Garrett Pletnikoff spins the Star, part of the celebration of Russian Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7, 2025. Now, adherents of the Orthodox faith are preparing to mark the New Year on Jan. 14 (Photo: by Jill Fratis).
The Orthodox New Year in Alaska is a mix of seal meat and tea cakes and Alaska Native and Slavonic languages. It’s a cultural blend more than 150 years after Russia formally withdrew from what would become America’s 49th state. In that time, the Orthodox Christian customs continued to flourish and merged with Native traditions. In many ways, they are more established than in their home country, which saw religious persecution during the time of the Soviet Union. We’ll hear from Alaska Native adherents of Russian Orthodox Christianity about how they’re welcoming the New Year on January 14.
