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Olga (Arrsamquq) Michael (February 3, 1916 – November 8, 1979), known as Saint Olga (Arrsamquq) of Alaska, Saint Olga of Kwethluk, or Matushka Olga, was an Eastern Orthodox priest's wife from Kwethluk village, on the Kuskokwim River in Alaska.[1][2] In 2023, she became the first North American woman, and the first Yup'ik person, to be canonized as an Orthodox saint.[3]
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Olga of Alaska | |
|---|---|
| Matushka | |
| Born | February 3, 1916 Kwethluk, Alaska, United States |
| Died | November 8, 1979 (aged 63) Kwethluk, Alaska, United States |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodoxy |
| Canonized | November 9, 2023 by Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America |
| Feast | November 10 |
| Attributes | Wearing a midwife uniform, scroll, prayer rope on her hand and a bowl of water |
| Patronage | Midwife Sexual abuse |
Matushka Olga, known among the locals as Olinka, was a Native Alaskan of Yup'ik origin.[4] Her husband was the village postmaster and manager of the general store, and later archpriest, Father Nikolai Michael. Serving her community not only as a priest's wife, but also as a midwife, Matushka Olga gave birth to and raised several children, many of whom she gave birth to without the aid of a midwife of her own.
Matushka Olga was known for her empathy and caring for those who had suffered abuse of all kinds, especially sexual abuse. While her family was poor, she was generous to those who were poorer, often giving away her children's clothes to the needy. She was also known for her ability to tell when a woman was pregnant, even before the woman herself had missed her period.
Personal life and death
Olga and her husband, Nicolai Michael, had thirteen children, eight of whom lived to adulthood.[3]
In November 1979, she died of cancer.[3]
When Matushka Olga died, many people from miles around wanted to come to her funeral, but since it was November, the winter weather made it impossible. But a wind from the south brought warm weather, thawing the ice and snow to make the trek to Kwethluk possible. When the mourners exited the church to take her body to the graveyard, a flock of birds followed. The ones who dug her grave found that the ground, too, had thawed. The evening after her funeral, the normal harsh winter weather returned.[5]
Olga receives veneration in the region in which she lived her earthly life, and personal veneration from many Orthodox women touched by her life story. It is said that she has appeared to those in need of healing, sometimes alongside the Mother of God. On November 9, 2023, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America announced her formal canonization, with her feast day set for November 10.[6]
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