Parish History

The Diocese of Alaska

The Diocese of Alaska is the largest diocese in the United States, covering the entire state. It is economically and culturally rich. It also has an enormous handicap, as it covers vast wilderness areas with no roads connecting the villages and towns. The sole exceptions are the paved highway between Fairbanks and Anchorage, an all-day drive, and between Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula. This isolation can be overcome only by flying, an expensive option. From the Diocese office in Fairbanks, it takes the Bishop three hours to reach Kotzebue on the Arctic Coast on a commercial flight, two hours to fly to Ft. Yukon, close to the Canadian border, and four hours to get to Juneau, in Southeastern Alaska.

In an attempt to strengthen the 48 congregations in the diocese, a previous bishop divided up the diocese into deaneries: the Arctic Coast, Interior, Southcentral and Southeast. The verdict is still out on the success of the deanery concept. Anchorage is part of the Southcentral Deanery. Its twelve churches meet once a year and its clergy are in regular communication.

The Bishop makes an official once-a-year visitation for confirmation and is available to any parish when needed.