I had a chance to help Prof. Lydia Black with her organizing of the Veniaminov Bicentennial, by acting as a digital translator. 2007-03-13 Lydia T. Black 1925 to 2007
Ioann Veniaminov is the world’s most famous Alaskan, except in Alaska and the USA.
http://www.uaf.edu/univrel/media/FY98/026.html
I was fortunate to find the Orthodox Church in America
http://www.oca.org which hosted the Internet exhibitions and related conference materials. The original website is no longer extant, but some parts are available from the Wayback Machine. I have some additional photos posted here, St Innocent Bicentennial
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Veniaminov Bicentennial Year (1997)
Proclamation by Tony Knowles, Governor of the State of Alaska, September 9, 1996
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1997 marks the bicentennial of the birth of Ioann (John) Veniaminov, the distinguished Russian Orthodox missionary, teacher, administrator, linguist, ethnographer, and architect. John Veniaminov served as the first priest at Unalaska, the first Orthodox bishop in Alaska, and head of the Orthodox Church of Russia. In 1977 he was canonized a saint — St. Innocent, Apostle to North America and Siberia.
Communities throughout the United States, Russia, and England are observing Veniaminov’s contributions to Alaskan, Russian, and American history by presenting exhibitions and conferences, and the publishing of new books of his writings. Such observances will be prominent in Alaska where Veniaminov served as missionary priest and bishop from 1825 through 1852. A major exhibition featuring the life and legacy of Veniaminov will travel to many communities in the state.
John Veniaminov (Bishop Innocent) is honored by Alaska Natives for his dedication to preserving Native languages, for his development of the Aleut orthography, for many translations into Aleut, and for his pioneering development of a Tlingit Alphabet. He is also honored as a teacher, founder of the first school at Unalaska and of the first Orthodox school, seminary, and orphanage at Sitka.
John Veniaminov was an accomplished builder, having designed and constructed the National Historic Landmark Cathedral of St. Michael in Sitka. He also built the first Church of the Holy Ascension at Unalaska. State, federal, and private monies are presently restoring this National Historic Landmark which contains many of the architectural features from the original church of 1825.
The occasion of the rededication of the historic Unalaska church is an appropriate time to proclaim the Veniaminov Bicentennial.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Tony Knowles, Governor of the State of Alaska, do hereby proclaim 1997: The Veniaminov Bicentennial Year in Alaska, and encourage all Alaskans to join in recognizing the contributions to Alaska of this great Russian missionary, scholar, and statesman.
DATED: September 9, 1996
Introductory page—
http://web.archive.org/web/19970812043126/www.oca.org/whats-new/
- Alaska Native Culture
- Year of St. Innocent
- http://web.archive.org/web/19970812043144/www.oca.org/ Celebrations/Year-of-St-Innocent/
On-line Exhibit
http://web.archive.org/web/19971028124412/www.oca.org/whats-new/ Announcements/1997-0208-UAF.html
Ioann Veniaminov in Alaska and Siberia and his Contribution to Arctic Social Science (University of Alaska Fairbanks, December 5-7, 1997)
http://web.archive.org/web/19980614053700/www.oca.org/Celebrations/ Year-of-St-Innocent/UAF-Symposium/
Prof. Lydia Black, Ph.D. at the conference
St Gabriel Orthodox Church, Kongiganak, Alaska
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Orthodox Churches in Alaska
1997 —
http://web.archive.org/web/19971028124531/www.oca.org/OCA/AK/ pim-index.html
2006 — Parishes in Alaska
http://www.oca.org/DIRlists.parish.state.asp? location=AK&x=22&y=16&SID=9&CLASS=P&TYPE=STATE
Biography
Biography of St. Innocent of Alaska
http://www.oca.org/HSbioinnocent.asp?SID=7
“Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven,” written by “the Apostle of. Alaska” — Saint Innokenty Veniaminov. …
http://www.stvladimiraami.org/pamphlets/wayintokingdomofheaven.pdf
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Thanks for the excellent listing of links provided above! Another good Internet resource containing most of St. Innocent’s Aleut and Tlingit translation work on-line can be found at:
http://www.asna.ca/alaska
The original works of St. Innocent have been electronically re-transcribed, and include:
Aleut – Indication of the Pathway into the Kingdom of Heaven, written 1833, published 1840 and re-printed 1899
Aleut – Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew (plus Pascha readings), published 1840, re-printed 1896
Aleut – Nachatki Hristianskogo Uchenia (Introduction to Christian teachings), published 1840, re-printed 1893
Aleut – Two Sermons delivered in Atka Island during his visit in July 1842 (see reference in Paul Garrett’s excellent “St. Innocent – Apostle to America” biography published by SVS Press, pg 159.), published 2006
Aleut – a fragment from Opyt Grammatiki Aleutskogo Yazyka (Tentative Grammar of the Aleut Language), published 1846
Tlingit – Indication of the Pathway into the Kingdom of Heaven, published 1901
Thank you for adding to the resources. It also reminds me that the Smithsonian did a recording of sacred music which featured two hymns in Yup’ik from St Herman’s.
The Library of Congress website is http://loc.gov I’ll look for the specific link.
Yes, thanks for reminding about this on-line resource. The U.S. Library of Congress exhibit: “Meeting of Frontiers” can be found on-line at: http://frontiers.loc.gov/
It is in both English and Russian, and contains lots of good photos of historic artifacts (maps, manuscripts, books, etc.)
Another good collection of resources,
http://www.asna.ca/alaska/#links
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