it would seem, than with any particular goal in mind.  
 
 [...] He loved intellectual work, as is shown by his publications.  Scientific abstractions, 
 however, were foreign to his purely practical mind.  He was drawn more to practical knowledge.  
 He never let pass an opportunity to enrich his mind with some bit of information.  Sailors were 
 his favourites to speak with, for he considered them the most highly educated people of all 
 (being widely travelled and experienced).  Because his failing eyes were a source of worry to him, 
 he avoided reading at night by artificial light.  And, as his days were completely taken up by 
 diocesan responsibilities, he was able to read only a little, just the most outstanding articles 
 in theology and secular literature. [...]
 
 During his voyages at sea to inspect his island diocese, he participated personally in taking 
 observations and he watched as the navigator measured the ship's progress.  Without his help, 
 the sails were neither hoisted nor run down, nor indeed was the ship's course altered.  Thus, 
 the archbishop succeeded in acquiring a basic practical knowledge of how to sail.  One navigator 
 in Sitka said [...] 'Give him command of a ship and he would make an excellent skipper'.  Once 
 (as told by N F Verashchagin, a former member of the bishop's choir who more than once accompanied 
 him on his voyages at sea), he was even able to save a ship from sinking.  The ship, it seems, 
 left the harbour of Gikhnish and had to pass through a Kuril Strait.  They travelled all night, 
 and at dawn they found themselves in dense fog.  The bishop awoke and asked immediately :  'What 
 is our speed and heading ?'  The captain informed him of these. 'Can you see the rocks surrounding 
 the Kuril Islands yet ?' asked Vladyka Innocent.  'We should just about be upon them, you know.  
 The current is strong here, or hadn't you noticed ?'  The captain was preparing to offer an 
 objection, but the bishop hurriedly dressed and went up on deck.  He looked around and asked 
 the captain to change course.  No sooner was this done than the fog lifted just enough to see 
 in the distance the very rocks which the bishop had feared.  The ship had been on a direct 
 course for them and would surely have been broken to bits had the captain hesitated even a 
 few minutes in changing course.  
 
 In the administration of his diocese, he manifested tireless activity combined with extreme accuracy 
 and prudence.  To characterise him in this respect, [...] in writing his own important papers, the 
 archbishop employed special, and rather original methods.  First, he would jot down his thoughts in  
 pencil on scraps of paper, envelopes etc., without any particular plan or order.  These scattered 
 thoughts he would then transfer, so to speak, onto a clean sheet of paper in ink, again with no real, 
 serious reworking.  Rarely at this stage did he include marks of punctuation.  A final editing was 
 made as he rewrote it for a third time, adding punctuation where appropriate.  (Occasionally he 
 remained unsatisfied with even this third editing and then reworked and wrote it a fourth time.  
 A threefold editing was, however, his customary procedure.)  This is why all of Archbishop Innocent's
 papers – while not distinguished by any particular eloquence – still bear in them the stamp of 
 deliberate choice in every word and phrase.  
 
 More than once I was amazed about the archbishop's prudence in making decisions.  With great insight
 was he able to foresee even the most remote consequences of his every action.  The salaries he set,
 for instance, were small, but for this reason he enjoyed giving out bonuses from time to time.  He
 reasoned thus : give a large salary and most people will spend the very last cent, setting nothing
 aside for a rainy day.  Thus, there is little sense in raising salaries.  Occasional bonuses are 
 an entirely different matter, however.  Should someone have accumulated debts over two or three years,
 he will then pay them off, while should he have managed to live within his salary, he will lay his 
 bonus money away for a rainy day.  Bonuses were normally distributed on the fifteenth of December,
 the date of his consecration to the episcopate.  This was usually a day of impatience for those who
 served in the seminary : Would there be an envelope for them this morning from the archbishop with a 
 bonus ? 
 
 In general, the archbishop enjoyed the ability to obtain money almost out of nowhere for various diocesan
 needs.  One particular concern of his was the plight of clerical orphans.  At his enthronement in the
 See of New Archangel the local trust fund had no reserves at all.  What did he do ?  In addition to the 
 normal collections for the fund, he tried other means as well.  For instance, he went to the cathedral 
 every day for Liturgy.  On a given weekday when it was appointed that a prayer be offered for the tsar, 
 the archbishop watched attentively to see if the celebrating priest would forget it.  If he did forget, 
 no sooner had the altar curtain been pulled shut at the Liturgy's conclusion than the bishop from his 
 own pocket pulled five roubles for the trust fund and penalised each member of the cathedral staff a 
 like amount to benefit the same fund.  And by such methods he managed quickly, and despite a poverty 
 of sources, to amass capital in the New Archangel trust fund sufficient to ease considerably the plight 
 of orphans throughout the Diocese of Kamchatka.  
 
 He did the same – but better and more quickly – in Yakutsk. [...] Thanks to this, the widows and 
 orphans in the Diocese of Yakutsk receive aid unsurpassed in any other diocese – and aid given mot
 only to those who remain within Yakutia, but also to those who move to other dioceses as well.  
 I am amazed at his foresight and resourcefulness in financial matters and frequently have said that, 
 under different circumstances, he would probably have made an excellent Minister of Finances. 
 
