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Diocese of Alaska | Seminary | Summer Projects | Catalog | Application

Mission: The mission of St. Herman Seminary is the training of native Alaskans to serve the Orthodox Christians within the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Alaska as clergy, deacons, monastics and choir directors within the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Sitka, Anchorage and Alaska.  The majority of the 34 priests and 10 deacons who serve the 92 parishes in Alaska are St. Herman Seminary graduates.

Seminary History: St. Innocent (Fr. Ioann Veniaminov) organized the first Orthodox theological school in North America, at Sitka, in 1844.
The school remained open until the Russian Revolution in 1917, when
the last Russian-sponsored parochial school in Alaska closed at Unalaska. The Diocesan Assembly, meeting at Kodiak in September 1972, formally authorized creation of a new diocesan school named for St. Herman of Alaska. The Seminary formally opened on February 1, 1973, at Wildwood Station, a former military installation near Kenai. In August 1973, the St. Herman Pastoral School received recognition as a diploma-granting institution from the Alaska Department of Education. In 1974,
the school moved from Wildwood Station, to Kodiak, AK, and the following year, the OCA recognized the seminary as a theological school within the OCA seminary system; two years later, the school was renamed St. Herman Seminary.  

Curriculum: St. Herman Seminary provides students with a curriculum in four, one-year modules, including Dogmatic and Pastoral Theology, Mission and Evangelism, Liturgics, Patristics and Biblical Studies leading to a Theological Diploma.

     The curriculum is designed around the first-year basic foundational courses. The Second year includes Reader Certification year and
prepares candidates to serve as readers and singers. The third year, Diaconal Formation, concentrates on biblical studies, church history and doctrine, which provides a higher level of theological education, practical liturgical experience, training towards certification in substance abuse counseling and religious education.  The fourth year, Priestly Formation year, emphasizes theological education and pastoral ministry. During the fourth year, seminarians are mentored in prison and hospital ministry and parish administration, while residing at the Anchorage campus.

Check the website http://news.alaskanchurch.org for updates on the seminary activities.

Become a member of Ilaasi, Friends of St. Herman's Seminary! Members make an annual contribution of $100.00, or any amount you can provide to further the education of our seminarians.

   
Seminary kitchen before renovation       
Seminary kitchen after renovation

 

The Ilaasi Challenge:  During 2002-2003, Ilaasi members of Ilaasi, Friends of St. Herman's Seminary contributions of over $20,000 completed seminary kitchen renovation. The seminary kitchen is now within Kodiak Health Department code; new appliances, a new stove, worktable and floor were installed.

Computer lab

Ilaasi donations for 2004: Ilaasi donations for 2004 will go towards an updated computer lab and for the purchase of library software for cataloging and circulation, for students and faculty to quickly know what is in the library.      Eventually, the seminary library catalogue will be on the St. Herman Seminary website for others to know what is in the library. The library holds many items that are archival in nature and valuable to researchers, worldwide.

What can you do to help St. Herman Orthodox Theological Seminary?  First, pray for the seminarians, their families, the faculty and Board of Trustees of the seminary?  Secondly, you can be an active part of the seminary by becoming a member or by renewing your membership in Ilaasi, Friends of St. Herman’s Seminary! 

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Make your check payable to:

Ilaasi, Friend’s of St. Herman's

St. Herman Orthodox Theological Seminary

414 Mission Road

Kodiak, AK 99615

 

All contributions are tax deductible.