Saint Olga of Alaska/Courtesy photo
Icon of Saint Olga of Alaska
BY FATHER THEOPHAN MACKEY
Saint Job of Pochaiv Orthodox Church
Los Alamos
On Sunday the 9th of November, this year, will be the first Orthodox commemoration of a newly glorified Saint. Saint Olga of Alaska. She is the first female Native-American Saint to be recognized by the Orthodox Church. Her story should give us all comfort and encouragement in these difficult times:
February 3, 1916 in the village of Kwethluk, a daughter was born to the Native Yup’ik people. Her Yup’ik name, Arrsamquq, signifies being lowly, hidden, or unadorned—like a seed quietly sown in the earth. This name would aptly reflect her life, defined not by boastfulness but by humility, reverence, and love.
From a young age, she was shaped by both the land and her faith. Her hands learned the traditional skills of Yup’ik women—sewing, cooking, preparing food for winter, and nurturing children. Yet, her soul was cultivated by the divine grace brought to Alaska by Orthodox missionaries from Russia, Saints Herman and Innocent. Her life was a beautiful tapestry woven from the rhythms of family, nature, and church, creating a seamless blend of earthly service and spiritual yearning.
She married Nicolai Michael, the village storekeeper and postmaster, who later became a priest. Known as Matushka Olga, she became a mother to thirteen children and a spiritual mother to her community. Quiet, gentle, yet strong, she emerged as a pillar of warmth and grace in Kwethluk.
In Yup’ik culture, being called a real person “ella tanqilria” is the highest praise, signifying someone who lives in harmony with the land and others, without elevating themselves above anyone. Matushka Olga embodied this ideal. She preached not with words but through her goodness, leaving an indelible mark on the land, the people, and the Church.
Olga embraced the responsibilities of a wife and mother, while also fulfilling the sacred role of a matushka. As her husband served the Church of Saint Nicholas, she became the community’s heart. Olga raised her children with deep love in modest circumstances, extending her hospitality to those in need. Her acts of kindness, sewing clothes, baking bread, comforting the grieving, were performed without haughtiness. She taught not through reprimand but by example, embodying a quiet strength that calmed those around her.
Her life mirrored the holy women of Scripture. Like Dorcas, she was full of good works, and like the Theotokos, she cherished life’s mysteries. She clothed the naked, fed the hungry, and assisted women in childbirth, offering maternal care and support to those in distress.
Despite the harsh winters, she radiated warmth. Her daily life of prayer, labor, and service became an offering to Christ. Matushka Olga’s presence was a soothing balm, known for her quiet prayers and attentive listening. While the world may not have celebrated her, in the Kingdom of God, where humility is exalted, she walked among the saints.
In 1978, Matushka Olga was diagnosed with cancer, yet she faced her illness with the same quiet strength that characterized her life. Despite the challenges, she continued to care for others, embodying peace and kindness even as her body weakened. Her illness became a cross she bore with grace, drawing her closer to the sufferings of Christ.
On November 8, 1979, she passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family. Though winter gripped the land, miraculous signs accompanied her passing: the frozen river thawed, and birds appeared, circling the village as witnesses. Mourners from far and wide gathered, sensing the sanctity that had departed.
In the years following her repose, stories of Matushka Olga’s presence grew, with accounts of dreams and healings spreading. Survivors of abuse found comfort in her spirit, and families in sorrow turned to her in prayer. By 2024, nearly forty-five years after her death, the Church undertook the sacred task of uncovering her relics. Despite a blizzard the day before, the skies cleared, allowing the ceremony to proceed.
When her coffin was opened, her remains radiated a golden hue, and her garments remained preserved, testifying to a life of humility and love. While she was not found incorrupt in the traditional sense, the grace evident in her relics affirmed her sanctity.
Pilgrims began to flock to Kwethluk, seeking her intercession. Her name, now Saint Olga Michael, the righteous mother and wonderworker of the North, was invoked across the land, from Alaska to beyond.
Please join us at Saint Job for her commemoration during regular Sunday service at 10 a.m. Nov. 9.