Church of the Holy Ascension

The Holy Ascension Orthodox Church at Unalaska and its associated Bishop's House are the most outstanding reflections of a Russian heritage that has permeated the Aleutian Chain from the 1750s to the present. The site was the source of a Russian missionary outreach that was so successful that to this day most Aleuts, who are still a majority of the population of the Aleutian Islands, consider Orthodoxy an integral part of their culture. The site is associated as well with the career of the first resident Orthodox bishop of Alaska, Innocent (also known as Rev. Ioann Veniaminov), who also made lasting contributions to architecture, linguistics, ethnography, historical documentation, public health, cultural adaptation, and recently has been canonized a saint of the Orthodox Church worldwide. From its beginnings, the church was identified with education and literacy; from the 1890s, the church also was a provider of social services and administration for a vast region. Its influence was widespread throughout northern Alaska, and it was a counterpart to the Cathedral in Sitka, which also is a National Historic Landmark. The church itself, built in 1894-1896 in the cruciform style, with three altars, is the oldest church of this type in Alaska. Its utensils, mostly associated with Bishop and Saint Innocent are especially fine, and its ikons are of rare quality. The iconostasis of the Chapel of St. Innocent also demonstrates the craftsmanship and artistry of the Aleut people themselves.