I had no idea...

...that St. Peter the Aleut (Cungagnaq) was martyred in California after being captured by Spanish sailors. He was brought to the bay area and was killed by Roman Catholics who were attempting to get him to convert.

Having not read much about him, I had always assumed he was simply killed by his fellow Aleuts in Alaska for converting to Orthodoxy. See what happens when you assume? And now, James, you know the REST of the story.

Comments

Karl said…
There is a guy here in Portland who took St. Peter as a patron....

The worst part about the story is that they cut off St. Peter's toes and fingers one at a time, each time asking him to recant the "eastern heresy"...

Amazing.
12:54 PM
Huw Richardson said…
With a point of order, the RCs, of course, contest this story.

Of course.
12:58 PM
Anonymous said…
At 'The Joy of All Who Sorrow' Cathedral in S.F. they have a relic of St. Peter the Aleut.
2:21 PM
fdj said…
the RCs, of course, contest this story.

Natürlich und da der Papst der Vicar von Christ ist, das wir orthodox zu argumentieren sind?

:)
5:23 PM
Anonymous said…
A great book on the history of Russian America is Hector Chevigny's "Russian America: The Great Alaskan Venture 1741-1867." Very sympathetic to Orthodoxy, blunt about the not-so-pretty behavior of Alaska's new owners toward the native and Russian populace. Based on original research and doesn't parrot the typical russophobic line.
1:06 PM
existentialist said…
Yep I used to live near the Mission Dolores where he was martyred.
1:11 PM
Anonymous said…
I am doing research on Peter the Aleut and can find very little original documentation on his alleged murder in San Francisco. Has anyone seen actual documentation of how the legend arose? Many thanks.
9:34 PM
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