Anchorage, August 15, 2025
After his meeting with American President Donald Trump at the Elmendorf-Richardson army base in Anchorage, Alaska, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with His Eminence Alexei, Bishop of Sitka and Alaska. The Russian President conveyed heartfelt greetings from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of All Russia, and gifted the bishop an icon of St. Herman of Alaska, Enlightener of America, reports the Russian news agency Vzglyad.
Concerning Patriarch Kirill, Mr. Putin told His Eminence, “We met before our trip, and he himself told me how the Orthodox Church was born here [in Alaska]. He told me that he has been to church services here; he spoke of you very warmly, and asked me to convey his very best wishes to you,” the Kremlin Telegram channel cited.
Mr. Putin gave Bishop Alexei an icon of St. Herman, the beloved saint of Alaska and all America. Bishop Alexei in turn also presented President Putin with the icon given him by his brother monks on Mount Athos when he was consecrated a bishop. He said that he has prayed before this icon in his icon corner for four years, and would like to present it to the the Russian leader from all the people of Alaska as a token of appreciation for the Russian leaders who brought to Alaska the most important and precious thing: Orthodox Christianity.
A live stream of the meeting can be found here on Mint.
