Spruce Island Books Launches First Collection of American Orthodox Akathists

SITKA, ALASKA — Spruce Island Books, the official publishing partner of the Orthodox Church in America's (OCA) Diocese of Alaska, is preparing Alaskan Akathists, Volume 1, a collection of five akathists honoring saints and icons associated with the Orthodox Church in Alaska, as well as the Most Holy Theotokos.

According to the project’s Kickstarter campaign, the pocket-sized hardcover volume will contain approximately 200 pages and will be Smyth-sewn for durability. The five services included are:

• Akathist to our Venerable Father Herman of Alaska
• Akathist to our Righteous Mother Olga of Alaska
• Akathist to the Holy Martyr Peter of Kaguyak
• Akathist to Our Lady of Sitka
• Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos

In an exclusive comment to UOJ-America, the project’s representatives described the collection and its contents:

We give thanks to God to be able to offer this book to the faithful. This first volume of Alaskan Akathists contains services to St. Herman and St. Peter the Aleut, from the earliest days of Orthodoxy in the New World, as well as St. Olga in our own time, together with an akathist to the wonderworking Sitka icon of the Mother of God, as well as the ancient akathist to the Mother of God, the model for all akathists. There is also a brief life or history for each akathist. We strive to produce something beautiful and lasting: a hardcover, smyth-sewn book that will stand up through years of continual use.

The campaign also offers supporters additional gifts, including prints of hand-drawn illustrations and custom wooden icons. Spruce Island Books says the project will help finance future publications, particularly service and prayer books in Native Alaskan languages, including Yupik and Tlingit. With several funding options, the project offers a unique opportunity to support the first collection of American Orthodox Akathists.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Metr. Tikhon celebrated the feast of St. Olga of Alaska.