So, a while back I got really into Alaskan saints and so decided to write an Akathist to St. Peter the Aleut; if you don't know who he was, you'll learn from reading this Akathist. Tagging @idylls-of-the-divine-romance (my go-to guy for reviewing theological poetry) and @sapphosremains (because Anglo-Catholics are some of the few non-Orthodox who won't find this at least a little objectionable).
Kontakion 1: The gospel hath gone out unto the ends of the earth and disciples hath been made of every nation, o Lord; even in the ice-bound darkness of the North Thy church hath been established. For this we cry, with angels and all nations: alleluia!
Oikos 1: And in all places and at all times, o Christ God, Thou art wondrous in Thy saints. Hence we praise Saint Peter the Aleut, Protomartyr of America!
Rejoice, glory of the Arctic ice!
Rejoice, fame of Kodiak Island!
Rejoice, thou who burnest brighter than the Northern Lights!
Rejoice, thou who outshinest the sun upon snow!
Rejoice, for the New World is ennobled by thy blood!
Rejoice, for thy triumph is a blessing to America!
Rejoice, Saint Peter, Protomartyr of America!
Kontakion 2: Thou wast reared amidst pagan darkness, o holy Peter, the depth of which was not known in the Old World at that time, on a snow-bound lonely island. But when the call of the Shepherd was first heard on Kodiak Island, thou didst reply with the cry of: alleluia!
Oikos 2: The monks of Russia didst administer the light of Christ to a people burdened by avaricious colonists and the religion of demons alike; it opened thine eyes, o righteous one.
Rejoice, first-fruit of Alaska!
Rejoice, sheep of an island where sheep were not known!
Rejoice, for the light of Christ pierceth all darkness!
Rejoice, for by Its light we are enlightened!
Rejoice, pagan adopted as a son of God!
Rejoie, heathen who by grace partook of the glory of the Lord!
Rejoice, Saint Peter, Protomartyr of America!
Kontakion 3: When thou wert offered baptism, thou most eagerly accepted. The priest immersed thee in saving water in the name of the blessed Trinity, and upon thee was bestowed the name Peter, mystically linking thee to the glorious Apostle. A soul entered the Kingdom of God, and all the powers of Heaven exclaimed: alleluia!
Oikos 3: The mystery of baptism bestowed upon thee a new name and new life; henceforth, thou wouldst no more be named Cungagnaq, but Peter.
Rejoice, successor to the blessed Apostle!
Rejoice, thou who betrayed not Christ at any time!
Rejoice, son of snow reborn in the water!
Rejoice, child of ice regenerated in the font!
Rejoice, firstborn of a Christian nation!
Rejoice, guide of thy people to the Word!
Rejoice, Saint Peter, Protomartyr of America!
Kontakion 4: Not long after thou wast received into the Church, Spanish raiders abducted thee, carrying thee and nineteen others away to California. In spite of thy youth, the terror of the event and the great distance thou wast taken, thou feared not, but sang: alleluia!
Oikos 4: Though thou wast carried from the frozen shores of Alaska to the burning heat of California, the gold of thy soul was neither melted nor diluted, o longsuffering victor.
Rejoice, prize who sought the prize of life eternal!
Rejoice, captive of God and not of men!
Rejoice, thou who wast free in Christ while in chains!
Rejoice, thou who wore thy bonds as a string of pearls!
Rejoice, gold refined in the fire of the sun!
Rejoice, silver purified in the southern crucible!
Rejoice, Saint Peter, Protomartyr of America!
Kontakion 5: Thou wast confined to a gloomy dungeon with the other abducted Aleut, thy captors deigning to convert thee to the Church of Rome. But thou didst believe in the Father and in Christ, and so thine heart was not troubled and thou didst exclaim with the others in unison: alleluia!
Oikos 5: Although imprisoned in a foreign land by wicked men with evil designs, thou didst rejoice in the Lord who made thy feet like the deer’s.
Rejoice, servant of the lord who freeth captives!
Rejoice, freedman of Christ!
Rejoice, rampart of Orthodoxy!
Rejoice, one stalwart in the faith of the Apostles!
Rejoice, northern light in the Roman darkness!
Rejoice, torch of faith in foreign lands!
Rejoice, Saint Peter, Protomartyr of America!
Kontakion 6: Some monks of the Pope approached thee and thy fellow captives, availing to convert thee to the Roman church. But thou and thy fellow prisoners refused to renounce Holy Orthodoxy, in spite of their threats and abuse, singing: alleluia!
Oikos 6: Though unlearned and far from any learning, thou didst discourse with the educated in defence of the faith, rebuking their many accusations.
Rejoice, thou who succumbed not to falsehood!
Rejoice, thou who spoke the truth with boldness!
Rejoice, one stalwart in Orthodoxy!
Rejoice, opponent of the heterodox!
Rejoice, crown-bearer from a nation without kings!
