Vitus Bering claimed Alaska for the Russian Empire in 1741 under orders from Tsar Peter the Great. Russia’s hold on Alaska would last until they sold the territory to the United States in 1867 and their primary focus was on the abundance of valuable furs found in Alaskan waters. The most enduring legacy of Russian culture in Alaska is the strong presence maintained by the Russian Orthodox Church in the state. This summer I had the pleasure to visit these four beautiful Russian Orthodox churches, three in the Kenai Peninsula and one in Anchorage. As someone born into and raised in the Russian Orthodox faith, I found it fascinating to visit these churches and I was thrilled (or, perhaps, blessed) to see them all on sunny days. I hope you enjoy my photos.
St. Innocent in Anchorage
St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church in Nikolaevsk (Built 1983) - New Church in Background