352hd -St. Herman of Alaska - half dozen

This design, donated to the monastery by a friend, is an iconographic drawing of St. Herman, the beloved monk of Alaska. With other monks from the Russian Valaam monastery, St. Herman reached Alaska in 1794. Their goal was to bring the Gospel to the native peoples of Alaska, as well as to minister to the needs of Orthodox Christians working for the Russian-American fur-trading company.

A series of calamities, including martyrdoms and shipwreck, eventually left St. Herman as the sole survivor of his missionary band. He was never ordained to the priesthood, and he was never able to learn to speak the language of the Eskimo people. Nevertheless, his great love for God and his fellow-man worked miracles. His care for the native people, taking their part when injustice was done by company workers, became legendary. To this day, the Aleuts and others speak of Father Herman as their living companion and helper.

His life of solitude, prayer and asceticism, coupled with his powerful ability to work wonders during his lifetime and ever since, led to his canonization as the first Orthodox saint of North America in 1970.

To learn more about St. Herman, go to: http://www.ptialaska.net/~stherman/stherman.htm
St. Herman's well-known saying: "From this day forth, from this hour, from this minute, let us love God above all." is on the reverse of this card.

Available as Note Folders, with saying on the inside of the front cover, in dozens and half-dozens
4 1/4" X 5 1/2"