Following The North Star Print Copy

Part I

       Seamen around the world look to the North Star for guidance to point them towards the right path, certain that they will not become lost at the mercy of the sea. The Orthodox Church has its own North Star, St. Herman of Alaska.
    The venerable Monk Herman was born in the city of Serpukhov near Moscow in 1756. His family, like St. Seraphim's, were merchants, though his family name has been lost to us. With a love for piety and great zeal, the child Herman received the blessings of his Elders to enter the Trinity-Sergius Hermitage near the Gulf of Finland. He did this at the tender age of sixteen.
    After much suffering from a very painful abscess that appeared on the right side of his throat, the young Herman, nearly unable to swallow and having a disfigured face from such swelling, resigned himself to death. Pleading before the icon of the Queen of Heaven for healing and with many tears, he wiped the icon with a towel and placing it on his sore, he then fell into a deep sleep. During the night, in a dream, he saw the Virgin Mary coming to him and as she touched his face he was healed. He awoke the next morning to find only a small scar left behind to remind him of such a miracle.
    For five or six years Herman remained at the Sergius Hermitage where he was then transferred to the Valaam Monastery located on an island in Lake Ladoga. He came to love this Valaam with all of his heart along with his pious Elder Nazary.
    There is a place there named Hermanova, where he would wander off to pray for days at a time until the brothers retrieved him.
    Monks in this century still speak of him as the holiest man that has ever left them. He spent his time working in the fields and shops, feeding the hungry and praying for the dying.
    In 1793 the Holy Synod organized the Kodiak Mission to carry out the sacred duty of bringing the gospel to the Aleuts. It was the first and longest mission ever sent by Russia across the sea, leaving January 22, 1794. Those chosen men were the best men the Valaam Monastery had to offer, numbering ten in all. Among them, the pious monk, Herman.
    Arriving eight months later, on September 24, the missionaries settled on Kodiak Island. That first year more than 6,700 natives were baptized, as well as over 1,500 weddings performed, an event not equaled since the time of the Apostles!!
    Such an evangelical mission was not met without great difficulty and hardship. The Russian-American Company had come to power. Their interests were of territorial expansion and commercial exploitation of fur goods and other natural resources. They had monopoly powers for commercial purposes and became the civil government of Alaska. In Alaska, Alexander Baranoff, the head manager, became all powerful with the native population regarded as a means to further the Company interest and profit.
    The prevailing attitude of the people was "God is in Heaven, the Czar is in Russia, Baranoff is in America, let us therefore bow before Baranoff." Baranoff drove the monks from the natives and at times they were forbidden to serve. Many natives lost their lives in hunting expeditions for the Company. This oppression was so bad that mothers destroyed their unborn infants rather than have them endure the tremendous abuse suffered at the hands of the Company.
    The missionaries suffered hardship from the natives and the elements as well. Heiromonk Juvenaly received the martyr's crown at the hands of hostile natives now believed to be from the Kuskokwim River Delta Region, and not Lake Illiamna. Archimandrite Josaph, who had just been elevated to Bishop, lost his life at sea with his whole party, while enroute to Kodiak. It was in this atmosphere that Father Herman served his people for over forty years. He taught them the true faith, and defended them against injustice. He was the last of the missionaries to remain on Kodiak, eventually retiring permanently to nearby Spruce Island. St. Herman truly walked the way of the cross.
    Such hardship was not without its rewards. As proof of the Elder's great zeal and piety, God chose to endow him with supernatural gifts.
    At one time on the island, the terrified inhabitants came to St. Herman seeking help from an ongoing tidal wave. The Elder then took an icon of the Mother of God and placed it on the sandy beach. After praying he promised that the tidal wave would not go past this holy icon. St. Herman promised as well that they would have the same protection in the future event of a tidal wave. Miraculously the waters flowed up to the icon of the Mother of God and stopped. This icon is still venerated today in a small chapel on Spruce Island.
    On another occasion, the forest on the island became inflamed. The monk Herman and his disciple made a belt about a yard wide in which they turned over the moss. Then St. Herman proceeded to say, "Rest assured, the fire will not pass this line." On the next day and with prevailing winds the fire ran up over the moss and halted. Again the natives were spared by God's mercy through the saint's prayers. St. Herman also foresaw future events and wild animals were tame in his presence. When the time came for Monk Herman's departure, as is customary to saints, God revealed to him the hour and the day of his death. Further proof of his sanctity was revealed as his body lay in state for a full month without corruption. St. Herman passed away into Eternal Life in his 81st year, on the 13th day of December, 1837 (new calendar).

