Orthodox saint
St Herman of Alaska
St Herman of Alaska, Wonderworker of All America
Όσιος Γερμανός της Αλάσκας · Преподо́бный Ге́рманъ Аля́скинскїй · Преподобный Герман Аляскинский
St Herman of Alaska is remembered on 13 December (26 December on the Old Calendar). Orthodox Christians pray to St Herman of Alaska for protection from floods and rising water, protection from fire and safety at sea and in storms.
Feast days
- Feast
- Repose (1837)
- Kept on
- 13 December (26 December on the Old Calendar)
- Next, New Calendar
- Next, Old Calendar
- Feast
- Glorification (1970)
- Kept on
- 9 August on both calendars
- Next
The New Calendar is kept by the Greek, Antiochian, Romanian and Bulgarian churches, the OCA and most converts; the Old Calendar by the Russian, Serbian and Georgian churches, Jerusalem and Mount Athos, 13 days later on the civil calendar.
The life of St Herman of Alaska
St Herman was born in Serpukhov near Moscow and entered monastic life at sixteen. He was formed at the great Valaam Monastery on Lake Ladoga. In 1793 he was one of ten Valaam monks sent to bring the Gospel to the native peoples of Alaska. He settled on Spruce Island near Kodiak and called it "New Valaam." There, for decades, he lived in prayer and hard labor. He taught orphans, fed and clothed the poor, and nursed the sick through a deadly epidemic. He also defended the Aleuts against abuse by the colonial authorities, calling himself their "nanny." He calmed a flood with an icon of the Mother of God and halted a forest fire with a line in the moss. He reposed in 1837. Glorified in 1970 as the first saint of the Orthodox Church in America, he is beloved as the Wonderworker of All America. Orthodox Christians pray to him for protection in storm, flood and fire.
What the faithful ask of St Herman of Alaska
The faithful pray for
- protection from floods and rising water
- protection from fire
- safety at sea and in storms
- help and protection whenever it is needed
- the peace and purity of the Church in America
- the defense of the oppressed and offended
- healing
- a love for prayer to the Lord Jesus
St Herman of Alaska protects
- from floods and tidal surges
- from forest fires
- seafarers from storms
- the defenseless from oppression
- orphans and children
Patron of
- Alaska
- North America and the Orthodox Church in America
- the native peoples of Alaska (Aleuts and Alutiiq)
- Kodiak and Spruce Island
- orphans and children
- missionaries
- the defenseless and the oppressed
Miracles
When a flood threatened Spruce Island he set an icon of the Mother of God on the shore and prayed, saying the water would rise no higher. It did not, and he promised the same help from that icon in the future.
Source: OCA - Repose of Venerable Herman of Alaska, Wonderworker of All America
When the forest on Spruce Island caught fire, he and his disciple turned over a strip of moss and he said the fire would not cross it. The wind-driven fire stopped at the line.
Source: OCA - Repose of Venerable Herman of Alaska, Wonderworker of All America
At his repose a pillar of light reaching to heaven was seen above Spruce Island, and the faithful knew the Elder had departed to the Lord.
Source: OCA - Repose of Venerable Herman of Alaska, Wonderworker of All America
Where the traditions differ
On the new calendar the OCA keeps his repose on 13 Dec and his glorification on 9 Aug, the civil date of the 1970 glorification at Kodiak. The Russian Church keeps them on 26 Dec and 9 Aug civil (13 Dec and 27 Jul Julian). He was glorified at the same time by the OCA and ROCOR. Protection from flood, fire and storm comes from the miracles in his Life and from American parish prayers, not from an old fixed patronage.
St Herman of Alaska: icons and items in our shop
Our diptych pairs St Herman of Alaska with the Guardian Angel: the patron saint and the angel given at baptism, side by side in one folding icon.
Have it consecrated by our priest before it reaches you — Consecration, $49.
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Name days
These names keep their name day on a feast of St Herman of Alaska:
Prayed to for
Related saints
Questions
When is the feast day of St Herman of Alaska?
Repose (1837): 13 December (26 December on the Old Calendar); Glorification (1970): 9 August on both calendars.
What do Orthodox Christians pray to St Herman of Alaska for?
Orthodox Christians pray to St Herman of Alaska for protection from floods and rising water, protection from fire, safety at sea and in storms, help and protection whenever it is needed, the peace and purity of the Church in America and the defense of the oppressed and offended.
What is St Herman of Alaska the patron saint of?
St Herman of Alaska is the patron of Alaska, North America and the Orthodox Church in America, the native peoples of Alaska (Aleuts and Alutiiq), Kodiak and Spruce Island, orphans and children, missionaries and the defenseless and the oppressed.
What does St Herman of Alaska protect from?
St Herman of Alaska protects from floods and tidal surges, from forest fires, seafarers from storms, the defenseless from oppression and orphans and children.
Whose name day is on a feast of St Herman of Alaska?
The name day of Herman, German and Germanos.
Sources
- OCA - Repose of Venerable Herman of Alaska, Wonderworker of All America (read 14 October 2026)
- OCA - Glorification of Venerable Herman of Alaska (read 14 October 2026)
- Azbyka - Преподобный Герман Аляскинский (read 14 October 2026)
- St Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church (OCA) - Orthodox Prayers During Hurricane Season (read 14 October 2026)
- Wikipedia - Herman of Alaska (read 14 October 2026)