 The archbishop's relations with subordinate clergy were permeated by a spirit of love and paternal 
 condescension, and often with a hint of his own brand of humour, one which was not only inoffensive 
 but which indeed lent a certain charm to his speech. [...] He loved a joke, and to laugh wholeheartedly
 over a funny story or astute reply.  [...]
 
 He was not so much a boss as a father who loved his children and took an active interest in all their
 problems, including family matters.  He took a particularly lively interest in widowed priests.  As soon
 as he heard that this grief had overtaken a priest – especially if he were still young – Archbishop
 Innocent would hurry to write and comfort him like a father.  [...] 
 
 If he heard of behaviour unbefitting the priestly calling, he always tried by word or letter to reason
 before resorting to administrative penalties.  He did not enjoy formal inquests and trials, nor did he 
 like it when the clergy denounced one another to him.  [...] All deans of clergy were directed that in 
 resolving quarrels and enmity amongst the clergy, they were to proceed as though they were all one family
 – rather than resorting to formal complaints.  In punishing the guilty, the archbishop's primary concern
 was always to bring them to their senses rather than to satisfy some cold, dry justice.  [...]
 

The Priest Symeon Kazanskii, who had served in Amuria with Saint Innocent, told an anecdote about a naval officer aboard the clipper ship "Gaidamak" who tried to confound Vladyka Innocent by showing him a photograph (which at that time was quite a rarety).

 Archbishop Innocent took the photograph in his hand, looked it over carefully, and then proceeded to explain
 to the amazed seaman the precise chemical processes involved in producing such an image, listed off several
 of Europe's leading photographers, and outlined in brief the history of the art.  One would have thought that
 he had dedicated his whole life to nothing else.    

Awards

In 1835, Archpriest John Veniaminov was awarded by imperial decree the Order of Saint Anna, 3rd degree, "in recognition of his zealous service and continual efforts in spreading the Christian Faith amongst the Aleuts and other indigenous nations".

In 1866, Archbishop Innocent (Veniaminov) was awarded the Order of the Russian Empire of the Holy, Right-believing Prince Alexander Nevsky. It was given to him by the Most Holy Synod : “For his tireless deeds in his pastoral service in a distant part of the Fatherland, amongst a multi-tribal flock, with ardent love and holy deeds, with success through patience and many different labours".

Monuments, memorials :

Monuments to Saint Innocent were erected in Yakutsk, Magadan and Irkutsk.

In Blagoveshchensk, in 2009, a joint monument was erected to Count Nikolai Muravyov-Amursky and to Saint Innocent as the founders of the city. The first monument in the city to Saint Innocent, a bronze bust on a granite pedestal, was installed in 1998 in an alley that now bears his name.

In the village of Anga (Anginskoye) in the Kachugsky district of the Irkutsk region, a log house was preserved, in which Saint Innocent lived in his childhood. Now, the museum houses a relic of the saint.

The motor-ship “Siberian” of the “Lena United River Shipping Company” was renamed, and it now bears the name “Saint Innocent”.

The highest volcano on the peninsula of Alaska was named in honour of the saint as "Mount Veniaminov".

On 10 December, 1997, in the City of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the section of the avenue between Komsomolskaya Street and the central avenue of the southern entrance to the city park was named "Saint Innocent Boulevard" in association with the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the discovery of the Kuril Islands by Russian sailors.

In 2011, the medal "For Merit to the City of Blagoveshchensk" was established. It is the second most important municipal award after the title of honourary citizen of the city. In the centre of the medal is a relief image of Count Nikolay Muravyov-Amursky and Saint Innocent.

Writings

• “Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven” (Jordanville, NY : Holy Trinity Publications, 1999). ISBN : 0884650758 ; ISBN : 978-0884650751.

• “Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven” (Jordanville, NY : Holy Trinity Publications, 2013). ISBN : 9780884653035.

• “The State of the Orthodox Church in Russian America” (Saint Petersburg, 1840).

• “Notes on the Islands of the Unalaska Mission” (Saint Petersburg, 1840) : consists of three parts : part 1, geography, geology, botany, biology ; part 2, ethnography and notes on the Aleuts (Moscow : LIBROCOM, 2011) ; part 3, ethnography and notes on the Tlingits (Moscow, 2011).

• “Comments on the Koloushchan, Tlingit and Kodiak tongues and other dialects of the Russo-American Territories, with the Russian-Kolushchan Glossary containing more than 1,000 Words, some of which are explained” (St. Petersburg, 1846).

• “A Trial Grammar of the Fox-Aleut Language” (St Petersburg, 1846).

• “Autobiographical Note” (Moscow, 1886).

• “Speech by Archimandrite Innocent, as he was named to be the Bishop of Kamchatka, Kuril and the Aleutian Islands”, given on 13 December, 1840 (Christian Reading, St Petersburg, 1841).

• “Letters (1823-1878)”, collected by I. Barsukov”, 3 vols. (St Petersburg, 1897, 1901).

• “Creations”, 3 vols., collected by I. Barsukov (Moscow, 1886-1888).