Part II

    Perhaps we can learn more about St. Herman in how he affects the lives of the people today. This is important to us now as well as the many miracles performed in his life time. The life of St. Herman is much more than inspiring stories, for his life did not end with his death. He is ready and waiting to intercede for us, to help us on our journey to the Heavenly Kingdom. A journey that he has already completed. Who better to guide us than those who have already entered the Kingdom?
    With this knowledge, my husband, Anthony and I set out on Sunday, August 5, 1988, on the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, ( new calendar) to begin a 3 day pilgrimage to Spruce Island, and to participate in the annual celebration of St. Herman's canonization.
    Our journey began with a deep yearning to visit this place that is holy, apart from the world. By the designs of the enemy, our journey also began with difficulty. On our departure I had the stomach flu, and that being complicated with already being 6 months pregnant with my first child.
    Arriving in Kodiak by plane, from Anchorage, we were greeted by a drizzling rain, and much to my surprise, an icon of St. Herman (not for sale) at the airport gift shop. Although unknown to us, at the time, this was clear evidence of the unceasing love and devotion passed from generation to generation of the venerable St. Herman. Even our lady hotel transporter was excited about the pilgrimage, remarking to us, "The whole atmosphere of the church (the Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Church) had changed since the reliquary of St. Herman had been moved to the center of the Nave".
    By the time we arrived at our hotel we were in much need of rest. Our original plans to attend Divine Liturgy were cancelled and I spent most of Sunday morning in bed sick. It seems St. Herman had other plans for us than our own. I remember weeping and praying constantly for him to heal me. God had already begun His work in me by getting me to pray to St. Herman.
    Later that afternoon we set out with a clear sky in search of the Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Church (HRROC). As we stepped outdoors we were met by the crisp fresh sea air. Kodiak is situated on an island in the Gulf of Alaska and is the 3rd largest commercial fishing port in the United States. As we walked, we became entranced by the picturesque beauty of this island community. All the mountains and valleys were green and lush from so much rain. Everywhere stood the majestic Kodiak spruce trees. As we rounded a corner we could see the friendly blue domes of the HRROC, beckoning to us and saying, "Here is home".
    This beautiful church is set on a grassy hill overlooking the park and the sea. As we entered the church, we were greeted by the caretaker and two ladies of St. Herman's Sisterhood. Everyone was busy making final preparations for the reception of pilgrims soon to be flocking in.
    We turned our attention toward the Nave and were rooted firmly to the spot, for before us lay the reliquary of St. Herman. In clear view was his 16 # cross and chains (Paraman) which he never removed, his monastic hat (Klobuk) and hand Blessing Cross. These items were miraculously preserved from the 1943 fire that was so hot it melted the church bells and candleholders.
    As I approached the reliquary to venerate St. Herman, all boldness left me, and trembling, I was only able to bow and cross myself before him. I became aware of a spiritual presence I had never felt before and a holy fear and reverence gripped me.
    Perhaps you would like to hear my husband Anthony's words:

"I was not prepared for this sudden confrontation with St. Herman. It is one thing to read about the saints and quite another to come face to face with their reality. I was in awe, being able to see and venerate the very things St. Herman wore and held. The idea of a saint was no longer some vague picture fabricated in my mind, but was very real here and now, and in front of me! This was accompanied by an atmosphere of peace and closeness to a man who had died 150 years ago. After venerating St. Herman, I departed with my senses overloaded. When you stare at a bright light for a time, upon looking away, the light remains in the center of your vision. This is how I felt, but somehow with my whole being."

