www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Alaskan OCA Archbishop issues apology in wake of Putin visit

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August 22, 2025
Statement of Apology of His Eminence Archbishop Alexei of Sitka and Alaska
SPRINGFIELD, VA [OCA]

His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon has received the following statement from His Eminence Archbishop Alexei concerning recent events that took place within the Diocese of Alaska.

His Beatitude adds the following clarification:

“The encounter to which His Eminence Archbishop Alexei refers in his statement of apology was undertaken on his own initiative and was not authorized by the Holy Synod. The canonical tradition insists that a bishop do nothing without the knowledge of the metropolitan; this meeting was arranged without my knowledge. His Eminence has taken responsibility for his actions, and I wish to affirm that they do not represent the official position of the Orthodox Church in America with respect to external relations. From the very beginning, the Orthodox Church in America has been among the first Orthodox Churches to clearly and repeatedly condemn the aggression against Ukraine, which has caused the loss of countless lives, untold suffering, and the displacement of millions. We have consistently raised our voices against violence, prayed for peace in our liturgical services, and provided support for those displaced by the war. In all of my public statements, including during my primatial visit to Ukraine last year, I have expressed the prayerful support of the Orthodox Church in America for His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and the entire Ukrainian people. Together with my brother hierarchs on the Holy Synod, I renew my fervent appeal for the immediate cessation of hostilities and for peace to prevail, so that reconciliation and healing may begin for all who have been afflicted by this tragic war.”

I wish to express my sincere apology to those who have experienced pain, suffering, or confusion because of my actions in recent days. I am deeply sorry for the scandal that I have caused. My actions in no way indicate a change in the position of the Orthodox Church in America and our support for those suffering as expressed in Synodal documents (Statement on Ukraine and Statement on war in Ukraine).

As Bishop of Sitka and Alaska, I serve as a member of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, under the presidency of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon. As such, I adhere to the guidance and pastoral counsel of the Holy Synod concerning this tragic war, and I seek to lead the faithful of Alaska in prayer and works of mercy for all who suffer. The Diocese of Alaska is one of the dioceses of the Orthodox Church in America, an autocephalous Church whose mission extends from the Arctic Circle to Central America and embraces many peoples, cultures, and languages.

Last week, I greeted President Vladimir Putin during the summit in Anchorage in a peaceful spirit of hospitality after three days of diocesan wide prayer for peace. Since then, I have heard from many who viewed that moment as a missed opportunity for a rebuke or demand for peace amid ongoing conflict and suffering. Again, I repeat, to all who experienced my actions as a cause of sorrow or confusion, I sincerely ask your forgiveness.

I accept full responsibility for the confusion and pain my actions caused. Our Church continually calls the faithful to prayer, to concrete works of mercy, and to the pursuit of peace and reconciliation for all who suffer. In Alaska we have sought to bear witness to this by dedicating days of prayer, invoking the intercessions of the saints who labored in this land, that peace may be restored swiftly and mercy shown to all.

I ask forgiveness of all whom my actions have wounded or troubled, especially those who have lost loved ones. May Christ, the Prince of Peace, swiftly end the bloodshed, comfort the bereaved, return the displaced, and reconcile hearts in truth and love.

Christ is in our midst!!

Roman,

I missed this in the MSM. I don't understand how this caused a problem.

Bob

The "full scale" is now 3½ years in.
How often in that time have you heard in the MSM that ROCOR in the west, including in he US & Canada, supports the Moscow Patriarch's position on the genocidal war (ie. they agree with it)?

It seems that some elements in the OCofA aren't that far removed.
Then again, the old OCof A parishes on the Canadian prairie, founded by Ukrainian pioneers before the revolution in Russia, haven't making much of a stir, either.
To be fair to the OCofA, my impression is that their position 3½ years ago wasn't that clear, but it has clarified in the meantime.

The visit of Vladimir Putin to Alaska did nothing to further peace. It only served to disguise Putin's real intentions and give him false credibility on the world scene. As soon as the meeting was over, he resumed the bombardment of Ukraine with renewed vigor. For this, he was rewarded with more time, and no repercussions.

Putin has an international warrant againt him for war crimes. He invaded a sovereign country, maimed and killed its civilians, and continues to do so. Yet, he is hosted- red carpeted- like some great ruler and diplomat. That is unbelievable enough- but for a high ranking spiritual leader to give even more credibility to his visit is really disappointing. Well, at least we can be reassured by the reaction of Metropolitan Tikhon. It is evident that the Metropolitan understands how this caused a problem.

As to the perplexity of why there are those Orthodox that defend Putin's aggression.....
Many Christions, but especially Eastern ones, fall easy prey to the blending of Church and State. All it takes is an emotional issue or two, spouted by some politician, to whip up their feelings......their lamentation.... of a lost world taken over by decadent Western ideas. Before long they secretly long for some form of authoritarianism, which allows church and state to be thrown into the blender. The truth is- they actually admire Putin. He is their great Tsar, carrying the banner of Orthodoxy in the great battle against Western evils. For this illusion, they would easily trade freedom and democracy. For this reason, they would readily throw a country desiring freedom and democracy (like Ukraine) under the bus.

But ROCOR came into existence precisely because of the (communist) state's interference with the ROC!

Roman,

Well, let's keep in mind your opening topic, and the fact that Archbishop Alexei is OCA. The whole Alaska matter involved the Orthodox Church of America. I know that you know that, obviously, but I would not want other readers/ contributors to be confused....but, since you mention ROCOR:

Yes, ROCOR was birthed in the early 1920s as the Russian Orthodox Church existing in the West -as a church free of the Soviet communist state..... essentially a church in diaspora. By 1927, the Moscow Patriarchate, in the homeland, had to swear alligance to the state in order to exist. Eventually though, the "wall" came down, communism fell and the Soviet Union became Russia again. "Supposedly", Orthodoxy within Russia was now free of government control. So, there appeared a reason for a reunification between ROCOR and ROC. The " Godless" communists were gone! Putin, by the way, was very influential in this reunification move. It became a reality in 2007. It all makes for really good reading...

The thing is though, there are those who believe the ROC hierarchy is still too tied to the state and that Putin is using Russian Orthodoxy to advance his geo-political goals.....one of which is the restoration of the old Soviet Union through "Russkiy Mir" and all that that entails.In short, Russian Imperialism.

The sad reality seems to be that religion has historically been used a a tool of the state in Russia. (Of course that can be said in varying degrees about some Western countries too....and I dare say, there is always the danger of it happening currently.) I often muse at how Stalin gave Orthodoxy a little breather in the 1940s, when he realized that the religion he despised could be used to unite the Russian people against the Nazis. Despots use all tools available.

Below is a interesting article by Sr, Vassa Larin, an outspoken nun/ monastic formerly of ROCOR. Yes, she was stripped of her monastism over her views on Church and State, of Ukraine, and of the " evils of the West."

https://publicorthodoxy.org/good-reads/rocor-and-western-values/