expanded their preaching and efforts to the mainland. Yet, reaching out to the natives involved dangers, as evidenced by the martyrdom of Fr. Juvenaly in 1796. In reviewing the situation of the mission, in 1796, the Holy Synod created an auxiliary see in Alaska and elected Fr. Joasaph as Bishop of Kodiak. It was 1798 before news and instructions for his elevation reached him. For his elevation to bishop, Fr. Joasaph needed to return to Irkutsk, where he was consecrated on April 10, 1799. Bp. Joasaph's consecration was unusual in that, due to the isolation of Irkutsk from the Holy Synod, the Holy Synod provided instructions for Benjamin, Bishop of Irkutsk, to perform the consecration of Fr. Joasaph alone. Thus was recorded the only known situation in the history of the Church of Russia where an episcopal consecration was conducted by a single bishop. Bp. Joasaph was not to reach his new see as the perils of travel in the northern seas would result in his death. Bp. Joasaph and his companions, Hieromonk Makary and Hierodeacon Stephan, perished as their ship Phoenix met with a serious storm and sank near the Alaskan coast during May 21 to 24, 1799. The ship was also carrying an important cargo of both people and supplies for the Kodiak colony. Thus, its loss seriously set back both the Orthodox mission in Alaska and the colony. The Holy Synod took no action to replace Bp. Joasaph and in 1811 officially closed the Kodiak episcopal see. It would be some thirty years before another hierarch would be named to Alaska. Sources Orthodox America 1794-1976 Development of the Orthodox Church in America, C. J. Tarasar, Gen. Ed. 1975, The Orthodox Church in America, Syosett, New York Hector Chevigny, Russian America — The Great Alaskan Venture, 1741 -1867. New York: Viking Press, 1965. External links Biography of Bishop Joasaph (Bolotov) from the OCA 1761 births 1799 deaths Accidental deaths in Alaska Eastern Orthodox bishops in the United States Bishops in Alaska Christian missionaries in Alaska Deaths due to shipwreck at sea People of Russian America Russian Christian missionaries Eastern Orthodox missionaries People from Kodiak, Alaska