https://orthodoxwiki.org/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=Seraphimfimm&feedformat=atomOrthodoxWiki - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T13:15:52ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Peter_the_Aleut&diff=24103Peter the Aleut2006-01-01T11:10:47Z<p>Seraphimfimm: /* Martyrdom */</p>
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<div>[[Image:Peter the Aleut.jpg|right|frame|St. Peter the Aleut]]<br />
{{orthodoxyinamerica}}<br />
The holy martyr '''Peter the Aleut''' (or '''Cungagnaq''' in his native tongue) was probably a native of Kodiak Island (Aleutian Islands). He is said to have received the Christian name of Peter when he was [[baptism|baptized]] into the [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] faith by the [[monk]]s of [[Herman of Alaska|St. Herman]]'s&mdash;missionaries operating in the north. His feast day is commemorated in the Orthodox Church on [[September 24]] or [[December 12]].<br />
<br />
==Martyrdom==<br />
In 1815 a group of Aleut seal and otter hunters, including Peter, were captured by Spanish sailors, who took them to San Francisco for interrogation. With threats of torture, the [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] priests in California attempted to force the Aleuts to deny their Orthodox faith and to convert to Roman Catholicism.<br />
<br />
When the Aleuts refused, the priest had a toe severed from each of Peter's feet. Peter still refused to renounce his faith and the Spanish priest ordered a group of California Indians to cut off each finger of Peter's hands, one joint at a time, finally removing both his hands. They eventually disemboweled him, crowning his life with [[martyr]]dom. They were about to torture the next Aleut when orders were received to release them under escort to their monastery in Monterey.<br />
<br />
Upon receiving the report of Peter's death from Simeon Yanovsky, St. Herman back on Kodiak Island was moved to cry out, "Holy new-martyr Peter, pray to God for us!" Peter the Aleut was formally declared a [[saint]] as the "Martyr of San Francisco" in 1980. We have the account of St. Peter's martyrdom from Simeon Yanovsky as related him by St. Peter's cellmate who escaped torture. Simeon Yanovsky ended his life as the schemamonk Sergius in the St. Tikhon of Kaluga [[Monastery]]), and is the author of ''The Life of St. Herman of Alaska''.<br />
<br />
==Hymns==<br />
[[Troparion]] (Fourth Tone) [http://www.oca.org/FSTropars.asp?SID=13&ID=102713]<br />
<br />
:Today Alaska rejoices and America celebrates,<br />
:For the new world has been sanctified by martyrdom.<br />
:Kodiak echoes with songs of thanksgiving,<br />
:Iliamna and Kenai observe the festival of faith.<br />
:The [[Apostle]] and martyr [[Juvenaly of Alaska|Juvenaly]] is glorified,<br />
:And Peter the Aleut is exalted by his voluntary sacrifice,<br />
:In their devotion and love for the [[Jesus|Lord]],<br />
:They willingly endured persecution and death for the Truth,<br />
:Now in the Kingdom of Heaven they intercede for our souls!<br />
<br />
[[Kontakion]] (Fourth Tone)<br />
<br />
:Today [[Valaam Monastery|Valaam]] joins Alaska<br />
:In celebrating this joyous feast,<br />
:As her spiritual son Juvenaly<br />
:Embraces the new martyr Peter with love.<br />
:Together they suffered for the Lord in America<br />
:And united the old world with the new by their voluntary sacrifice.<br />
:Now forever they stand before the King of glory and [[intercession|intercede]] for our souls.<br />
<br />
Troparion (First Tone) [http://www.comeandseeicons.com/cap01.htm]<br />
<br />
:O Peter, upon the rock of thy faith hath Christ built His Church, <br />
:and in the streams of thy blood hath He hallowed our land. <br />
:In thee thy people hath been sanctified, O Aleut; <br />
:from the farthest islands of the west hath He raised thee, a light unto all. <br />
:Glory to Him that hath glorified thee. <br />
:Glory to Him that hath crowned thee. <br />
:Glory to Him that worketh healings for all through thee.<br />
<br />
==Sources and External Links==<br />
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102713 Martyr Peter the Aleut]<br />
*[http://www.umich.edu/~ocf/saint_peter_the_aleut.htm Saint Peter the Aleut]<br />
*[http://www.comeandseeicons.com/cap01.htm Come and See Icons: Saint Peter the Aleut]<br />
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_the_Aleut Peter the Aleut on Wikipedia]<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:American Saints]]<br />
[[Category:Saints]]</div>Seraphimfimmhttps://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Jacob_Netsvetov&diff=24102Jacob Netsvetov2006-01-01T10:43:17Z<p>Seraphimfimm: /* Early Life */</p>
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<div>{{orthodoxyinamerica}}<br />