• ‘The Words upon becoming Metropolitan of the Moscow Flock by His Eminence Innocent Metropolitan of Moscow, spoken in the Great Assumption Cathedral, 26 May, 1868’ in “Orthodox Review”, vol. 26 (Moscow, 1868).

• “Instructions to the Fasts or “Gollerschikam” (Moscow, 1888).

• ‘Instructions by His Eminence Innocent, the former Archbishop of Kamchatka, Kuril and the Aleutian Islands to the Nushagak Missionary, Hieromonk Theophilos’ in “Church Records” (St Petersburg, 1900).

• ‘The Russian Church and Friendship between Peoples’ in “JMP”, no. 11 (1959), p. 50).

• ‘Magazines of the Priest John Veniaminov”, comp. by O D Yakimov (Yakutsk, 2005).

In the Aleut language (Eastern dialect of the Fox Islands) :

• “Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven” (Сvнодальная Типографiя. Москва) (Moscow : Synodal Printing Press, 1840, 1899).

• “Beginnings of Christian Teaching and Short Christian Catechism (co-authored with Fr. Jacob Netsvetov)” (Сvнодальная Типографiя. СПб) (St Petersburg : Synodal Printing Press, 1840, 1893).

• “The Mythological Traditions of the Tlingits inhabiting the Northwestern Shore of America” (November, 1839).

• “Characteristic Traits of the Aleuts inhabiting the Fox Islands” (November, 1839).

In the Aleut language (Western dialect of Atka Island) :

• “Two Sermons from Saint Nicholas Church in Atka” (рукопись, о. Атха), manuscript from Atka, 1842.

In the Aleut language (Eastern dialect of the Fox Islands, with footnotes in the Western dialect of Atka Island) :

• “The Holy Gospel According to St Matthew (translation) (Сvнодальная Типографiя. СПб) (St. Petersburg : Synodal Printing Press, 1840, 1896).

In Russian :

• “Указание Пути в Царствие Небесное”

• “Записки об островах Уналашкинского отдела”. СПб., 1840. Состоит из трёх частей :

– Часть I, географическая

– Часть II, этнографическая. Замечания об алеутах М. : ЛИБРОКОМ, 2011. 336 pp.

– Часть III, Записки об атхинских алеутах и колошах (колюжах, тлинкитах). М. : УРСС, 2011. 160 pp.

• “Автобиографическая записка” М., 1886.

• “Речь Архимандрита Иннокентия, по наречении его Епископом Камчатским, Курильским и Алеутским, сказанная 1840 года, Декабря 13” дня. Христианское чтение. СПб., 1841.

• “Письма (1823-1878 гг.) собраны И. Барсуковым”, 3 т. СПб, 1897, 1901.

• “Творения, три книги, собраны И.Барсуковым”, М., 1886-1888.

• “Слово при вступлении в управление московской паствою Высокопреосвященного Иннокентия Митрополита Московского, говоренное в большом Успенском соборе, 26-го мая, 1868 года”.Православное обозрение. М., 1868, том 26.

• “Указание пути в Царствие небесное”, М., 1871, см. также Изв. Казан. еп., 1882, № 7, стр. 151 ; 1886, № 7, стр. 180 ; 1893, стр. 18.

• “Наставление высокопреосвященного Иннокентия, бывшего архиепископа Камчатского, Курильского и Алеутского, Нушагакскому миссионеру иеромонаху Феофилу. Церковные ведомости, СПб., 1900.

• “Русская Церковь и дружба между народами (Ж”, М. П., 1959, № 11, стр. 50).

See also :

• "Russian colonization of the Americas"

Writings about Saint Innocent by various authors :

• Ageev, D A, ‘Missionary Service of St Innocent (Veniaminov) in the Rank of Bishop in “The Journal of Church History”, no. 8 (2001), pp. 69-88.

• Alekseev, V, ‘His Eminence Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow’ in “JMP”, no. 7 (1949), pp. 36-44.

• ‘Alexy, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia : Message on the Occasion of the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of St Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomensky’ in “Church and Time: a Scientific-theological and church public Journal” no. 3 (Moscow, 2004) (28), pp. 41-54.

• Anisov, L M, educator of Siberia and America, “Biography of St Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomenskoye” (Moscow : Holy Trinity St Sergius Lavra, 2007),

• “The Apostle of Our Time : The Life and Apostolic Works of Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov) ,1797-1879 (Moscow : Writer, 1996).

• Barsukov, I, “Metropolitan Innocent of Moscow and Kolomna, according to his Writings, Letters and the Stories of his Contemporaries” (Moscow, 1883).

• Grigoryev, Archpriest D, ‘Apostle of Alaska, Metropolitan Innocent Veniaminov, 1797-1879’ in “Yearbook of the Orthodox Church in America” (New York, 1976), pp. 31-45.

• Grigoryev, Archpriest D, ‘Materials for the Biography of Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov)’ in “Yearbook of the Orthodox Church in America” (New York, 1977), pp. 36-48.

• Grigoryev, Archpriest D, ‘Metropolitan Innocent : Missionary Prophet’ in “Collection of the 1000th Anniversary of the Baptism of Russia” (Moscow, 1988), pp. 248-259.

• “Biography of Metropolitan Innocent of Moscow, Apostle of Alaska “ (Moscow, 1991).

