{{monastery|name=Holy Monastery of St. Herman of Alaska|jurisdiction=[[Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada|Serbian]], West US|type=Male Monastery|founded=1968|superior=Hieromonk [[Damascene (Christiansen)]]|size=~25|hq=Platina, California|language=English|music=[[Russian Chant]]|calendar=[[Julian Calendar|Julian]]|feasts=July 27 / August 9 and December 12 / 25 |website=[http://stherman.com/ Official Website]}}The '''St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood''', also known as the '''Holy Monastery of St. Herman of Alaska''' is a monastic-[[missionary]] Orthodox Christian brotherhood that is part of the Western American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The [[monastery]] is located in Platina, California.

The Brotherhood grew out of efforts by [[Herman (Podmoshensky)|Gleb Podmoshensky ]] and [[Seraphim Rose|Eugene Rose]] who, with the blessing of [[John (Maximovitch) the Wonderworker|John (Maximovitch), Archbishop of San Francisco]], of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia]], began publication of ''The Orthodox Word'', and established a bookstore in the early 1960s. Gleb, who was a Russian immigrant and graduate from [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Seminary]] in Jordanville, New York, and Eugene, who was a California intellectual and graduate of the University of California at Berkeley. The two had grown together in the Orthodox Christian faith and its [[monasticism]]. Their vision bore fruit in the founding of the Brotherhood in 1963, with Abp. John's blessing. The vision expanded, in 1968, into a monastery in Platina in the wilderness of northern California. In October 1970, both Gleb and Eugene were [[tonsure]]d [[monk]]s with [[monasticism|monastic]] names of Herman and Seraphim, respectively, and soon entered into the [[Holy Orders|holy orders]], first as [[deacon]]s and then as [[priest]]s. Under their leadership - Fr. Herman as inaugural abbot and Fr. Seraphim as spiritual father - the Monastery of St. Herman of Alaska grew and prospered.

On [[September 2]], 1982, Fr. Seraphim died, leaving Fr. Herman in great grief with a loss of direction in life, as the brotherhood, monastery, and dream were their shared dream. With this dream shattered, Fr. Herman's distress led to a deterioration in his life that resulted in his being . Fr. Herman was suspended by ROCOR, pending a canonical trial and under a cloud of accusations; as he continued serving, he was defrocked by the ROCORSynod for disobedience. In the meantime, the The monastic community began to fall apart with most of the monks and [[novice]]s leaving the community. Feeling lost and estranged from the [[bishop]]s of ROCOR, Fr. Herman began looking for new direction and an empathic [[hierarch]].

[[Image:Gerasim (Eliel).jpg|left|thumb|100px|Abbot Gerasim (Eliel), second abbot (2000-09)]]Living outside the canonical structure meant Fr. Herman's communities were in a no-man's land ecclesiastically. During the year 2000, Fr. Herman, in failing health, realized the need to rectify their status, and stepped down from his status as their leader. With his departure , the Brotherhood of St. Herman entered into communion with was able to enter the Western American Diocese of the Church of Serbia. Hieromonk Gerasim (Eliel) was elected abbot of the brotherhood, with hieromonk [[Damascene (Christensen)]] elected deputy abbot.

CurrentlyIn 2009, Fr. Gerasim was canonically transferred to the Orthodox Church in America and began studies at St. Vladimir's Seminary. Subsequently, Fr. Hilarion (Waas) was elected abbot, a position he retained until May 2013 when Hmk [[Damascene (Christensen)]] succeeded him. == Abbots ==* [[Herman (Podmoshensky)]] (1969-2000)* [[Gerasim (Eliel)]] (2000-2009)* [[Hilarion (Waas)]] (2009-2013)* [[Damascene (Christensen)]] (since 2013) ==Controversy=={{stub}}Fr. Herman's tenure, particularly the part after Fr. Seraphim's repose, has been under a cloud of scandal. It is noteworthy that many of the abbot on parishes associated with St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood were received under different jurisdictions (including [[Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia|Bulgarian Diocese]] and the OCA). It is assumed that this was intentional, to ensure that each parish would be able to be a part of the monasterybroader Church, rather than a subset of any one diocese.

*[http://www.stherman.com/ St. Herman Press]*[http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/060222155510.htm Interview with Fr. Damascene (Christensen), Monastery of St. Herman of Alaska in Platina, California]* Abbot [[Gerasim (Eliel)]] [http://dosoca.org/files/esc/Gerasim.BiorevisedMarch14_27_2009.pdf Biographical Sketch], 2011