Our righteous Father '''Jacob Netsvetov''', [[Enlightener]] of Alaska, was a native of the Aleutian Islands who became a [[priest]] of the Orthodox Church and continued the missionary work of St. [[Innocent of Alaska|Innocent]] among his and other Alaskan people. His [[feast day]] is celebrated on the day of his repose, [[July 26]]. <br />
<br />
==Early Life==<br />
Father Jacob was born in 1802 on Atka Island, part of the Aleutian Island chain in Alaska. His father, Yegor Vasil'evich Netsvetov, was Russian from Tobolsk, Russia, and his mother, Maria Alekscevna, was an Aleut from Atka Island. Jacob was the eldest of four children who survived infancy. The others were Osip (Joesph), Elena, and Antony. Although not well off, Yegor and Maria did all they could to provide for their children and prepare them to live their lives. Osip and Antony were able to study at the St. Petersburg Naval Academy and then were able to become a naval officer and ship builder, respectively. Elena married a respected clerk with the Russian-American Company. Jacob chose a life with the Church and enrolled in the Irkutsk Theological [[Seminary]].<br />
<br />
==Missionary==<br />
On [[October 1]], 1825, Jacob was [[tonsure]]d a sub-deacon. He married Anna Simeonovna, a Russian woman perhaps of a Creole background as was he, and then in 1826 he graduated from the seminary with certificates in history and theology. With graduation he was ordained a [[deacon]] on [[October 31]], 1826 and assigned to the Holy Trinity-St. Peter Church in Irkutsk. Two years later, [[Archbishop]] Michael ordained Jacob to the holy [[priest]]hood on [[March 4]], 1828. Archbishop Michael had earlier ordained John Veniaminov (St. Innocent) to the priesthood. With his elevation to the priesthood, Father Jacob began to yearn to return to his native Alaska to preach the Word of God.<br />
<br />
Upon departing, Archbishop Michael gave Father Jacob two [[antimension|antimensia]], one for use in the new church that Father Jacob planned to built on Atka, and the other for use in Father Jacob's missionary travels. After a [[molieben]], Father Jacob and his party set off for Alaska on [[May 1]], 1828. The travelers included Father Jacob, Anna his wife, and his father Yegor who had been tonsured reader for the new Atka Church. This journey, which was always hard, took over year to complete, which was completed on [[June 15]], 1829.<br />
<br />
Father Jacob's new [[parish]] was a challenge. The Atka "parish" covered most of the islands and land surrounding the Bering Sea: Amchitka, Attu, Copper, Bering, and Kurile Islands. But, he was to meet the challenge as clothed in his [[vestments|priestly garments]], he actively pursued his sacred ministry. To his parishioners, his love for God and them was evident in everything he did as he made his appearances while enduring the harsh weather, illness, hunger, and exhaustion. For him life was Christ. Being bi-lingual and bi-cultural, Father Jacob was uniquely able to care for the souls of his community.<br />
<br />
Since St. Nicholas Church was not yet available, Father Jacob built a large tent in which to hold his services, and after the church was completed he took the tent with him on his missionary travels. By the end of 1829, six months after arriving at Akta Father Jacob had recorded 16 [[baptism]]s, 442 [[chrismation]]s, 53 [[marriage]]s, and eight funerals.<br />
<br />
With the completion of the church on Atka, Father Jacob turned to education of the children, teaching them to read and write both Russian and Unangan Aleut. Initially the Russian-American Company helped support the school, but in 1841 the school was re-organized as a parish school. Many of his students would prove to be distinguished Aleut leaders. While living in the north areas was difficult, Father Jacob was active in the intellectual life as well; in addition to his own subsistence needs, he was active in collecting and preparing fish and marine animal specimens for the museums in Moscow and St. Petersburg. He corresponded with St Innocent on linguistics and translation matters. He worked on an adequate Unangan-Aleut alphabet and translations of of the [[Holy Scriptures]] and other church publications. In addition to praises from St. Innocent he began to receive awards for his services. In time he was elevated to Archpriest and received the Order of St. Anna.<br />
<br />
Father Jacob's life was not without its personal sufferings. 1836 and 1837 were to bring successively the death of his beloved wife Anna in March 1836, the destruction by fire of his home in July 1836, and the death of his father, Yegor, in 1837. After considering the message of these misfortunes, he petitioned his bishop to return to Irkutsk so that he could enter a [[monastic]] life. A year later he request was granted contingent on the arrival of his replacement. But none came. Soon [[Bishop]] Innocent arrived and invited Father Jacob to accompany him on a trip to Kamchatka. During the voyage Bishop Innocent seemed to have accomplished three things with Father Jacob: with the healing salve of the [[Holy Spirit]] provided words of comfort, dissuaded Father Jacob from entering a [[monastery]], and revealed to the saintly priest the Savior's true plan for his life that was for him to preach [[Christ]] to those deep in the Alaskan interior. <br />