• ‘On the 175th Anniversary of the Great Missionary, Saint Metropolitan of Moscow’ in “Path : Religious and Educational Journal”, nos. 5-9 (San Francisco, 1972), nos. 5-9, pp. 5-11.

• “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate” (JMP) :

• Alekseev, V, ‘His Eminence Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow’ in “JMP” 1949, no. 7 (1949), pp. 36-44 ; 1955, no. 1 (1955).

• (Smirnov), Archimandrite Eulogius, ‘The Life and Apostolic Works of Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov), 1797-1879’ in “JMP”, no. 3 (1975), pp. 58-65.

• ‘Ascribing to the List of the Saints : the Apostle of North America and Siberia, Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov) of Moscow and Kolomensk’ in “JMP”, 1977, no. 12 (1977), p. 3 ; no. 12 (1977), pp. 58-65.

• (Smirnov), Archimandrite Eulogius, ‘The Life and Apostolic Works of Metropolitan Innocent Veniaminov’ in “JMP”, no. 1 (1978), pp. 2-9

• Fialkin, V, ‘St Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, and his Missionary Activities’ in “JMP”, no. 3 (1979), pp. 3-5, 70-71 ; no. 4 (1979), pp. 73-77; no. 5, pp. 73-77 ; no. 6, pp. 68-77.

• Skurat, K E, ‘St Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, in the Last Years of his Life’ in “JMP”, no. 9 (1981), pp. 68-70.

• Koptev, V, “In Memory of his Eminence Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow” (Moscow, 1879).

• Kurlandsky I A ; Zelenina, Y, E, & Lopukhina, E V, ‘Innokenty’ in “Orthodox Encyclopedia” (Moscow : Church Scientific Center "Orthodox Encyclopedia" , 2009), vol. 22, pp. 707-716. ISBN 978-5-89572-040-0.

• Hants, A, “From Notes on the Reverend Innocent, Archbishop of Kamchatka” (St Petersburg, 1915).

• “Essay on the Life and apostolic Writings of Innocent Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomenskoye” (New York, 1990).

• Paulak, D, “Life and Work of Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow” (Tyumen, 1994).

• Potapov, Archpriest V, ‘Figures of the Russian spiritual Revival of the Past : Metropolitan Innocent of Moscow, Apostle of Alaska’ in “Russian Revival”, no. 36 (1986).

• “Travels and Exploits of St Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, Apostle of America and Siberia”, comp. Romanova, N V & Lazareva, N Y (Moscow, 1999).

• Stepanov, A, “On the Bicentenary of the Birth of Innocent, Apostle of Alaska’ in “Russian American Review”, no. 21 (Nyack, NY, 1997), p. 222.

• Ivanyan, E A, ‘Innocent Aleutian’ in “Encyclopedia of Russian-American Relations, 18th-20th Centuries” (Moscow : International Relations, 2001). ISBN 5-7133-1045-0.

• (Wood), Archimandrite Zacchaeus, "St Innocent of Moscow, Enlightener of the Far East, America and Alaska", speech at a meeting in memory of Saint Innocent (Veniaminov), 6 October, 2007.

Metropolitan Innocent

Akathist Hymn to Saint Innocent of Moscow

Akathist Hymn to Saint Innocent of Moscow, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of North America

The following Akathist Hymn to Saint Innocent ends with "Enlightener of Alaska", but this may be replaced with "Enlightener of North America" if it be preferred.

Kontak 1 Tone 8

O Holy Hierarch, Father Innocent, good shepherd of the flock entrusted to you by the Lord, you dedicated all your strength and heart, all your mind and soul to Christ. In the remotest regions, you laboured tirelessly without thought of earthly reward for the sake of His Holy Church and the salvation of all. We, the recipients of your great spiritual legacy, offer to you this hymn of praise. As you stand before the Throne of the Lord of Glory, intercede for our land and its people, that united in One, Holy Orthodox Church, we may gratefully sing to you :

Rejoice, O Holy Father, Metropolitan Innocent, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Alaska.

Ikos 1

O Holy Hierarch, Father Innocent, your glory has shone from the far-eastern lands to the western lands. From humble origins in a Siberian village, you rose to world renown as a modern apostle. The Lord chose you to bring the Orthodox Faith to the ancient peoples of Alaska and Asia, who together with us honour you with these hymns of praise :

Rejoice, imitator of the apostles and their successors.

Rejoice, evangeliser of the Arctic peoples.

Rejoice, scholar and teacher of the Aleuts.

Rejoice, enlightener of the indigenous Alaskan peoples.

Rejoice, humble genius whose footsteps were guided by the Lord.

Rejoice, visionary architect of the Orthodox Church in North America.

Rejoice, O Holy Father Innocent, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Alaska.

Kontak 2

You distinguished yourself as a young student, displaying your many interests and talents by excelling in your studies at home and in school. Your greatest joy was the service of God and His Holy Church. Your uncle instructed you in the ways of piety and faith, so that from an early age you sang to the Lord : “Alleluia”.

Ikos 2

In your youth, the Lord prepared you for your lifetime of service by enabling you to study various disciplines. Remembering your dedication, we thankfully celebrate your memory :

Rejoice, your talents were employed in the service of Christ.

