After he
was ordained to the priesthood, he spent a year as a parish priest in Irkutsk,
and then volunteered to go into missionary work in Alaska, though many other
clergy were afraid to do so, because they had heard it was a wild country
filled with dangerous savages. His wife broke into tears when she heard the
news of this mission, but was unable to dissuade him, so at age 26, he and his
family traveled over 2,000 miles, taking over a year to complete this arduous
journey, and arrived finally in the Aleutian Islands in 1824.
He built
a church with his own hands, traveled to remote areas by kayak, dog sled, even
reindeer. He learned six dialects of the native language and developed the
first written alphabet for the native Aleuts. He translated the Bible and other
sacred books into their language. Years later, he also translated scriptural
books into other Alaskan native languages. He also studied all aspects of the
local area, and wrote ethnographic, geographical and linguistic works for which
he later was elected an honorary member of the Russian Geographical Society and
Moscow Royal University.
He
returned to Russia to seek more resources and support for the Alaska mission,
where, after his wife died, he took monastic vows and the name Innocent, after
Bishop Innocent of Irkutsk. He was later consecrated Bishop, and was assigned
to the new see of Kamchatka-kurils and the Aleutian Islands, to which he
returned, tirelessly building churches, guiding priests, seeking to bring the
Gospel and the Holy Orthodox Church to native peoples of Alaska. He encouraged
the use of English, and the use of indigenous clergy.
He was
later made Archbishop, and later, having returned to Russia, ultimately became
Metropolitan of Moscow, where he continued his missionary zeal, establishing
and guiding an Orthodox Missionary Society. He is perhaps especially remembered
for his zeal to bring the gospel to the world. The apostolic preaching of
Metropolitan Innocent spread to a vast territory including Alaska and Chukotka,
the Aleutian, Kurils and Commander Islands, eastern Siberia, the Amur region,
Kamchatka and the Far East. Metropolitan Innocent brought the light of
Christian faith to the Aleutians, Koloshes, Kurils, Eskimo, Kenai, Chugaches,
Kamchadals, Oliutores, Negidales, Mongols, Samogirs, Golds, Gulyaks, Koryaks,
Tungus, Chukcha, Yakutians, and Kitians.
The
preaching of the gospel was a primary achievement in the life of Metropolitan
Innocent and occupied a special place in his apostolic service. The
metropolitan had a great homiletic gift and was a remarkable preacher. He never
missed an opportunity to preach and talk to people and tirelessly instructed
his clergy to do the same.
Holy St.
Innocent, pray to God for us.
Troparion in Tone III:
O holy hierarch Innocent our father, thou who
wast first to teach the tribes which before lay in heathen darkness, and first
to show them the way to salvation, who didst labor as an apostle in the
enlightenment of Siberia and America: Entreat the Master of all, that He grant
peace to the whole world and great mercy to our souls.
Kontakion in Tone IV:
Thou wast a true and truthful teacher; for,
having thyself done what the Lord commanded, thou didst thereby teach and
instruct in piety those who came to thee, didst enlighten unbelievers to
recognize the true Faith, illumining them with holy baptism. Wherefore, thou
rejoicest with the apostles, receiving the honor of an evangelist of Christ.
Source: http://www.allsaintsofamerica.org/innocent/
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