St. Innocent of Irkutsk
Saint Innocent of Irkutsk (born Ivan Kulczycki) was born around 1680 in the Chernihiv region of Russia. He studied at the Kyiv Spiritual Academy. In 1710, he took monastic vows and later served as prefect and professor of theology at the Moscow Slavonic-Greek-Latin Academy. By 1719, St. Innocent had moved to the St. Petersburg Alexander Nevsky Lavra, where he became the chief naval chaplain. In 1720, he also became vice-regent for the Lavra (monastery).
On February 14, 1721, Hieromonk Innocent was consecrated as Bishop of Pereyaslavl, a Kyivan Rus (Ukraine) principality, and assigned to the Peking Spiritual Mission in China. However, the Chinese authorities denied him entry due to misrepresenting him as “a great lord.” As a result, the saint spent three years near the Chinese border, enduring hardships due to civil unrest.
In 1727, the Most Holy Synod appointed St. Innocent as Bishop of Irkutsk and Nerchinsk, Russia, placing him in charge of the dioceses. Due to an oversight, he received no funding, leaving him to live in extreme poverty. He worked diligently to organize the dioceses and improve their spiritual lives. His many sermons, pastoral letters, and directives serve as evidence of his efforts.

St. Innocent of Alaska
Most people know that our cathedral is named after St. Innocent of Irkutsk. We honor his life of poverty and humility and the good works he accomplished with few resources. However, most Alaskan Orthodox are more familiar with the other St. Innocent. Sometimes referred to as St. Innocent of Moscow, St. Innocent of Alaska, or St. Innocent, Enlightener of the Aleuts and Apostle to America.
This is a brief accounting of his life and time in Alaska:
St. Innocent, originally named Ivan (John) Evseyevich Popov-Veniaminov, was born on August 26, 1797, in Anginskoye, within Russia’s Irkutsk province, into a family involved in church service. Unfortunately, he lost his father at just six years old. In 1807, John began his studies at the Irkutsk Theological Seminary. He married in 1817 and was ordained as a deacon for the Church of the Annunciation in Irkutsk on May 18. He completed his education in 1818, subsequently becoming a teacher in a parish school. He was ordained as a priest at that same church on May 18, 1821.
In early 1823, Bishop Michael of Irkutsk sought a priest for the distant island of Unalaska in the Aleutian Islands. Eager to help, Father John Veniaminov volunteered. On May 7, 1823, he began a challenging one-year journey from Irkutsk to Alaska, taking along his elderly mother, wife, infant son and brother. They finally reached Unalaska on the Aleutian Islands on July 29, 1824, where John started building a church after settling in an earthen hut known as a “berabera”, a traditional dwelling used by the Native people of the area. He also committed himself to learning local languages and dialects, training parishioners in construction techniques such as carpentry and blacksmithing. Together, they finished the church within a month.
As a missionary in the Aleutian Islands, Father John traveled between islands in a “bidarka,” a traditional boat or kayak made from seal skin over a beach wood frame. He was known to brave the extreme weather of the stormy Gulf of Alaska. His extensive travels significantly improved his familiarity with the local dialects, enabling him to master six. He created an alphabet using Cyrillic letters for the most widely spoken dialect, Unangax (Aleut). By 1828, he had translated the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew and other church texts into this dialect, which were published in 1840 with permission from the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.
In 1829, he traveled to the Bering Sea coast of Alaska’s mainland to preach to the local Native people. By 1836, he ventured further south, reaching the Ross Colony near San Francisco and the Spanish missions in northern California. In 1834, he relocated to Sitka Island from Unalaska, dedicating himself to the Tlingit people by immersing in their language and customs. During this time, he authored works such as “Notes on the Kolushchan and Kodiak Tongues and Other Dialects of the Russo-American Territories” and a Russian-Kolushchan dictionary Glossary. In 1838, Father John traveled to St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Kiev, Russia, to report on his work and seek an expansion of the Church’s presence in Russian America. Unfortunately, during his visit, he received the devastating news of his wife’s passing back in Alaska. Though encouraged to return to Sitka, he was also advised to consider monastic vows. Initially hesitant, Father John ultimately took his vows on November 29, 1840, adopting the name Innocent in honor of Bishop Innocent of Irkutsk.
