Article published on Monday, August 11th, 2008
By JUDY T. FULP
Special to the Mirror
By JUDY T. FULP
Special to the Mirror
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As the boats arrived at Monk’s Lagoon on Spruce Island Saturday morning, pilgrims described seeing whales breaching on the trip over.
The weather started out sunny, with a bit of mist and a clear rainbow along the journey for those taking part in the 2008 pilgrimage to honor St. Herman, who lived on Spruce Island from 1808 to 1818.
During the liturgy Saturday at Monk’s Lagoon, Bishop Maxim spoke about becoming a person of love and compassion, ready to bear others’ burdens. The Serbian Orthodox bishop of Western America shared the celebration this year with Bishop Benjamin, the Orthodox Church of America bishop of San Francisco and the West, administrator of the Alaska Russian Orthodox Diocese.
OCA head Metropolitan Herman attended the pilgrimage, but was unable to travel to Monk’s Lagoon for the liturgy, which was concelebrated by visiting Orthodox priests, including Fr. Robert Arida, rector and dean of Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral in Boston. Arida taught at St. Herman’s Seminary in Kodiak from 1977 to 1980.
Fr. Chad Hatfield, chancellor of St. Vladimir’s Seminary in New York, a recent dean of St. Herman’s Seminary, also traveled back to Kodiak for the pilgrimage.
Fr. Joseph Kreta, founder of St. Herman’s Seminary and long-time pastor of Holy Resurrection Cathedral, and Matushka Marie Kreta, traveled to Kodiak from Mesa, Ariz.
Retired Episcopal priest Fr. Norman Elliott, 89, started serving in Alaska in 1951, “all over the Yukon,” then in Southeast and Anchorage. He found the hike up the spruce-lined trail to the chapel and the divine liturgy inspiring.
In his homily, Bishop Maxim urged pilgrims to see that the essence of life is to have a good relationship with God and love our brethren.
Marilyn Kreta directed the choir for the outdoor service on Spruce Island.
St. Herman’s Sisterhood and women from Ouzinkie and St. Innocent’s Academy provided the food for the picnic lunch on the beach at Monk’s Lagoon following the divine liturgy.
Kodiak boat owners ferried pilgrims to and from Spruce Island for the celebration.
Fr. Innocent Dresdow and the parishioners of Holy Resurrection Cathedral hosted more than 200 pilgrims Thursday through Sunday.
Dresdow said seeing the pilgrims’ anticipation and joy on the pilgrimage reminded him and his parishioners of how peaceful Spruce Island is and “the joy we get to live with each day.”
A soup dinner was held at the Cathedral Hall after the pilgrims returned from Spruce Island on Saturday and a grand banquet at St. Mary’s gym on Sunday.
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