Rejoice, your achievements inspire all who are familiar with them.

Rejoice, skilled craftsman, imitator of the Carpenter of Nazareth.

Rejoice, clock-maker who proclaimed the Timeless One.

Rejoice, your teachers marvelled at your intelligence.

Rejoice, your spiritual children praise your humility.

Rejoice, O Holy Father Innocent, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Alaska.

Kontak 3

Completing your preparation at the seminary at Irkutsk, you accepted the Divine call to the missionary frontier of Alaska. Together with your wife, the beloved Catherine, you set out on your apostolic journey to Russian America, as you sang to the Lord : “Alleluia”.

Ikos 3

As a newly-ordained priest, you showed great determination in reaching your destination, a thousand miles away, in the Bering Sea. You willingly forsook all for the sake of the Gospel of Christ, travelling for many months over frozen tundra and treacherous seas. Inspired by your dedication, we sing to you :

Rejoice, apostle to North America.

Rejoice, heroic founder of Orthodoxy in the western world.

Rejoice, imitator of the holy Apostle Paul.

Rejoice, courageous voyager on the northern seas.

Rejoice, your dedication equalled that of the apostles.

Rejoice, your perseverance was a gift of the Holy Spirit.

Rejoice, O Holy Father Innocent, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Alaska.

Kontak 4

Arriving at Unalaska, you rendered thanks to the Lord for your safe passage. Kneeling on the beach together with all those in your company, you praised God with the hymn :“Alleluia”.

Ikos 4

Together with your tutor, the Aleut chieftain Ivan, you studied the indigenous language and devised a writing system for it. You laboured for many years, preparing the Word of God for publication in the Aleut tongue. You astounded the indigenous peoples with your ability to preach to them in their own language, thus enlightening them with the light of Christian Truth. We glorify God for bringing you to our shores and we honour your evangelical accomplishments :

Rejoice, ennoblement of ancient peoples.

Rejoice, father of learning in Alaska.

Rejoice, teacher of virtue and Divine Truth.

Rejoice, catechist of those seeking righteousness.

Rejoice, your vision inspires all future missionaries.

Rejoice, your brilliance illumines the Arctic night.

Rejoice, O Holy Father Innocent, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Alaska.

Kontak 5

You travelled throughout the Aleutian region, braving storms and hostile seas in your efforts to evangelise your scattered flock. Warmed by your love for the Lord, you journeyed in your baidarka on the icy waves, softly singing to the Creator of all : “Alleluia”.

Ikos 5

During the ten years you remained in the Aleutian Islands, you devoted much time and energy to the study of the land, people, and wildlife of the area. You kept careful records of your experiences and observations so that this heritage could be preserved for future generations. You opened schools for the indigenous children so that they could advance in the knowledge of God and His Creation. Praising the Lord for His bounties, we offer a hymn to you :

Rejoice, patient instructor of the simple and the wise.

Rejoice, scholar and teacher of the Aleutian languages.

Rejoice, preserver of Alaska’s ancient heritage.

Rejoice, dispeller of the darkness of ignorance.

Rejoice, perceptive observer of the wonders of Creation.

Rejoice, messenger of the Good News of salvation.

Rejoice, O Holy Father Innocent, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Alaska.

Kontak 6

Having created a written language for the indigenous people, you developed textbooks for them so that they could become literate. Reading the Word of God in their own tongue, and giving thanks to God, the Aleuts sang with joy : “Alleluia”.

Ikos 6

O Holy Father Innocent, you travelled beyond the limits of your own extensive district into the land of the Yupik people. You brought to the indigenous people of Bristol Bay the sanctifying Grace of Holy Baptism. You made the Nushagak River a new Jordan for them, bringing Christianity to the northern shores of the Bering Sea, where you are remembered today with these words of praise :

Rejoice, enlightener of the Yupik peoples.

Rejoice, sanctification of the Nushagak.

Rejoice, husbandman sent to the plentiful harvest.

Rejoice, labourer in the vineyard of Christ.

Rejoice, warrior clothed in the armour of Truth.

Rejoice, soldier armed with the Gospel of peace and the sword of prayer.

Rejoice, O Holy Father Innocent, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Alaska.

Kontak 7

Using your talents, you erected the first Orthodox Cathedral in the New World, designing the Temple and supervising its construction yourself. The Faithful celebrated the sanctification of the new Temple, singing the hymn of thanksgiving : “Alleluia”.

Ikos 7

Transferring the centre of your missionary activity to the city of New Archangel, you began anew the evangelisation of the Tlingit people. You became proficient in their language and preached the Gospel in their villages. You won converts to Christ by your knowledge of medicine as well as theology. You admired the nobility of these proud warriors, who together with us offer these praises to you :

Rejoice, teacher of the Tlingit people.

Rejoice, physician of souls and bodies.

Rejoice, fearless apostle, protected by God.

Rejoice, enlightener of the northern peoples.

Rejoice, mountain rising above the clouds of error.

Rejoice, harbour sheltering from treacherous seas.

Rejoice, O Holy Father Innocent, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Alaska.

