Talk on Three Holy Women of America: St. Olga of Alaska, Gerontissa Taxiarchia, and Abbess Alexandra

The Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas will host a special online conference on Saturday, February 21, as part of its Spiritual Saturday Evening lecture series. The event, titled Guided by Faith: Celebrating Holy Women of Orthodox America, will feature Archpriest Peter Heers as guest speaker.

The conference is dedicated to the theme of holy women in the Orthodox calendar—including myrrh-bearers, martyrs, nuns, wives, and mothers—in connection with the Romanian Church’s proclamation of 2026 as the Solemn Year of Christian Family Pastoral Care and the Commemorative Year of the Holy Women in the Calendar.

Fr. Peter will “reflect on the lives and witness of holy women in America who strengthened the Orthodox faith through love, courage, sacrifice, and devotion to Christ and family life.” In particular, Fr. Peter will focus on the recently glorified St. Olga of Alaska, the Romanian Princess turned Abbess, Mother Alexandra, founder of the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Ellwood City, PA, and Gerontissa Taxiarchia, first abbess of the Holy Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery in Saxonburg, PA.

In the wider Orthodox scene in America, St. Olga of Alaska was canonized in November 2023 as the first female American saint.

Fr. Peter was recently received into the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas and serves as assistant priest at Holy Protection of the Mother of God Orthodox Christian Church in Houston.

Fr. Peter’s talk will be held on Saturday, February 21, at 3:00 PM EDT / 2:00 PM CST / 12:00 PM PST. It will be broadcast live on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mitropolia.us and via Zoom (Meeting ID: 821 3530 5093, Passcode: ROMA). All are welcome to attend.