The Story of Orthodoxy at Fort Ross – Then and Now
One Day Conference
Friday, October 3rd, 2025
9:00 AM – Welcome and Introductions - Innokentia and Mother Macrina. Welcoming remarks by special guests.
9:15 –Keynote Speaker Maria Sakovich – Maria will share stories and insights of Orthodox history at Fort Ross and the First Divine Liturgy served by her grandfather, Archpriest Vladimir Sakovich. Maria will also speak about the history of the Holy Trinity-St Nicholas Chapel.
10:15 – 10:30 - break
10:30 to 11:15 – Dr Susan Morris – The research and the understanding of St Peter the Aleut will be presented, along with insights into the actual research efforts with conclusions. St. Peter’s last days and his last moments will be highlighted and told with an accurate telling based on historic documents and research.
11:15 to 12:00 – Breck Parkman – Breck will share stories and pictures of the visit to Fort Ross in 1992 by the 5th Great Grandson of St Innocent, Fr Innocent. Fr. Innocent came to walk in the footsteps of his 5th great-grandfather on a pilgrimage. Also, Breck will speak about the people buried in the cemetery and their connection to Orthodoxy
12:00 PM to 12:45 Lunch
12:45 to 1:30 Nina Bogdan – Orthodoxy spans many cultures, and San Francisco, as an urban space and port city attracting people from all over the world, boasted a multi-ethnic Orthodox community from its founding. The nineteenth-century Russian presence in the broader region spanning Alaska and northern California also played a role in the creation of an interconnected “mental territory,” where Orthodox faithful lived and interacted, drawing succeeding groups of immigrants and refugees. Nine will discuss these topics and more.
1:30 to 1:45 – Dr Stupin – Director of the Museum of Irkutsk - Our relationship with Irkutsk and St Innocent, and the relationship with Fort Ross is important. Dr Stupin will share the exhibit 'Fort Ross' and the building of the Spiritual and Education Center of St Innocent. This is a pre-recorded video and will be translated.
1:45 to 2:00 Break
2:00 – 2:30 Very Reverend Archpriest Fr John Perich – St Herman of Alaska Church -Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania - Fr John is the Head Curator at St Tikhon’s Monastery in Pennsylvania. He will offer insights into St Innocent and his time at Fort Ross, as well as the canonization of St Peter the Aleut. Fr. John, who lived in Alaska, wrote the canonization papers for St Peter the Aleut.
2:30 – 3:00 Very Reverend Archpriest Alexander Krassovsky – Sts Peter and Paul Russian Orthodox Church – Fr Alexander has been a part of the Fort Ross community for more than 40 years, serving on Memorial Day. He was active in the archaeology and restoration of the cemetery and has many insights and stories to share with us.
3:00 – 3:30 Innokentia (Robin) Wellman – Retired Fort Ross. Innokentia will share the stories of the Saints who walked at Fort Ross. She will share specific details about each of these five saints and the research that she has done over the course of her career at Fort Ross. She will also share the general history of Fort Ross, stories of the past, and present.
3:30 Open Discussion and Questions
3:45 to 4:45 Showing of the Award-Winning Film 'American Orthodoxy' by Robert John Hammond. Travel to California’s coastal Fort Ross, where an icon mysteriously washed ashore, sparking a legacy of faith. Encounter St. Peter the Aleut, a Native American saint who courageously planted the seeds of Orthodoxy and gave his life as a martyr. Through the lives of early saints, this evocative film reveals the hidden stories and sacred connections that continue to shape America’s spiritual landscape.
5:00 Evening service at Sts Peter and Paul Church