On December 15, 1840, he was consecrated as Bishop of Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands, and the Aleutian Islands in Russian America, with his see in Novoarkhangelsk (New Archangel, later Sitka), returning there in September 1841. For the next nine years, he focused on administering his diocese while undertaking several missionary journeys to its remote areas. On April 21, 1850, he was elevated to Archbishop. In 1852, the Yakut region was added to the Kamchatka Diocese of Russia, and in September 1853, Archbishop Innocent established a permanent residence in Yakutsk, Russia. He made frequent visits throughout his diocese, reflecting his dedication to the people’s well-being.
In April 1865, his efforts were acknowledged when he became a member of the Holy Governing Synod of the Church. On November 19, 1867, he was appointed Metropolitan of Moscow, succeeding his friend and mentor, Metropolitan Filaret. During his tenure, he revisited many Church texts for accuracy, fundraised to improve priests’ living conditions, and founded a retirement home for them.
Innocent died on March 31, 1879, and was buried on April 5, 1879, at Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra. In 1977, the Russian Church canonized Innocent as a saint at the request of the Orthodox Church in America. His feast days are celebrated on October 6 and March 31.

Cathedral History
Consecrated in 1994, Saint Innocent Russian Orthodox Cathedral stands as the “Bicentennial Cathedral of the Orthodox Church in America,” commemorating the arrival of the first Russian Orthodox missionaries in Alaska in 1794. Situated in Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska and a hub of economic activity and public services, the Cathedral is a focal point for many activities within the Alaskan Diocese and its numerous parishes.
Over its 50-year history, the Cathedral has witnessed significant milestones, including the canonization of St. Yakov Netsvetov in 1994, and the hosting of various hierarchs and delegations. It has become one of Anchorage’s most prominent architectural landmarks. The parish is characterized by its diverse membership, which includes Alaska Natives from the Aleut, Alutiiq, Yupik, Athabascan, and Tlingit communities and individuals of Russian, Ukrainian, Serbian, Greek, Ethiopian, and American descent. While English is the primary language for liturgical services, the use of Slavonic and Native languages enriches our worship experience.
In the early 1960s, Fr. Michael Oskolkoff, who oversaw multiple parishes in South Central Alaska, conducted services in various locations throughout Anchorage. As the city expanded, the need for a dedicated priest in Anchorage became evident. On September 7, 1967, Fr. Nicholas Molodyko-Harris and his family arrived to establish a parish in the city. Initially, services were held in a facility owned by the local Greek community. Services eventually transitioned to the basement of the rectory.
Through the dedication of the emerging Orthodox Christian community and the generosity of their hierarch, Bishop (Metropolitan) Theodosius, the current property in the Muldoon area of Anchorage was acquired. As the parish continued to grow, it quickly outgrew the rectory basement. A new worship space was established in what was originally intended to be the basement hall of a future church. Thanks to an assortment of many fundraising events, the sacrifices of parishioners, the support of several Alaska Native Corporations along with private donors and benefactors, what began as a modest church with two cupolas evolved into today’s architectural landmark—a 17,500-square-foot cathedral adorned with 12 cupolas set on three acres. The cornerstone was blessed by His Holiness Patriarch Aleksy II of the Russian Orthodox Church on September 19, 1993, and the Cathedral was consecrated on October 15, 1994, during the canonization of St. Yakov Netsvetov.
Fr. Nicholas envisioned plans for iconography throughout the interior, as well as a museum, cemetery, and diocesan center on the property. Many of these aspirations were realized under the leadership of subsequent pastors. While Fr. Nicholas established a church school with classes for children and adults, clergy offices, a commercial grade kitchen, and a banquet hall, Fr. Peter Bourdukofsky, of blessed memory, assisted in services and parish responsibilities during this time and was a great support for the growing parish.
In 1999, Cathedral Dean Fr. (Archbishop) Benjamin Peterson expanded the choir and bolstered parish resources through a multitude of fundraising initiatives. Fr. Michael Oleksa also fostered community engagement through various public events, and he enhanced the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos Chapel with a hand-carved wooden iconostasis he personally transported from Romania.
Today, St. Innocent Cathedral is guided by the Cathedral Rector, The Most Rev. Alexei, Archbishop of Sitka and Alaska, Cathedral Dean, Fr. Daniel Charles, Associate Priest, Fr. Peter Kamilos, Bishop’s Secretary, Fr. Jonah Andrew, Fr. Peter Chris, Fr. Michael Fredericks, Deacon Thomas Rivas, and a dedicated group of parishioners and servers. The Cathedral continues to grow and thrive, serving as a vibrant parish for several generations from Alaska, the United States, and around the world.
St. Innocent Cathedral appreciates assistance to help cover the cost of utilities, building maintenance and repair, and to our continuing “Cathedral Beautification Project”.