<br />
On [[December 30]], 1844, St. Innocent appointed him head of the new Kvikhpak Mission to bring the light of Christ to the people along the Yukon River. With two young Creole assistants, Innokentii Shayashnikov and Konstantin Lukin, and his nephew Vasili Netsvetov, Father Jacob established his headquarters in the Yup'ik Eskimo village of Ikogmiute. From there, now known as Russian Mission, he traveled to the settlements for hundreds of miles along the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers, visiting the inhabitants of settlements along the way. For the next twenty years he learned new languages, met new people and cultures, invented another alphabet, and built more churches and communities. At the invitation of the native leaders he traveled as far as the Innoko River baptizing hundreds from many, and often formerly hostile, tribes. He continued even as his health deteriorated.<br />
<br />
Yet the devil's presence came to stir up spurious and slanderous charges against him in 1863. To clear the air his Bishop Peter called him to Sitka where he was cleared of all the charges. As his health worsened he remained in Sitka serving at the Tlingit chapel until his death on [[July 26]], 1864. He was 60 years old.<br />
<br />
During his last missionary travels in the Kuskokwim/Yukon delta region he is remembered for baptizing 1,320 people and for distinguishing himself as the evangelizer of the Yup'k Eskimo and Athabascan peoples.<br />
<br />
==Sources==<br />
* Holy Synod of Bishops OCA, ''The Life of Saint Jacob Netsvetov'', Oyster Bay Cove, New York, March 1994.<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102091 St. Jacob Netsvetov the Enlightener of the Peoples of Alaska] on the [[OCA]] website<br />
*[http://www.holy-trinity.org/feasts/netsvetov.html The Life of Saint Jacob Netsvetov]<br />
<br />
*[http://www.asna.ca/alaska Alaskan Orthodox texts (Aleut, Yup'ik)] by St. Jacob Netsvetov<br />
<br />
[[Category:American Saints]]<br />
[[Category:Missionaries]]<br />
[[Category:Saints]]<br />
[[Category:Priests]]</div>Seraphimfimmhttps://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Jacob_Netsvetov&diff=24100Jacob Netsvetov2006-01-01T10:41:48Z<p>Seraphimfimm: /* Missionary */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{orthodoxyinamerica}}<br />
Our righteous Father '''Jacob Netsvetov''', [[Enlightener]] of Alaska, was a native of the Aleutian Islands who became a [[priest]] of the Orthodox Church and continued the missionary work of St. [[Innocent of Alaska|Innocent]] among his and other Alaskan people. His [[feast day]] is celebrated on the day of his repose, [[July 26]]. <br />
<br />
==Early Life==<br />
Father Jacob was born in 1802 on Atka Island, part of the Aleutian Island chain in Alaska. His father, Yegor Vasil'evich Netsvetov, was Russian from Tobolsk, Russia, and his mother, Maria Alekscevna, was an Aleut from Atka Island. Jacob was the eldest of four children who survived infancy. The others were Osip (Joesph), Elena, and Antony. Although not well off, Yegor and Maria did all they could to provide for their children and prepare them to live their lives. Osip and Antony was able to study at the St. Petersburg Naval Academy and were able to become a naval officer and ship builder, respectively. Elena married a respected clerk with the Russian-American Company. Jacob chose a life with the Church and enrolled in the Irkutsk Theological [[Seminary]].<br />
<br />
==Missionary==<br />
On [[October 1]], 1825, Jacob was [[tonsure]]d a sub-deacon. He married Anna Simeonovna, a Russian woman perhaps of a Creole background as was he, and then in 1826 he graduated from the seminary with certificates in history and theology. With graduation he was ordained a [[deacon]] on [[October 31]], 1826 and assigned to the Holy Trinity-St. Peter Church in Irkutsk. Two years later, [[Archbishop]] Michael ordained Jacob to the holy [[priest]]hood on [[March 4]], 1828. Archbishop Michael had earlier ordained John Veniaminov (St. Innocent) to the priesthood. With his elevation to the priesthood, Father Jacob began to yearn to return to his native Alaska to preach the Word of God.<br />
<br />
Upon departing, Archbishop Michael gave Father Jacob two [[antimension|antimensia]], one for use in the new church that Father Jacob planned to built on Atka, and the other for use in Father Jacob's missionary travels. After a [[molieben]], Father Jacob and his party set off for Alaska on [[May 1]], 1828. The travelers included Father Jacob, Anna his wife, and his father Yegor who had been tonsured reader for the new Atka Church. This journey, which was always hard, took over year to complete, which was completed on [[June 15]], 1829.<br />
<br />