Rejoice, soldier for Christ from a people without soldiers!
Rejoice, Saint Peter, Protomartyr of America!
Kontakion 7: The Franciscans began to threaten torture, their diabolical determination to break thy faith undeterred by thy steadfastness. But thou wast also undeterred, o Peter, refusing to renounce thine Orthodoxy, appealing instead to Christ and the Mother of God and crying: alleluia!
Oikos 7: Even as they presented the implements of thy torment, thou wast not swayed, instead being comforted by the Lord and readying thyself for thy cross.
Rejoice, confessor like the confessors of old!
Rejoice, hero walking the road of heroes!
Rejoice, ice not melted by the heat of terror!
Rejoice, cedar not bent by the persecutor’s rancour!
Rejoice, rock resistant to the hammer and axe!
Rejoice, jade uncut yet sparkling!
Rejoice, Saint Peter, Protomartyr of America!
Kontakion 8: The hard-hearted Franciscans then began to torture thee, cutting off a toe from each foot. When finished, they asked thee to convert, but thou remained faithful. After removing a finger from each hand, they asked thee again, but thou simply sang: alleluia!
Oikos 8: Burning with impotent rage, the monks then cut off thy hands and thy feet alike, but no mortal or bodiless tyrant could prise thee from the Lord.
Rejoice, for thy blood hath brought thee a crown!
Rejoice, for thy sufferings are recompensed in Heaven!
Rejoice, diamond cut to glittering brilliance!
Rejoice, gold refined in a fire of agony!
Rejoice, victor over thine and thy companion’s enemies!
Rejoice, athlete who hath run the holy race!
Rejoice, Saint Peter, Protomartyr of America!
Kontakion 9: The Franciscans were unable to subject thee to any further tortures, for the loss of blood proved fatal, and thou didst exit the earth and ascend to Christ with thy faith incorrupt. As a new saint entered the Father’s mansions, the chorus of apostles and prophets exclaimed: alleluia!
Oikos 9: The futile anger of the monks continued as thou rose to the bosom of the Lord, but all sorrows of the flesh were behind thee forever as thy soul reaped its reward.
Rejoice, conqueror of the world and the flesh!
Rejoice, triumphant hero of Alaska!
Rejoice, prisoner rewarded with undying freedom!
Rejoice, tortured one compensated with incorruptibility!
Rejoice, prince dressed in blood!
Rejoice, saint adorned with wounds!
Rejoice, Saint Peter, Protomartyr of America!
Kontakion 10: The wicked monks had planned to torture others, endeavouring to capture souls as they had laboured to capture thine, but they received orders to return the prisoners to their native land; the captives set free sang with one voice: alleluia!
Oikos 10: Thy body remained behind, o Peter; they returned it not, in a last gesture of spite towards the one swayed by none of their tortures.
Rejoice, for though thy body is captive thy soul is free!
Rejoice, for thy fellow captives hath been freed from torment!
Rejoice, for thou didst never waver from Christ!
Rejoice, for thou wert always allied with His Church!
Rejoice, unshakeable pillar of the Truth!
Rejoice, impenetrable wall of the Faith!
Rejoice, Saint Peter, Protomartyr of America!
Kontakion 11: The ship of thy fellows at last returned to Kodiak, whence all dismounted in the sight of Saint Herman, equal to the Apostles and evangelist of Alaska. Not finding thee, he enquired as to the cause of thine absence; thy story was related by a friend and witness, at which he cried: alleluia!
Oikos 11: Upon hearing of the many sufferings and the death in faith thou hadst suffered, he made the sign of the cross and exclaimed “holy new martyr Peter, pray to God for us!”
Rejoice, thou who standest at the gate of Paradise!
Rejoice, thou who hast passed through the doors of Heaven!
Rejoice, advocate for our souls before the Father!
Rejoice, intercessor before the Holy Trinity!
Rejoice, first-born saint of the Alutiiq!
Rejoice, glory of the tribes of Alaska!
Rejoice, Saint Peter, Protomartyr of America!
Kontakion 12: In this present age the light of Orthodoxy shineth brightly in Kodiak; there a Christian nation hath been established. All of them, and the rest of the Orthodox people, looketh to thee as a shining example in the past and an intercessor in the future, singing in perfect unity: alleluia!
Oikos 12: Thou, o Peter, attained sainthood by thy sufferings and trials, and by faith; thou didst synergise with the mind of Christ, attaining union with the energies of God.
Rejoice, bearer of a crown shining with the Northern Lights!
Rejoice, one dressed in robes of shimmering snows!
Rejoice, hero stronger than the ocean storms!
Rejoice, martyr mightier than the winter wind!
Rejoice, for mortal sufferings hath won thee immortal glory!
Rejoice, for thy trials were an adornment to the New World!
Rejoice, Saint Peter, Protomartyr of America!