Kontak 8

You were summoned to appear before the Holy Synod to present your many translations for ecclesiastical approval. You returned to your homeland by circumnavigating the globe ; arriving at Saint Petersburg, you praised God in song : “Alleluia”.

Ikos 8

Learning of the repose of your wife, Catherine, during your absence, you prayerfully visited the holy monasteries at Kiev and Zagorsk in order to discern the will of the Lord. The emperor himself, impressed with your apostolic fervour and achievements, approved your elevation to the rank of bishop. Returning to Alaska, you were welcomed with these words :

Rejoice, you took up the Cross and followed Christ.

Rejoice, you brought the Joy of the Resurrection first to Alaska.

Rejoice, you were inspired by the heroic example of Saint Innocent of Irkutsk.

Rejoice, you promoted the apostolic labours of Saint Nicholas of Japan.

Rejoice, you were amongst the first to ask the Elder Herman to intercede for you.

Rejoice, by his prayers you arrived safely in Kodiak.

Rejoice, O Holy Father Innocent, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Alaska.

Kontak 9

As bishop of the Russian colony, you renewed your efforts to bring the Gospel to all Alaska. You opened a seminary in Sitka for the training of indigenous clergy, and you designed a new cathedral for the capital city. You also constructed the clock for the church bell-tower. When the Holy Temple was completed, you sang out in gratitude to the Lord : “Alleluia”.

Ikos 9

As overseer of the huge diocese which included Eastern Siberia as well as Alaska, you dispatched priests to areas where no missionaries had ever gone. Your own son-in-law was assigned to the Nushagak region, while your former student, Father Jacob, set out for the Yukon delta. Because of your great vision for the future of Orthodoxy in this land, we honour you with these hymns :

Rejoice, good shepherd of the Arctic.

Rejoice, first hierarch of North America.

Rejoice, our guide to the Kingdom of God.

Rejoice, benefactor of the needy and oppressed.

Rejoice, your foresight determined the growth of the Church in Alaska.

Rejoice, your boundless energy established the True Faith in the north.

Rejoice, O Holy Father Innocent, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Alaska.

Kontak 10

With characteristic enthusiasm you visited the peoples of the Amur Valley in Siberia and began yet again to study their languages and traditions. Together with the Aleuts and Tlingits, they learned to praise the Almighty Creator with the song of thanksgiving : “Alleluia”.

Ikos 10

Transferring your headquarters to the Far East, you bid farewell to the New World and returned to the Old. Following the example you had set for them, the indigenous clergy of Alaska continued your work in North America. Through them, we have become your spiritual children and venerate your memory in these words :

Rejoice, student of Alaskan languages and teacher of the True Word.

Rejoice, preacher ‘in tongues’, like the Apostles on Pentecost.

Rejoice, you published the Gospel in the Aleut language.

Rejoice, you founded schools for the enlightenment of the indigenous peoples.

Rejoice, you directed the evangelisation of Alaska and Siberia.

Rejoice, you planted the seeds of the Orthodox Faith on North American soil.

Rejoice, O Holy Father Innocent, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Alaska.

Kontak 11

You spent your entire life labouring in remote regions for the propagation of the Holy Faith. In your later years you were called to yet another great task. You were elected Metropolitan of Moscow to succeed the venerable Philaret. As you journeyed across the frozen steppes of Asia en route to your enthronement, you sang in amazement to God : “Alleluia”.

Ikos 11

You revitalised the missionary spirit of your homeland by organising societies for the support of evangelical enterprises. You assisted your former flocks with your holy prayers and material aid. We who have benefitted from these labours sing to you in gratitude :

Rejoice, you were faithful in little things.

Rejoice, you have been set over much.

Rejoice, rushing wind dispelling the fog of ignorance and fear.

Rejoice, mighty river watering the spiritual wilderness.

Rejoice, precious vessel filled with the Holy Spirit.

Rejoice, glory of the Church in the Old World and the New.

Rejoice, O Holy Father Innocent, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Alaska.

Kontak 12

With the same humility you exhibited throughout your earthly life, you asked that no eulogies be delivered at your burial. Instead, you requested an edifying sermon be preached for the benefit of all. Learning of your falling asleep, your spiritual children commended your soul to the Lord, singing : “Alleluia”.

Ikos 12

The heirs of your spiritual legacy throughout the New World rejoice today at your glorification, O Holy Father. Asking for your prayers for the Church in North America, we gather to celebrate your remarkable achievements with these words :

Rejoice, inspiration of Orthodox pastors and teachers.

Rejoice, indicator of the Way to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Rejoice, faithful steward in the Household of Faith.

Rejoice, farsighted champion of Orthodoxy.

Rejoice, loving Father of your spiritual Children.

Rejoice, intercessor for all who come to the Orthodox Faith.

Rejoice, O Holy Father Innocent, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Alaska.

Kontak 13

O Holy Father Metropolitan Innocent, as we remember all the glorious deeds you so humbly accomplished, we are inspired by your vision, courage and perseverance. Pray, therefore, that we may be accounted worthy to continue your work in the New World, and to sing gratefully to the Lord : “Alleluia”. (3 times)

Ikos 1

O Holy Heirarch, Father Innocent, your glory has shone from the far-eastern lands to the western lands. From humble origins in a Siberian village you rose to world renown as a modern apostle. The Lord chose you to bring the Orthodox Faith to the ancient peoples of Alaska and Asia, who together with us honour you with these hymns of praise :

Rejoice, imitator of the apostles and their successors.

