Anchorage, August 18, 2025
Photo: saintseraphim.com
His Eminence Archbishop Alexei of the Orthodox Church in America’s Diocese of Sitka and Alaska briefly met with President Putin during the latter’s visit to Alaska to discuss the war in Ukraine with President Trump on Friday.
President Putin conveyed the greetings of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and gifted the Archbishop with icons of St. Herman of Alaska and the Dormition of the Mother of God.
In turn, Abp. Alexei, whose diocese was formed by great Russian missionaries such as St. Herman and St. Innocent, and who was personally converted to Orthodoxy through the Russian tradition, including the works of Dostoyevsky, greeted President Putin warmly and expressed his gratitude to previous Russian leaders who sent missionaries to Alaska. He also spoke of how he and his clergy feel at home when they go on pilgrimage to Russia.
Leading up to the summit, Abp. Alexei led his entire diocese in a week of prayers for peace. As he told Russian media, “Prayer clears rage from the air so reason can speak.”
However, unsurprisingly, the brief encounter between Abp. Alexei and President Putin drew strong and varied reactions online. Many praised the Archbishop for giving a humble example of the peace and love his diocese had spent a week praying for, while others leveled accusations that he had betrayed the Gospel by treating the Russian head of state with respect rather than condemnation.
Some even made the truly preposterous argument that the meeting proves that the OCA, which has been autocephalous for more than 50 years, is “very much captive to the Moscow Patriarchate, to its Russian history, and by extension the Putin regime,” seemingly unaware that the OCA Synod, which includes Abp. Alexei, has, in fact, condemned the war in Ukraine in no uncertain terms.
Notably, the hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, Metropolitan Anthony and Archbishop Daniel, issued a statement entitled, “The Betrayal of Christian Witness in Welcoming a Tyrant and Dictator.”
The statement begins: “It is with deep sorrow and righteous indignation that we respond to the recent words of a hierarch of the Orthodox Church in North America, who publicly welcomed and complimented the President of the Russian Federation during his visit to the United States of America.”
However, Abp. Alexei, in fact, did not compliment President Putin, but rather expressed gratitude for leaders of the past who sent missionaries and said he feels at home when on pilgrimage in Russia. He did not praise the President personally nor the war in Ukraine.
For the UOC-USA hierarchs, the Archbishop’s disposition was “a betrayal of the Gospel of Christ and scandalous to the faithful” and “nothing less than an endorsement of his actions.”
“Yes, the Church preaches love and forgiveness—but such love can never be divorced from truth, and such forgiveness can never excuse or whitewash evil,” the hierarchs write. “The Church of Christ must stand not with dictators or tyrants , but with the oppressed; not with murderers, but with the innocent slain; not with the powerful who destroy, but with the powerless who cry for help. Anything less is a betrayal of Christian witness.”
Abp. Daniel of the UOC-USA made his own contribution to the present conflict, having traveled to Ukraine in 2018 to personally lead the preparations for the creation of the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine.” The existence of the OCU, created out of two schismatic groups, has seriously exacerbated relations amongst Ukrainians, as the OCU and Ukrainian state openly persecute the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, physically beating bishops, priests, monastics, and elderly women, and physically seizing more than 1,000 churches throughout the country.
Despite this violence, the UOC-USA continues to support the schismatic OCU.
Given this reaction, Abp. Alexei of Alaska issued a statement to clergy within his diocese, which later ended up being circulated online.
The Archbishop explains that his actions have been misunderstood. He emphasizes that before any public encounter, his diocese had already spent three days in prayer for peace, for those suffering in Ukraine, and for the conversion of hearts—this prayer represents the true work of the Church. When he expressed gratitude during the meeting, he clarifies it was not political praise but rather thanksgiving for the historical Orthodox missionaries like Sts. Herman, Innocent, and Jacob who brought the faith to Alaska at great personal sacrifice.
Regarding the exchange of icons that drew criticism, the Archbishop maintains that veneration of holy icons is directed to the saints they depict, not to whoever presents them—he cannot apologize for kissing icons of St. Herman or the Dormition of the Mother of God regardless of who stands beside him. While acknowledging that his actions may have caused confusion or scandal, he defends the Church’s calling to maintain Christ’s light, pray even for enemies, and seek opportunities for pastoral words of peace rather than joining worldly anger.
He instructs his clergy to continue leading their people in prayer, condemning violence and bloodshed while showing Gospel love to all.
Abp. Alexei’s statement reads in full:
Dear Fathers,
Recently, much has been said and written about my brief greeting with President Putin during his visit to Alaska. Many have misunderstood that moment, and some have taken offense. I write to you, my brothers, so that you may understand my heart and give clear witness to our faithful.
Before any photograph or video, we had already dedicated our diocese to prayer. For three days, our churches were filled with people—Unangan, Yup’ik, Sugpiaq, Tlingit, and many others—praying for peace, for the suffering in Ukraine, and for the conversion of hearts. Bells rang, candles were lit, and our villages lifted up tears and petitions before the Lord. This was and remains the true work of the Church, our gift to the world.
When I expressed gratitude in that public moment, it was not praise for present politics, but a remembrance of the missionaries of earlier generations—Saint Herman, Saint Innocent, Saint Yakov, and others—who brought us the Orthodox faith at great cost. Their sacrifice is our inheritance, and for that spiritual gift we must always give thanks.
As for the icons exchanged, some have condemned me for that, but I must be clear: the veneration we give to holy icons is directed not to the one who gives them, but to the saint or feast they represent. I cannot apologize for kissing an icon of Saint Herman or of the Dormition of the Mother of God. Even if the greatest sinner were beside me, the honor passes not to him but to heaven itself.
I know that sacred gestures can be misunderstood, and I grieve if this has caused confusion or scandal. But our vocation in such moments is not to join the anger of the world, but to keep the lamp of Christ burning, to obey His commandments to pray even for enemies, and to open whatever small door may be given for a pastoral word of peace.
Fathers, I ask you to continue leading your people in prayer. Remind them that we do not sanctify violence, nor ignore suffering. We condemn the shedding of innocent blood wherever it occurs. At the same time, we show love even toward those who oppose us, for the Gospel calls us to nothing less.
If asked, you may tell your faithful simply this: The Archbishop called our diocese to prayer, and in that spirit spoke of gratitude for the saints who brought us the faith. Nothing more, nothing less. The prayers are what remain before God. The pictures will pass away.
May the Crucified and Risen Lord comfort you, strengthen you, and keep your flocks in peace.
With God’s blessings,
†Archbishop Alexei
†Allgiliyaq Ciukliq Kilirnaq
†Архиепископ Алексий
The God-protected Diocese of Sitka and Alaska
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