08/20/2025
A copy of the Beautiful Sitka Icon (from Alaska's Orthodox St Michael Cathedral) can be found in our Chapel. I was healed as my heart was "taken out" of my chest and the valve problem disappeared..as I felt after! Unaware of the Icons that carried the Life of Christ in their "window", I traced the Icon to this Sitka Icon of the Mother of God" requested to be painted by St Innocent of Alaska in 1866 or so. We also have his Chrism from that period, still fresh and new like honey in its container - shared from a large bottle(s) found in the basement storage after a fire In 1960s I believe. Glory to God for His Light shining through these heavenly "windows" giving us healing in His Love as we venerate those who show us His Heavenly Kingdom!
Welcome all who share our FB page - you are loved! Presbytera Irene (Matta) MTh
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"A WOMAN GOT IN A WHEELCHAIR AND LEFT ON HER OWN FEET"
Bishop Alexy (Trader) about the Sitkin icon and the miracles of the Virgin Mary
Dmitry Zlodorev
One of the main Orthodox American shrines, the Sitkin Icon of the Mother of God, arrived in Washington for the first time in more than 20 years. Its guardian, Bishop Alexy of Sitkin and Alaska (Trader), bishop of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), in an interview with the portal Pravoslavie.Ru explained why the miraculous image so rarely travels around the country, told how they buy a special ticket to the first class for him, shared wonderful stories of healing and answered why the icon can become a kind of spiritual bridge between the United States and Russia in difficult times.
Sitkin Icon of the Mother of God
- Vladyka, why is the Sitkin icon of the Mother of God so rarely visiting the East Coast of the United States? I suppose it's not so easy to fly from Alaska to Washington or any other city.
- Yes, it really is. The icon is constantly in our St. Michael's Cathedral in Sitka. We don't take it out of there so often, but still sometimes we do it. It's quite large in size, and since I don't want to check it in, we buy her a first-class ticket to be together for the whole flight.
The icon was transferred to Alaska in the middle of the 19th century by employees of the Russian-American Company, which then worked here. It was recognized as miraculous almost immediately. We believe that this image appeared at the end of the 18th century and belongs to the brush of the famous artist and icon painter Vladimir Borovikovsky, who, among other things, painted the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg.
- How many years hasn't the icon visited Washington? I've been going to church for quite a long time, but I don't remember her coming to us.
- I don't know exactly when the icon was in Washington, but I think at least 20 years ago, no less. It is very expensive to take it to the East Coast, and these trips are fraught with difficulties.
Bishop Alexy (Trader)
Bishop Alexy (Trader)
- Thus, you began to answer my next question. Is it difficult to arrange such trips from an organizational and spiritual point of view?
- Yes, it's hard, and our father deacon takes care of these difficulties. Of course, at Sitki airport, everyone already knows Who it is, respects her. The deacon immediately goes to the plane through all the security services. But when we landed in Seattle for a transfer, the local airline employees did not want to let us and the icon pass, even though we showed them both the permit and the first-class ticket we had bought.
Then the priest took off the cloth in which she was wrapped and prayed. And at the same moment, everything changed: the airline employees said that she could get on board.
- Is this evidence that even non-Orthodox Christians in Alaska honor and respect the icon?
- I would say it's true as far as Sitki and the southeastern part of the state are concerned. Alaska is very big, bigger than Texas. And, of course, all Orthodox Christians here honor it.
- Tell us more about the history of the Sitkin icon.
- As I have already said, it was transferred to Alaska by employees of the Russian-American Company in 1850. A few years before that, they built a cathedral in Novo-Arkhangelsk. In the 1860s, a fire broke out in the cathedral, but many icons and church utensils were saved. Thus, the Sitkin icon of the Mother of God was also saved.
Many people call this Kazan image a pearl of Russian church art.
The indigenous peoples of Alaska, who accepted Orthodoxy, immediately felt their Mother in this icon of the Mother of God
The indigenous peoples of Alaska, who accepted Orthodoxy, immediately felt their Mother in this icon of the Mother of God, felt Her protection. They turned to her for help when there were problems.
We have three altars in our cathedral, and the Sitkin icon is in, so to speak, the "side" altar. When we take it out of the cathedral, a sheet with the inscription: "Thank you for saving" remains in its place. And this is not uncommon - we are witnessing many miracles.
- Can you tell me about specific stories?
- Even the fact that the icon came to the East Coast, and that the airline employees put the icon on board the plane, changing their original opinion, is already a miracle.
Although this tumor was very large, it almost disappeared after they worshiped the Mother of God
On my last visit to Seattle, I saw a little boy with a huge brain tumor the size of a fist, which grew so much that it even deformed his forehead. She and her mother came to pray in front of the icon in the morning. And in the afternoon they had to visit the doctor to do an MRI. And although this tumor was very, very large, the study showed that it almost disappeared after they worshiped the Mother of God.
This boy's mother later sent me before and after MRI pictures. It was amazing.
Another wonderful story happened in Anchorage. There was a young woman who couldn't even walk because of a serious nervous breakdown. She came to worship the icon in a wheelchair, and left the cathedral on her own feet. And he still walks.
Many other miracles have also happened.
One woman's son went missing while hunting in the mountains. It happened in the forest, and nothing was known about it for four days. It was even reported in the news. No one could find the guy. The woman prayed to the Most Holy Mother of God. On the fourth day, and it was Sunday, his 13-year-old brother asked in front of the Sitkin Icon: "Mother of God, if you help me find my brother, I promise to be a good boy and go to church without any objections." Just a few minutes later, searchers found the missing brother. At the same time, mom was driving to the church and heard on the radio that her son was saved. She jumped out of the car, ran into the cathedral, approached the icon and thanked the Virgin Mary.
- I heard about the special look that the Virgin Mary radiates in this image. Do you feel it?
- In this look - softness, tenderness, kindness and mercy. Understanding and Love. He heals.
- You have the obedience to be the guardian of the Sitkin icon. How do you regard it - is it a joy, a duty, something else?
- I would say it's a joy. What I experience is hard to put into words. I feel that She protects me much more than I protect Her.
- You brought me to the next question again. I can't even imagine what a person who accompanies the icon of the Mother of God on trips - Her constant presence, Her Love, a living miracle - feels?
- Yes. Now I'm next to the icon, and it warms the whole room, making it look like a church.
- The Sitkin icon is of Russian origin. It was written by a Russian master, Russian industrialists brought it to Alaska, where it has been for more than 170 years. Do you think it can become a spiritual bridge between our countries in these difficult times?
- This icon was painted in St. Petersburg, but became one of the most important Orthodox shrines in North America. She gives peace. It was brought to Alaska by employees of the Russian-American Company, most of whom were Russians. But she also became a Mother to the indigenous peoples of America. Thus, from the very beginning, this image united our countries and became a treasure for both the United States and Russia.
- What should we ask for when standing in front of this icon?
- We pray to her for peace, for understanding, for Christian love.
With Bishop Alexy (Trader)
Dmitry Zlodorev talked
April 2, 2024
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