Rejoice, evangeliser of the Arctic peoples.

Rejoice, scholar and teacher of the Aleuts.

Rejoice, enlightener of the indigenous Alaskan peoples.

Rejoice, humble genius whose footsteps were guided by the Lord.

Rejoice, visionary architect of the Orthodox Church in North America.

Rejoice, O Holy Father Innocent, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Alaska.

Kontak 1 Tone 8

O Holy Hierarch, Father Innocent, good shepherd of the flock entrusted to you by the Lord, you dedicated all your strength and heart, all your mind and soul to Christ, in the remotest regions you laboured tirelessly without thought of earthly reward for the sake of His Holy Church and the salvation of all. We, the recipients of your great spiritual legacy, offer to you this hymn of praise. As you stand before the Throne of the Lord of Glory, intercede for our land and its people, that united in one Holy, Orthodox Church, we may gratefully sing to you :

Rejoice, O Holy Father, Metropolitan Innocent, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Alaska.

Prayer to Saint Innocent

O Holy Hierarch, Father Innocent, the Lord chose you and ordained you to go and bring forth much fruit in His new vineyard on the frontiers of Russia and North America. You dedicated your life to building up the Body of Christ in the New World and the Old, and you brought the treasures of the Holy Apostolic Faith to Alaska and Siberia. We, your spiritual children, kneel before your holy icon, and we ask you to intercede for the Holy Orthodox Church in your adopted and native lands. As you were humble and kind, help us by your prayers to be patient and generous. As you persevered under difficult circumstances in a remote and lonely region, strengthen us in our dedication to Christ and His Gospel. As you loved God and your flock and devoted your life in service to them, pray to the Lord that our hearts may be filled with love for Him and for our neighbour. You planted the seeds of the Orthodox Faith in Alaskan soil. Implore the Lord that we may be accounted worthy to continue the work you so gloriously began : to bring the Light of Christ to every corner of North America. You indicated the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven by your words and example. Intercede for the salvation of all, as we venerate your holy memory. By your holy prayers, may we become worthy of the precious spiritual heritage which God has entrusted to us through you.

May we sing eternally the praises of the Holy, Consubstantial, and Life-Creating Trinity : the Father and Creator who is without beginning ; the Son, Our Lord and Saviour who became Man in order to sanctify and save us ; and the Comforter, the Holy Spirit who enlightens and enlivens all, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Amen.

Saint Innocent of Moscow and Alaska, Apostle to the Aleuts, Kamchatka and North America

References

Archdiocese of Canada – Orthodox Church in America, “The Orthodox Church in Canada : A Chronology” (Ottawa : Archdiocese of Canada, 1988).

Black, Lydia T, 'Ivan Pan'Kov-an Architect of Aleut Literacy' in "Arctic Anthropology", vol. 14, no. 1 (University of Wisconsin Press, 1977), pp. 94-107

Garrett, Paul, "Saint Innocent, Apostle to America" (Crestwood, New York : SVS Press, 1979). ISBN-10 : 0913836605, ISBN-13 : 978-0913836606.

Kobtzeff, Oleg, "Ruling Siberia: The Imperial Power, the Orthodox Church and the Native People" (Cambridge, UK, British Siberian Studies Seminar, vol. II : 1984) pp. 6–15.

Prokurat, Michael ; Golitzin, Alexander & Petersen, Michael, eds., “The A to Z of the Orthodox Church” (Lanham, MD : Scarecrow Press, 2010), pp. 334-335. ISBN : 978-0-8108-7602-6.

“The Russian Mission in North America”

Tarasar, Constance J, ed., "Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America" (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975) ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.

Orthodoxwiki biography

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Moscow Patriarchate biography (in Russian)

OCA biography

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Russian Wikipedia biography

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Encyclopaedia Britannica biography

Additional information :

(Erokhin), Igumen Innokentiy, "Archpriest Gabriel Veniaminov - the First Head of the Amur Mission" (Vladivostok : Vladivostok Diocese Publications, 2007).

Gray, George A, Bear, Jan V, eds., "Portraits of American Saints" (Los Angeles : Diocese of the West, OCA , 1994).

Gromov, Archpriest Prokopiy. "Historical and statistical Description of Kamchatka Churches. Words and speeches." (Saint Petersburgh, 1857)

......'Put' iz Iakutska' ['The Route from Yakutsk'] in "Supplements to the Irkutsk Diocesan Messenger" (Irkutsk, 1896) no. 17-18, p. 217.

Hartwig, Dr. G, "A popular Description of Man and Nature in the Arctic and Antarctic Regions of the Globe" (New York : Harper and Brothers, 1869)

Kishkovsky, Archpriest L, Stokoe, M, "Orthodox Christians in North America (1794-1994)" (New York : Orthodox Church in America, 1995), pp. 8-9. ISBN-10 : 0866420533. ISBN-13 : 978-0866420532.

