Scholar of the Alaskan First Peoples,
Dynamic Cross-Cultural
Communicator, Spellbinding Storyteller

This tribute to Ukrainian American OCA Archpriest Michael Oleksa who died on 29th November 2023 begins with a brief biographical overview of his upbringing, student years, and ministry trips to Alaska. It then summarizes his writings, publications, teaching and public service in the spheres of Alaskan native culture and history, Orthodox Christian mission, cross-cultural communication, and Alaskan education. The author shares some impressions of Fr Michael’s book Orthodox Alaska, his involvement in the canonization of St Olga (Michael) of Kwethluk on November 9th 2023, and personal memories of Fr Michael and his wife in Anchorage in August 2023. A final section draws on the memories of Fr Michael’s friends and colleagues who pay tribute to his international role as representative of Orthodox mission and missiology in geographical contexts such as Africa, Moscow, as well as scholarly and ecumenical bodies such as the World Council of Churches, the Lausanne Orthodox Initiative, and the International Orthodox Theological Association.