Alaska: Bishop Alexei (OCA) leads “Heaven Week” of Liturgies for St. Herman’s Seminary students

Kodiak, Alaska, March 4, 2025

Photo: OCA Diocese of Sitka and Alaska

St. Herman Theological Seminary in Kodiak, Alaska, was blessed with a spiritually uplifting week-long visit from His Grace Bishop Alexei of Sitka and All Alaska earlier this month.

Every year or two, His Grace visits the seminary for what has become known as “Heaven Week,” when he serves seven consecutive days of Hierarchical Divine Liturgies, which “serve[s] as a profound training opportunity for seminarians in the order and divine beauty of the liturgical services,” reports the Orthodox Church in America’s Diocese of Alaska.

This year’s Heaven Week is all the more important, as the seminarians prepare to assist in the Hierarchical Liturgies that will be served as part of the glorification of St. Olga of Alaska, which will be held Alaska Diocese updates on St. Olga: Glorification in June 2025, first draft of service already composedIn preparation for her upcoming glorification, the Canonization Commission of the OCA has issued an appeal for stories of the miraculous intercession of St. Olga.

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Though Heaven Week is usually held at the seminary’s All Saints Chapel, this year the Liturgies were celebrated at the Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Kodiak, allowing the local faithful to attend as well.

The services were sung in Yup’ik and Church Slavonic.

Bp. Alexei with the newly ordained Deacon Innokenty and his Matushka Katherine and son. Photo: OCA Diocese of Sitka and Alaska