    This meeting with St. Herman made a lasting impression on both of us. Being an expectant mother I could not help but wonder in what way St. Herman would affect our child and the direction of all our lives in general.
    With a sense of peace and being renewed in spirit, we left the Church in search of +Fr. Joseph Kreta (Dean of St. Herman's Seminary and his son, +Fr. Peter Kreta, parish priest of HRROC). Finding his house easily, and after a brief visit, +Fr. Peter showed us to our new accommodations at St. Herman's Seminary, which were so generously offered to us free of charge. Entering our room, we found it very humble with bunk beds and icons on the wall to greet us. Although our hotel room was much more elegant, this small cell had great spiritual warmth. St Herman was very near to us.
    Hearing the Church bells ringing, we hurried up Mission Street for the Sunday night Akathist services to St. Herman. We were asked for our intentions earlier and here they would be given to St. Herman, We settled in a pew up front. As I sat near the reliquary of St. Herman, I was aware of his presence. Never before had I experienced such unearthly beauty. The spiritual fragrance surrounding us was to my soul like a taste of Heaven and Earth meeting. My heart melted like wax. All at once I knew my indifference to St. Herman had been an offence to God. (I had ignored him in the past.) I knew I was a great sinner. I had become a pharisee, pleased with my Christianity, but God was not. St. Herman truly became my teacher and guide to the Heavenly Kingdom, showing me my sins. I wept as we sang the Troparion to St. Herman.

O joyful North Star of the Church of Christ;
Guiding all men to the Heavenly Kingdom;
Teacher and Apostle of the True Faith;
Intercessor and defender of the oppressed;
Adornment of the Orthodox Church in America;
Blessed Father Herman of Alaska.
Pray to our Lord, Jesus Christ
For the salvation of our souls.

Part III

    Monday morning, August 8th was to bring us by boat to Spruce Island. This is where St. Herman spent the last 14 years of his life. After an epidemic wiped out many of the Kodiak community, he built an orphanage and school for the teaching of children. He taught them the law of God and church music and they sang very well. On Sunday and Holy Days he gathered the inhabitants of Spruce Island for prayer and the reading of the Hours. He himself read to them the Epistles and Gospels, and they dearly loved his sermons, sometimes staying to the early morning hours to hear him speak. They looked upon him as their "Apa" or great grandfather, so natural their affection became.
    As we set out by boat, though the forecast from the previous night was very poor, now the seas were calm and the wind had stopped. Where we had begun with only one boat, now we had five. St. Herman's prayers had prepared the way for us with the Sea Surgeon, the Pauline M and three smaller boats accompanying us. In a little over an hour we entered Monk's Lagoon. Off the beach on a small hill could be seen a large white Orthodox cross, proclaiming to us that this was holy ground. As our boat approached nearer to shore, a holy fear engulfed me. Again I sensed that same spiritual majesty that was present at the reliquary of St. Herman. In reverence I waited for the smaller boats to shuttle us onto shore.
    As we approached the trail, the natural beauty of the island filled us with wonder. In such beauty St. Herman had to be constantly reminded of Glory of God and His goodness. One's whole being was naturally uplifted towards prayer. I wanted to stay here always and drink in such beauty and peace.
    Let this wondrous vision be unfolded before you in the words of my husband,

" I have lived in Alaska for over 20 years, but I am still awed by the natural beauty of Spruce Island. A needle covered path, bordered with majestic Spruce trees, led from the beach to the Chapel. Blankets of moss were everywhere, draping the stately tree limbs like rolls of fabric, covering trunks, and laid out across the ground like a vast carpet. Bushes of salmon berries (similar to raspberries) lined the path mixed with devil's club. The stems and undersides of these large leafy plants covered the thorns.
It struck me that on this very spot St. Herman battled with the devil in order to obtain the fruits of a holy life."

