Kwethluk

Last week, the Kuskokwim community of Kwethluk welcomed hundreds of pilgrims for the glorification of St. Olga in the St. Nicolas Russian Orthodox Church. It was the first event of its size for the village of about 800 people, and it took many hands to pull off its unique set of logistics.

For the chance to witness the glorification of a saint closely associated with healing women’s pain and suffering, dozens of women ventured by plane and boat to St. Olga's home village for her canonization.

The two-day glorification ceremony for Olga "Arrsamquq" Michael, known as Matushka Olga, brought together those drawn to her message of healing from afar, and the people of the region for whom she has long held a saint-like status.

The two-day event, which kicks off June 19, is the culmination of years of planning by the Orthodox Church in America and the community of Kwethluk. The influx of pilgrims and visitors from nearby villages could be unprecedented for the community of roughly 800 people.

A film that focuses on the history of the Russian Orthodox faith in Alaska was screened in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta for the first time since it premiered two years ago. Sacred Alaska heavily features the Yup'ik communities of Kwethluk and Bethel.

The court said the lengthy sentence for 32-year-old Daniel Nick was due to a history of violent behavior and past convictions involving the same victim.

Russian Orthodox believers and clergy congregated in the Kuskokwim village of Kwethluk this month to complete one of the final steps in the process of canonizing the first Yup’ik saint – exhuming her body.

This summer, the church plans to hold a grand ceremony in Kwethluk, inviting pilgrims from across Alaska and from far-flung parts of the Orthodox world where icons bearing the name “Blessed Matushka Olga of Alaska” have become commonplace.

The state now alleges that a total of four people acted together to steal as much as $50,000 in cash from the Kwethluk Inc. building in January 2024.

Thirty-three-year-old Marvin Nicori has been charged with multiple felonies for a Jan. 28 incident that resulted in the theft of as much as $50,000 in cash from the Kwethluk Inc. building, according to troopers.