Kolyvanov, Georgiy, "The Great Missionary - St. Innocent (Veniaminov)" (Moscow : Moscow Theological Academy, 2018).

(Mileant), Bishop Alexander, 'Saint Innocent, Enlightener of Alaska' in "Missionary Leaflet #A36" (California, 2002).

Oleksa, Michael, "Orthodox Alaska : A Theology of Mission" (Crestwood, NY : SVS Press, 1992), pp. 134-141, 227-231. ISBN : 0-88141-092-6.

......“Alaskan Missionary Spirituality” (Crestwood, NY : SVS Press, 2010). ISBN : 978-0-88141-340-3.

Papmehl, Anne, 'Innocent of America : Naturalist and Saint' in "Sanctuary" (Sierra Club of America, Eastern America Chapter, Spring, 1997).

Prokurat, Michael ; Golitzin, Alexander & Petersen, Michael, eds., “The A to Z of the Orthodox Church” (Lanham, MD : Scarecrow Press, 2010), pp. 334-335. ISBN : 978-0-8108-7602-6.

Black, Lydia T, 'Ivan Pan'Kov : an Architect of Aleut Literacy' in "Actic Athropology" vol. 14, no. 1 (University of Wisconsin Press, 1977), pp. 94-107.

'Ivan Pankov' in "Alaska Native History Timeline"

OCA icon, sources

"New York Times" article 'Descendant Traces Path of Russian Apostle of Alaska', 31 July, 1989

Wikipedia article about Saint Michael's Cathedral, Sitka, Alaska

"Encyclopedia Arctica 15-volume unpublished reference work (1947-51)"

Saint Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow

Saint Herman of Alaska

Saint Joasaph (Bolotov)

Saint Juvenaly (Hovorukhin) of Alaska

Saint Peter (Cungagnac) the Aleut

Saint Jacob Netsvetov

Bishop Peter (Ekaterinovsky)

Bishop Paul (Popov)

Bishop Dionysiy (Khitrov)

Orthodox Encyclopaedia article about the Archpriest Gabriel Veniaminov

Vladivostok Diocese article regarding Archpriest Gabriel Veniaminov

“St. Innocent” by Patriarch Aleksy of Moscow & the Holy Synod

Pravoslavie.ru article about the glorification

OCA liturgical and musical texts for the Repose and the Glorification

Pravoslavie.ru article, 22 August, 2014 : "Icon of St. Innocent of Moscow Weeping Myrrh in Khabarovsk"

OCA words and music for the Akathist for Saint Innocent

Moscow Orthodox Theological Academy, Department of Church History : "The Great Missionary Saint Innocent (Veniaminov)" by Georgy Evgenievich Kolyvanov (25.12.2018)

New York Times article : "Descendant traces path of Russian Apostle of Alaska"

Pravolslavie.ru article : "Apostle of Siberia St. Innokenty and Write Ivan Goncharov" by Vladimir Melnik, 9 February, 2004

Article on the web-site of the Neftekam Diocese (of the Bashkorstostan Metropolia) : "By Reindeer and Dog, by Boat and on Foot: Holy Hierarch Innocent of Moscow on His Missionary Journeys"

Wikipedia article about the Russian-American Company

Russian Wikipedia article about the Russian American Company

'Shrines of the land of Khabarovsk' in "Art Dictionary'

Saint Innocent, Father Ilia Petelin and the Kezhen village

Orthodoxwiki article about The Orthodox Church in America

Orthodox Church in America Diocese of Alaska

Holy Ascension Church, Unalaska, National Historic site

Russian Wikipedia article about the Diocese of Alaska

Wikipedia article about the Russian Colonisation of the Americas

Wikipedia article about Russian America

Orthodoxwiki article about Alaska

Wikipedia article about the history of Alaska

"Strategic Syncretism : Tlingit and Russian Orthodox Agency in Alaska" by Roland Williams (30 April, 2015)

Orthodoxwiki article about Russian Orthodox Mission in China

Wikipedia article about Albazino

Wikipedia article about the "Jaxa" (Yaksa) microstate associated with Albazin

"The beginning of Orthodoxy among the Gorin Nanais" and Archpriest Gabriel Veniaminov

Nicholas I

Emperor Alexander II

Video about the Orthodox Faith in Alaska

Ancient Faith audio by Father John Whiteford about Saint Innocent

Video : Bells of the Ivan the Great Belfry in the Moscow Kremlin

Vido : Paschal bell-ringing in a monastery

Video : Bell-ringing in the Holy Trinity-Saint Sergius Lavra

Video : Paschal bell-ringing at the Danilovsky Monastery, Moscow

Pravmir article 2014 : "Restored St. Innocent’s House Museum Opens in the Irkutsk Region"

List of Kamchatka settlements

Archpriest Michael Oleksa : lecture about Saint Innocent

Asna.ca web-site : liturgical and other texts in Alaskan languages

‘Bicentennial of St Innocent, Apostle to North America’ in “Canadian Orthodox Messenger” (Winter, 1997/1998), pp. 11-13.

‘Our father among the saints : Saint Innocent of Alaska March 31/April 13’ in “Canadian Orthodox Messenger” (Spring, 2000), pp. 4-5.