    Icons attached at intervals to the trees along the trail, could be venerated by us. A few feet hundred yards ahead we came upon a clearing and here is where the Elder grew vegetables for himself and his orphans. A few feet away St. Herman had pleaded in prayer with Theotokos for water and at his knees a miraculous spring began to flow. The faithful came here often in reverence to drink and draw water. Many have gone away healed. It seemed to me the most holy spot on the Island, as if angels present were ready to appear at any minute. This spring was fully sanctified.
    Off the right we could see +Father Gerasim's cell, and the Chapel he built over the original cell of St. Herman. St. Herman has prophesied that that after his death a monk would come to dwell on Spruce Island, " fleeing the glory of men." +Fr. Gerasim lived out his life here in fulfillment of this prophecy becoming the keeper and guardian of St. Herman's relics. He is buried nearby and his grave is marked by a large white orthodox cross, where Divine Liturgy Requiem services are held in his memory.
    In the same spirit as +Fr. Gerasim, Heiromonk Gerasim has come to live on Spruce Island. As you first enter the trail you will find his cabin to the left. With the Abbot being +Archimandrite Innocent and under the guidance of His Grace, +Bishop GREGORY of Sitka and Alaska, these three monks make up the new monastic community of New Valaam being prepared at Monk's Lagoon. St. Herman prophesied that in time in the place where his original Chapel stood there would be a monastery. Only time will tell if this is to be it's fulfillment.
    At the end of the trail we came to Saints Sergius and Herman of Valaam Chapel which was built out of logs by +Bishop NICHOLAS of Sitka over the original grave site of St. Herman and later refurbished with wooden siding by +Fr. Gerasim. Underneath the chapel is an opening where the faithful enter and remove the soil from the Saint's gravesite. Many have been healed by using this soil.
    As I entered this opening I was greeted by the grave of +Father Joasaph who St. Herman asked to be buried along side of. Fr. Joasaph seemed to be saying to me, "I am the guardian of this holy site." In reverence I crossed myself before the grave of +Father Joasaph, and knelt beside the holy ground where St. Herman had laid. With awe and veneration I crossed myself, and began removing the moist soil to bring back with us. All the while, +Fr. Joasaph seemed to be saying, "It's all right, you are not intruding."
    Having tarried behind, we quickly entered the Chapel. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated with great fervor and pomp. We rejoiced that the three monks of the newly proposed monastery were the celebrants. All the vestments and linens were bright green. The original reliquary of St. Herman lay before us covered by the burial shroud of St. Herman. Surrounding it was garlands and candles. Icons of the Theotokos and Christ written in the western tradition could be seen behind it. The homily was given to us by +Archimandrite Innocent who exhorted us to love one another. We were blessed to receive the Holy Sacraments at the hands of His Grace, +Bishop GREGORY of Sitka and Alaska. As the choir and congregation sang, the little Chapel came alive. It was truly good to be here. Here was home, sweet home, and a portion of our "Heavenly Homeland" on Earth.
    God's cup overflowed with goodness to us that day. Our spirits were fed, we received our "Heavenly Food" and the ladies of St. Herman's Sisterhood had prepared for all the pilgrims a picnic on the beach, with a promise of hot soup and bread upon our return to the main island of Kodiak. Our evening meal was served in the basement of the HRROC. Here is where we experienced the hospitality of a loving parish. We were tired and they were tired, but still they served us with selfless love. My heart was touched by such genuine warmth. St. Herman is truly the "adornment" of the Orthodox Church. He had become the adornment of the people. Their hearts have been transformed by his prayers. As they call upon him and venerate him, he shares his spiritual beauty with them. They do not go away empty handed.
    Later that evening, we attended the Vigil Services to St. Herman. After such a long pilgrimage to Spruce Island, we were both exhausted. Although we were present, our hearts were still on Spruce Island. The morning of Tuesday, August 9th, 1988 greeted us with another beautiful day. Even creation seemed to know this was the annual anniversary of St. Herman's canonization. With thanksgiving, we looked forward to the Pontifical Liturgy to be served in the presence of St. Herman. Our hearts had awakened to a yearning to remain nearer to him. Of such beauty and peace, we could not get enough! As the Divine Liturgy proceeded, we were caught up in the splendor of the moment. His Grace, +Bishop GREGORY officiated with assistants +Fr's. Peter and Joseph Kreta, and +Fr. Nicholas Harris (of St. Innocent's Cathedral of Anchorage). As we went forward to partake of the Holy Sacraments, we prostrated ourselves before his relics with some sadness. With the Liturgy over this marked the end of our pilgrimage, and we knew in our hearts it would be a long time before we could return.