Father Jacob's new [[parish]] was a challenge. The Atka "parish" covered most of the islands and land surrounding the Bering Sea: Amchitka, Attu, Copper, Bering, and Kurile Islands. But, he was to meet the challenge as clothed in his [[vestments|priestly garments]], he actively pursued his sacred ministry. To his parishioners, his love for God and them was evident in everything he did as he made his appearances while enduring the harsh weather, illness, hunger, and exhaustion. For him life was Christ. Being bi-lingual and bi-cultural, Father Jacob was uniquely able to care for the souls of his community.<br />
<br />
Since St. Nicholas Church was not yet available, Father Jacob built a large tent in which to hold his services, and after the church was completed he took the tent with him on his missionary travels. By the end of 1829, six months after arriving at Akta Father Jacob had recorded 16 [[baptism]]s, 442 [[chrismation]]s, 53 [[marriage]]s, and eight funerals.<br />
<br />
With the completion of the church on Atka, Father Jacob turned to education of the children, teaching them to read and write both Russian and Unangan Aleut. Initially the Russian-American Company helped support the school, but in 1841 the school was re-organized as a parish school. Many of his students would prove to be distinguished Aleut leaders. While living in the north areas was difficult, Father Jacob was active in the intellectual life as well; in addition to his own subsistence needs, he was active in collecting and preparing fish and marine animal specimens for the museums in Moscow and St. Petersburg. He corresponded with St Innocent on linguistics and translation matters. He worked on an adequate Unangan-Aleut alphabet and translations of of the [[Holy Scriptures]] and other church publications. In addition to praises from St. Innocent he began to receive awards for his services. In time he was elevated to Archpriest and received the Order of St. Anna.<br />
<br />
Father Jacob's life was not without its personal sufferings. 1836 and 1837 were to bring successively the death of his beloved wife Anna in March 1836, the destruction by fire of his home in July 1836, and the death of his father, Yegor, in 1837. After considering the message of these misfortunes, he petitioned his bishop to return to Irkutsk so that he could enter a [[monastic]] life. A year later he request was granted contingent on the arrival of his replacement. But none came. Soon [[Bishop]] Innocent arrived and invited Father Jacob to accompany him on a trip to Kamchatka. During the voyage Bishop Innocent seemed to have accomplished three things with Father Jacob: with the healing salve of the [[Holy Spirit]] provided words of comfort, dissuaded Father Jacob from entering a [[monastery]], and revealed to the saintly priest the Savior's true plan for his life that was for him to preach [[Christ]] to those deep in the Alaskan interior. <br />
<br />
On [[December 30]], 1844, St. Innocent appointed him head of the new Kvikhpak Mission to bring the light of Christ to the people along the Yukon River. With two young Creole assistants, Innokentii Shayashnikov and Konstantin Lukin, and his nephew Vasili Netsvetov, Father Jacob established his headquarters in the Yup'ik Eskimo village of Ikogmiute. From there, now known as Russian Mission, he traveled to the settlements for hundreds of miles along the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers, visiting the inhabitants of settlements along the way. For the next twenty years he learned new languages, met new people and cultures, invented another alphabet, and built more churches and communities. At the invitation of the native leaders he traveled as far as the Innoko River baptizing hundreds from many, and often formerly hostile, tribes. He continued even as his health deteriorated.<br />
<br />
Yet the devil's presence came to stir up spurious and slanderous charges against him in 1863. To clear the air his Bishop Peter called him to Sitka where he was cleared of all the charges. As his health worsened he remained in Sitka serving at the Tlingit chapel until his death on [[July 26]], 1864. He was 60 years old.<br />
<br />
During his last missionary travels in the Kuskokwim/Yukon delta region he is remembered for baptizing 1,320 people and for distinguishing himself as the evangelizer of the Yup'k Eskimo and Athabascan peoples.<br />
<br />
==Sources==<br />
* Holy Synod of Bishops OCA, ''The Life of Saint Jacob Netsvetov'', Oyster Bay Cove, New York, March 1994.<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102091 St. Jacob Netsvetov the Enlightener of the Peoples of Alaska] on the [[OCA]] website<br />
*[http://www.holy-trinity.org/feasts/netsvetov.html The Life of Saint Jacob Netsvetov]<br />
<br />
*[http://www.asna.ca/alaska Alaskan Orthodox texts (Aleut, Yup'ik)] by St. Jacob Netsvetov<br />
<br />
[[Category:American Saints]]<br />
[[Category:Missionaries]]<br />
[[Category:Saints]]<br />
[[Category:Priests]]</div>Seraphimfimm