Matushka Olga's icon (the same pictured in this article) sits at the top of my icon corner. She is a placeholder icon for my wife, who, God willing, will take it as her own someday, or replace it with an icon of her patron Saint.
She is a reminder to all of us that the phrase "well behaved women seldom make history" means absolutely nothing when you understand which history really matters. It is as you said: the mother who cleans, the midwife who works even in futility - these are the truly enchanted moments that can shape us and define us.
Matushka Olga was one of the first modern saints I read about during my cathechumenate. Her story has resonated deeply with me, and I’m sure she’ll go on speak to the hearts of many others too. Memory eternal!
Thank you for this definition of enchantment. It’s one I’ve felt and known all along, creation as an icon of the Creator. I feel it’s the enchantment we need to focus on in this technological age.
Beautiful! We have many from our parish currently at her Glorification this week. Blessed Mother Olga pray to God for us! Pray for my friend Kelly Olga who went into labor at 4am this morning.
Interesting. I used to live in a village along the Kuskokwim and knew some people with the last name Askoak. There's a good chance they’re related, considering how few people live up there. Not totally sure though.
At the catechism classes at my church (which I helped with) we talked about saints this past weekend and I mentioned Matushka Olga! ❤️ May she intercede for all of us sinful and pitiful children!
"Sacred Alaska" was such a beautiful and profound experience. I was encouraged by all the lives of the Saints retold, but most especially by the story of Matushka Olga. If I'm honest, the Saints can sometimes feel...overwhelming...or perhaps just so far removed in the towering heights of their unflinching ascetism. Mat. Olga was undoubtedly no less holy, no less full of love for God, but the simplicity - the down-to-earth nature of her life - just gives me hope and encouragement. Those final 3 minutes or so of Fr. Michael Oleksa, I probably need to listen to it everyday:
"What does it mean to be glorified as a saint? Well, first of all, we're all called to be saints, to do everything to the glory of God, and virtually nothing just for yourself, for your own selfish needs or purposes or honor or glory. Matushka Olga certainly fit in that category, but so did St. Innocent. He was a high school graduate. Father Yakov went off to the boonies and never expected any glory in this world. Father Herman retired to the woods and never expected to be remembered.
So when we look at any of our saints, we see how humble they are. They simply do what God gave them to do. The path is not theirs. St. Innocent says that the path of the Lord is directed by the Lord. But not all people follow that path. We go off in our own way. We want to have it our way. So to accept God's path and God's will and to do, however humble it may be, what God has set before you, that's the path to sanctity. It's nothing extraordinary. Matushka hardly ever left her village. What did she do? She helped women in childbirth. She made socks and caps and mittens. She went to church. She said her prayers. She sang church hymns and Christmas carols. She did nothing extraordinary, but it was what God gave her to do.
When we set aside a day to remember a saint, it's simply that. It's not for them, it's for us. It's an opportunity to look at a person's life and say, I can do that. I can be that kind of wife. I can be that kind of husband. I can be that kind of starosta. I can serve God in whatever way he's directed and given me the chance to do. And if I do that, then that's all God expects of me. So the saints are those who are given to us as an example to say, I think, especially in Matushka Olga's situation, you can be forgotten for decades, or St Yakov's situation, you can be forgotten for centuries. And that doesn't matter, because what people know about or think about or value on Earth is not significant. You did what God gave you to do. And now we can hold her up as an example because it says to all of us, you also have your God-given purpose in life. Find it and do it, and that will be your salvation.”
Matushka Olga's icon (the same pictured in this article) sits at the top of my icon corner. She is a placeholder icon for my wife, who, God willing, will take it as her own someday, or replace it with an icon of her patron Saint.
She is a reminder to all of us that the phrase "well behaved women seldom make history" means absolutely nothing when you understand which history really matters. It is as you said: the mother who cleans, the midwife who works even in futility - these are the truly enchanted moments that can shape us and define us.
St. Olga, pray for us.
Holy Matushka Saint Olga of Alaska, please pray for us! 🌐⛪🔔🕊️📿🕯️🛶 🦭🌲❄️ 🤱🏻🐋♥️
Matushka Olga was one of the first modern saints I read about during my cathechumenate. Her story has resonated deeply with me, and I’m sure she’ll go on speak to the hearts of many others too. Memory eternal!
Speechless for joy. Thank you. ☦️
Thank you for this definition of enchantment. It’s one I’ve felt and known all along, creation as an icon of the Creator. I feel it’s the enchantment we need to focus on in this technological age.
Beautiful! We have many from our parish currently at her Glorification this week. Blessed Mother Olga pray to God for us! Pray for my friend Kelly Olga who went into labor at 4am this morning.
Saint Olga, Matushka of All Alaska, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.
Interesting. I used to live in a village along the Kuskokwim and knew some people with the last name Askoak. There's a good chance they’re related, considering how few people live up there. Not totally sure though.
At the catechism classes at my church (which I helped with) we talked about saints this past weekend and I mentioned Matushka Olga! ❤️ May she intercede for all of us sinful and pitiful children!
Beautiful. I forwarded your article to my parish via our newsletter. Such an encouraging word. Thank you!
"Sacred Alaska" was such a beautiful and profound experience. I was encouraged by all the lives of the Saints retold, but most especially by the story of Matushka Olga. If I'm honest, the Saints can sometimes feel...overwhelming...or perhaps just so far removed in the towering heights of their unflinching ascetism. Mat. Olga was undoubtedly no less holy, no less full of love for God, but the simplicity - the down-to-earth nature of her life - just gives me hope and encouragement. Those final 3 minutes or so of Fr. Michael Oleksa, I probably need to listen to it everyday:
"What does it mean to be glorified as a saint? Well, first of all, we're all called to be saints, to do everything to the glory of God, and virtually nothing just for yourself, for your own selfish needs or purposes or honor or glory. Matushka Olga certainly fit in that category, but so did St. Innocent. He was a high school graduate. Father Yakov went off to the boonies and never expected any glory in this world. Father Herman retired to the woods and never expected to be remembered.
So when we look at any of our saints, we see how humble they are. They simply do what God gave them to do. The path is not theirs. St. Innocent says that the path of the Lord is directed by the Lord. But not all people follow that path. We go off in our own way. We want to have it our way. So to accept God's path and God's will and to do, however humble it may be, what God has set before you, that's the path to sanctity. It's nothing extraordinary. Matushka hardly ever left her village. What did she do? She helped women in childbirth. She made socks and caps and mittens. She went to church. She said her prayers. She sang church hymns and Christmas carols. She did nothing extraordinary, but it was what God gave her to do.
When we set aside a day to remember a saint, it's simply that. It's not for them, it's for us. It's an opportunity to look at a person's life and say, I can do that. I can be that kind of wife. I can be that kind of husband. I can be that kind of starosta. I can serve God in whatever way he's directed and given me the chance to do. And if I do that, then that's all God expects of me. So the saints are those who are given to us as an example to say, I think, especially in Matushka Olga's situation, you can be forgotten for decades, or St Yakov's situation, you can be forgotten for centuries. And that doesn't matter, because what people know about or think about or value on Earth is not significant. You did what God gave you to do. And now we can hold her up as an example because it says to all of us, you also have your God-given purpose in life. Find it and do it, and that will be your salvation.”
Thankyou Michael, wonderful article with subject that raises peace and calm in my heart.