Feast Day: September 24th & December 12th
The Life of Saint Peter: The blood flowed, but the Martyr endured all and firmly repeated one thing: “I am a Christian.’…
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Prayers
Apolytikion: Today Alaska rejoices and America celebrates for the New World has been Sanctified by Martyrdom. Kodiak echoes with songs of thanksgiving, Iliámna and Kenái observe the Festival of Faith. The Apostle and Martyr Juvenaly is Glorified and Peter the Aleut is exalted by his voluntary sacrifice. In their devotion and love for the Lord they willingly endured persecution and death for the Truth. Now in the Kingdom of Heaven they intercede for our Souls.
Kontakion: Today Valaam joins Alaska in celebrating this joyous feast, as her Spiritual son Juvenaly embraces the New Martyr Peter with love. Together they suffered for the Lord in America and united the Old World with the New by their voluntary sacrifice. Now forever they stand before the King of Glory and intercede for our Souls.
Apolytikion: O Peter, upon the rock of thy faith hath Christ built His Church, and in the streams of thy blood hath He hallowed our land. In thee thy people hath been Sanctified, O Aleut; from the farthest islands of the west hath He raised thee, a light unto all. Glory to Him that hath glorified thee. Glory to Him that worketh healings for all through thee.
Kontakion: As a skillful fisherman, the Martyr Peter was not harmed when he was caught by adversaries of the Faith; but in a sea of Martyric blood, he gained the Kingdom and drowned bitter heresy.
Saint Peter was from Kodiak, and was Baptised into the Orthodox Faith by the Monks of Saint Herman’s Missionaries operating in the north. He worked together with a group of Aluet seal and otter hunters when they were captured b Spanish soldiers and taken to San Francisco for interrogation in 1815.
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Saint Peter is mentioned in the Life of Saint Herman of Alaska, which was written by Saint Peter’s cell-mate who escaped torture, Schemamonk Sergius:
“On another occasion I was relating to him how the Spanish in California had imprisoned fourteen Aleuts, and how the Jesuits (actually Franciscans) were forcing all of them to accept the Catholic Faith. But the Aleuts would not agree under any circumstances, saying, ‘We are Christians.’ The Jesuits argued, ‘That’s not true, you are heretics and schismatics. If you do not agree to accept our faith then we will torture all of you to death.’ Then the Aleuts were placed in prisons two to a cell. That evening, the Jesuits came to the prison with lanterns and lighted candles. Again they tried to persuade two Aleuts in the cell to accept the Catholic Faith. ‘We are Christians,’ the Aleuts replied, ‘and we will not change our Faith.’ Then the Jesuits began to torture them, at first the one while his companion was a witness. They cut off one of the joints of his feet, and then the other joint. Then they cut the first joint on the fingers of his hands, and then the other joint. Then they cut off his feet, and his hands. The blood flowed, but the martyr endured all and firmly repeated one thing: ‘I am a Christian.’ He died in such suffering, due to a loss of blood. The Jesuit also promised to torture his comrade to death the next day. But that night an order was received from Monterey stating that the imprisoned Aleuts were to be released immediately, and sent there under escort. Therefore, in the morning all were sent to Monterey with the exception of the dead Aleut. This was related to me by a witness, the same Aleut who had escaped torture, and who was the friend of the martyred Aleut. I reported this incident to the authorities in St Petersburg. When I finished my story, Father Herman asked, ‘What was the name of the Martyred Aleut?’ I answered, ‘Peter. I do not remember his family name.’ The Elder stood reverently before an Icon, made the Sign of the Cross and said, “Holy New Martyr Peter, Pray to God for us.”
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