Alaska Diocese Holds 2026 Assembly in Anchorage

ANCHORAGE, AK — The Diocese of Sitka and Alaska of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) held its 2026 Diocesan Assembly at St. Innocent Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Anchorage from October 27 through November 1, bringing together clergy, Matushki, seminarians, and faithful from communities spread across the state’s approximately 665,000 square miles. Abp. Alexei presided over the gathering, which combined liturgical services, spiritual instruction and diocesan business.

The Assembly opened with a Divine Liturgy sung in Church Slavonic by the St. Tikhon of Moscow Choir. During a clergy retreat, Fr. Ignatius Green, rector of Holy Apostles Church in West Columbia, SC, spoke about the importance of grounding pastoral ministry in the teachings of the Holy Fathers. Abp. Alexei also led a session on the Trebnik, or Book of Needs, urging priests to understand the prayers and rites they perform and to approach the needs of their parishioners with faith and pastoral attentiveness. A separate retreat for Matushki provided an opportunity to discuss the responsibilities of clergy families and strengthen fellowship across the Diocese.

Liturgical services throughout the Assembly reflected Alaska’s diverse Orthodox heritage, with hymns offered in Church Slavonic, English, Tlingit, and Yup’ik. The faithful also gathered for Akathists to the Sitka Mother of God and St. Olga of Kwethluk, as well as an All-Night Vigil commemorating the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke. The Diocese described these services as expressions of a living tradition sustained in village communities, where families, readers, singers, and elders often maintain parish life during extended periods without a resident priest.

In his address to the Assembly, Abp. Alexei emphasized that “every diocesan decision is first and foremost a spiritual decision.” He called for renewed catechesis, greater pastoral care for villages without resident clergy, and continued formation of future priests. Delegates adopted revised diocesan bylaws intended to strengthen accountability and transparency and bring parish governance into greater consistency with the principles of the OCA. The Assembly also elected new members to the Diocesan Council, while Dcn. Anton Lekanof was chosen to represent the Diocese on the Metropolitan Council.

The concluding Hierarchical Divine Liturgy brought together more than 38 priests. During the service, Peter Griggs was tonsured a Reader, while Priest James Keen and Priest Michael Fredericks received the Gold Cross. Priest Andrei Tepper and Priest Simeon B. Johnson were elevated to the rank of Archpriest. Sbdcn. Elia White, from the Yup’ik community of Tuntutuliak in the Kuskokwim Delta, was ordained to the Holy Diaconate. The ordination hymns were sung in Yup’ik, reflecting the continuing role of Alaska’s Indigenous languages in the life of the Church.

The Assembly also recognized a major contribution toward the restoration and beautification of St. Innocent Cathedral. Chenega Corporation donated $550,000 to the project, with its chairman, president and CEO, Charles “Chuck” Totemoff, and Paul T. Selanoff presenting the gift to Abp. Alexei. The Diocese expressed gratitude for the donation, describing it as support for the preservation of Alaska’s Orthodox heritage and the life of the Church for future generations.

In his homily on the parable of the sower, Abp. Alexei asked what kind of Christians the faithful must become for Orthodoxy to flourish in Alaska, pointing to children who love Christ, homes shaped by prayer, young people committed to purity and sobriety, and communities rooted in repentance and hope in the Kingdom of God. The Diocese said the Assembly’s ordination, clergy recognitions, governance decisions and charitable support all reflected the continuing mission entrusted to generations of Alaskan Orthodox Christians.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Abp. Alexei led Feast of the Cross services in Nanwalek.