Church of the Holy Ascension

This was the second in-person starring ceremony since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the first Christmas service led by Father Timothy Kolb, Unalaska’s newest resident Russian Orthodox priest.

Unalaska's iconic Russian Orthodox cathedral has a new resident priest, who says he is excited to get to know the town.

The local Russian Orthodox community celebrated Slavi, or Russian Christmas, over the weekend, which follows the Julian calendar and takes place Jan. 7. It was the first time the church held in-person Christmas services since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unalaska’s Church of the Holy Ascension is one of the oldest churches in Alaska, and arguably the oldest Russian Orthodox church in the state. On Russian Orthodox Christmas, congregants stood at the front of the church, spinning large, colorfully decorated stars in clockwise circles, while the choir sang traditional songs in Russian, Unangam Tunuu, English and the Eastern Orthodox Church’s liturgical language, Slavonic.

The Russian Orthodox Church observes Christmas on Jan. 7. The day marks the first of three days of celebrations. To commemorate the holiday this year,…