Olga Michael

Olga (Arrsamquq) Michael (Russian: Ольга Аррсамкук Майкл; (1916-02-03)3 February 1916 – (1979-11-08)8 November 1979), known as Saint Olga (Arrsamquq) of Alaska, Saint Olga of Kwethluk, or Matushka Olga, Russian: матушка Ольга), was a native American Russian Orthodox presbytera and saint from native Alaska, in the United States.^[1][2] In 2025, she became the first North American woman, and the first Yup'ik person, to be canonized as an Eastern Orthodox saint.^[3]

Saint Olga Arrsamquq Michael (Russian: Ольга Аррсамкук Майкл)
Matushka
Born	(1916-02-03)3 February 1916 Territory of Alaska, United States
Died	3 November 1979(1979-11-03) (aged 63) Kwethluk, Alaska, United States
Venerated in	Eastern Orthodox Church
Canonized	June 19, 2025, Kwethluk, Alaska by Orthodox Church in America
Feast	October 27
Attributes	Wearing a midwife uniform, scroll, prayer rope on her hand and a bowl of water
Patronage	Midwife sexual abuse victims

Life

Olga, also known among the locals as Olinka, was born as Olga Arrsamquq on (1916-02-03)3 February 1916 in a village in the Territory of Alaska, in the United States, to Native American parents of the Yup'ik tribe who were members of the Russian Orthodox Church under the Byzantine Rite. Olga Arrsamquq was raised in a predominantly Russian Orthodox village in Alaska, and most people from her village attended divine liturgy in a Russian Orthodox church every Sunday. Her family and the people from her village were converted to Russian Orthodoxy by Russian missionaries who were in Alaska in the 19th century, when Alaska was a colony of the Russian Empire.^[4] Olga Arrsamquq grew up to be a pious and devout Christian belonging to the Russian Orthodox church. Olga Arrsamquq later married a farmer and postmaster Nikolai Michael, and adopted the name Olga Michael after her husband. Her husband Nikolai Michael later studied theology in a seminary, was ordained as a Russian Orthodox priest, and was ultimately given the title of archpriest. Being the spouse (wife) of a priest, Olga Michael became a matushka presbytera in the Russian Orthodox Church, and was considered very important to the locals in her village. Matushka Olga Michael ultimately took a job as a midwife and nurse and helped deliver newborn infants. As a midwife and nurse, Olga Michael helped hundreds of pregnant women in delivering their babies, and gave them the aid they deserved. Because of her role as a midwife willing to help hundreds of pregnant women in need, no matter how harsh the weather was, Matushka Olga Michael was considered as a very important and helpful midwife and nurse in Alaska.

Matushka Olga Michael gave birth to 13 children and raised them all, but unfortunately only eight of her children had survived into adulthood.

In addition, Matushka Olga Michael was known for performing miracles which led to her being beatified and canonized a saint in the Russian Orthodox Church after her death.

Matushka Olga Michael was known for her empathy and caring for those who had suffered abuse of all kinds, especially sexual abuse. While her family was poor, she was generous to those who were poorer, often giving away children's clothes she created to those in need. She was also known for her ability to tell when a woman was pregnant, even before the woman herself had missed her period.

Personal life and death

Olga and her husband, Nicolai Michael, had thirteen children, eight of whom lived to adulthood.^[3]

In November 1979, she died of cancer.^[3]

When Matushka Olga died, many people from miles around wanted to come to her funeral, but since it was November, the winter weather made it impossible. But a wind from the south brought warm weather, thawing the ice and snow to make the trek to Kwethluk possible. When the mourners exited the church to take her body to the graveyard, a flock of birds followed. The ones who dug her grave found that the ground, too, had thawed. The evening after her funeral, the normal harsh winter weather returned.^[5]

Reported miracles and canonization

Matushka Olga Michael was reported to have helped heal people even after her death. It has been said that people who are really sick and in need, who have prayed to her, have been miraculously healed.^[6] As a result, Olga Michael was beatified in the Russian Orthodox Church. She was glorified and given the title of Righteous. Ultimately, Olga Michael was canonized as a saint in the Russian Orthodox Church on 9 November 2023.

Archbishop Gabriel (Chemodakov) stated that she could be glorified also in ROCOR: "Our Church must have a judgment on this matter. <...> In my opinion, we have no reason not to recognize this glorification."^[7]