About St. Peter · Suquamish, Washington
St. Peter Mission is a historic Catholic mission church on the Port Madison Indian Reservation in Suquamish, Washington, administered as a mission of St. Olaf Parish in nearby Poulsbo within the Archdiocese of Seattle. The small white-steepled chapel sits beside the Suquamish Memorial Cemetery, which holds the grave of Chief Sealth (Noah Seattle), the Suquamish and Duwamish leader for whom the city of Seattle is named. It is a quiet, contemplative place that doubles as a pilgrimage site for those interested in Pacific Northwest Catholic and tribal history, with weekday Mass offered on Wednesdays and Fridays.
- Established
- 1863 (mission); current chapel building 1904/1908
- Patron
- St. Peter (Apostle)
- Rector
- Father Phil Raether
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Seattle (Olympic Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Peter Mission is a peaceful, intimate place of worship that draws both regular parishioners and visitors drawn to its rare heritage. Weekly Mass is celebrated in a quiet, contemplative setting — described by the parish as 'a place of deep soul presence' — and the mission's hand-carved altar, Fourteen Holy Helpers carving, and 'Catholic Ladder' make it unlike any other parish in the Archdiocese. It is also the final resting place of Chief Sealth, offering a unique opportunity to worship on historic Suquamish tribal land and to encounter a chapter of Pacific Northwest Catholic and Indigenous history in person.
Mass times at St. Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
History of St. Peter Mission
St. Peter Mission grew out of the encounter between 19th-century Catholic missionaries and the Suquamish, Duwamish, and Sammamish peoples of the Port Madison Indian Reservation. According to the parish's own account, 'what began in the mid-1800s, during a period of exchange between local indigenous peoples and Christian missionaries' became Saint Peter Mission. The first church was built in 1861 near Agate Pass, close to Old Man House State Park and the great longhouse home of Chief Sealth. It was rebuilt in 1870 and moved to its present site at 7076 NE South Street in 1908 (with the building's archives also referenced as 1904). The chapel was remodeled, enlarged, and re-dedicated in 1936, and remains a place of 'shared heritage' between the Suquamish Tribe and the Catholic community of the Kitsap Peninsula.
- Missionary presence established at Port Madison Reservation, 1863
- First chapel built near Agate Pass, 1861
- Original church rebuilt, 1870
- Chapel moved to current 7076 NE South St. site, 1908
- Remodeled, enlarged, and re-dedicated, 1936
Chief Sealth and the Suquamish Cemetery
Immediately adjacent to the mission is the Suquamish Memorial Cemetery, the burial place of Chief Sealth (baptismal name Noah Seattle), the Duwamish and Suquamish leader whose name lives on in the city of Seattle. His white marble marker identifies him as 'Seattle, Chief of the Suguampsh and Allied tribes, died June 7, 1866, The firm friend of the whites, and for him the City of Seattle was named by its founders,' and notes his baptismal name Noah Sealth. Coming to Saint Peter Mission, the parish writes, 'is at one and the same time coming to the final resting place of Chief Seattle.' Visitors are encouraged to also learn about the Suquamish Tribe through the tribal website suquamish.nsn.us.
- Cemetery address: 7076 NE South St., Suquamish, WA 98392
- Chief Sealth died June 7, 1866
- Baptismal name: Noah Sealth
Sacred Art and Religious Objects
The mission's interior houses rare devotional works that are part of what makes St. Peter distinctive. The hand-carved wood altar depicts the Last Supper and the Lamb of God, and visitors can also see a wooden carving of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and a replica of an old catechetical aid known as the 'Catholic Ladder.' The parish invites guests to 'come up and take a closer look at these rare works of art'.
- Hand-carved wood altar — Last Supper and Lamb of God
- Wooden carving of the Fourteen Holy Helpers
- Replica of the 'Catholic Ladder' teaching tool
Mass and Worship at St. Peter Mission
St. Peter Mission offers a smaller, contemplative weekday Mass schedule distinct from the parent parish in Poulsbo. The Archdiocese of Seattle lists the mission's celebrated Masses as Wednesday at 5:00 pm and Friday at 11:00 am. St. Olaf Parish's main weekend schedule (Saturday 4:30 pm; Sunday 8:00 am and 10:30 am; and a Thursday 5:00 pm Mass in Spanish) takes place at St. Olaf Church in Poulsbo. The parish describes the liturgy at St. Peter as 'peaceful and quiet, befitting what many experience as a place of deep soul presence,' where 'gatherings of two or three people are natural, as is a full house of one-hundred or more.'
- Wednesday — 5:00 pm (St. Peter Mission)
- Friday — 11:00 am (St. Peter Mission)
- Weekend Masses and Spanish Mass are celebrated at the parent parish, St. Olaf in Poulsbo
Clergy and Staff
Because St. Peter is a mission rather than an independent parish, it is served by the clergy of St. Olaf Parish in Poulsbo. The Archdiocese of Seattle lists Rev. Mark M. Kiszelewski as pastor and Rev. Albert Arulappan, H.G.N. as parochial vicar. Valerie Lint serves as Pastoral Assistant for Administration and is the contact for group visits to the mission. Day-to-day inquiries about the mission are directed to the parish office at 360-779-4291 or [email protected].
- Rev. Mark M. Kiszelewski — Pastor
- Rev. Albert Arulappan, H.G.N. — Parochial Vicar
- Valerie Lint — Pastoral Assistant for Administration (group-visit contact)
Visiting St. Peter Mission
St. Peter Mission is located on the Port Madison Indian Reservation in the small waterfront community of Suquamish, on the Kitsap Peninsula near Old Man House State Park. Visitors are welcomed to come and pray at the chapel and to walk through the adjacent Suquamish Memorial Cemetery. Because it is a mission rather than a full parish, group visits should be arranged in advance through Valerie Lint at [email protected], using office number 360-779-4291 (the Suquamish office line).
- Office line: 360-779-4291
- Group-visit email: [email protected]
- Nearby landmark: Old Man House State Park (Agate Pass)