Christian feast day: Peter the Aleut

Cungagnaq is venerated as a martyr and saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church. He was a native of Kodiak Island, and received the Christian name of Peter when he was baptized into the Orthodox faith by the monks of St Herman's missionaries operating in the north. In 1815, he was captured by Spanish soldiers near San Pedro, tortured and killed either there or at a nearby location. Semyon Yanovsky's letter, which was the first account of Peter's alleged martyrdom, written 50 years after his murder, describes Peter as being murdered and tortured by Spanish soldiers on the orders of the Jesuits. However, historians reject the involvement of the Jesuits because they were not present in the territory at the time.

December 12 is the 346th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 19 days remain until the end of the year.