Head of Alaska Diocese of the OCA responds to criticism over meeting with Putin

Archbishop Alexei, ruling hierarch of the Diocese of Sitka and Alaska of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), came under criticism after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin but offered a clear response to the accusations. During the meeting, Putin conveyed greetings from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and presented the archbishop with icons of St. Herman of Alaska and the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. Alexei explained that his words and actions were misunderstood and had nothing to do with contemporary politics. The report was published by Orthodox Christianity.

The meeting sparked mixed reactions online. Some users praised the archbishop for showing humility and setting an example of love and peace, for which his diocese had been praying throughout the week, while others accused him of allegedly “betraying the Gospel.”

In his response, the archbishop addressed the clergy of his diocese, explaining:
“When I expressed gratitude in that public moment, it was not praise of modern politics, but a reminder of the missionaries of past generations — St. Herman, St. Innocent, St. Jacob, and others who brought us the Orthodox faith at the cost of great sacrifices.”

Regarding the exchange of icons, which became a point of criticism, the archbishop stressed:
“The veneration we give to holy icons is directed not to the one who gives them, but to the saint or the feast they depict. I cannot apologize for kissing the icon of St. Herman or the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. Even if the greatest sinner is standing nearby, the honor is not transferred to him, but to Heaven.”

He further emphasized that the mission of the Church is to uphold prayer for peace and the conversion of hearts, even when this may lead to misunderstanding:
“Our calling in such moments is not to join in the world’s anger, but to keep Christ’s lamp burning, to fulfill His command to pray even for our enemies, and to open every door for a pastoral word of peace.”

The archbishop urged priests to continue guiding the faithful in prayer, condemning violence and bloodshed while showing Gospel love to all:
“If asked, you can simply tell your faithful: The Archbishop called our diocese to prayer and in that spirit spoke of gratitude to the saints who brought us the faith. Nothing more. Prayers remain before God. Photographs will fade with time.”

Earlier, it was reported that Archbishop Daniel (Zelinsky) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA issued a statement condemning the recent meeting of an Orthodox Church in America hierarch with the Russian president during his visit to North America. According to the archbishop, such actions are a “betrayal of the Gospel of Christ” and “caused deep sorrow and righteous indignation” among Ukrainian church hierarchs, in particular in a joint position with Metropolitan Antony.