Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and all Russia enthrones the Primate of the Autonomous Orthodox Church in Japan

PATRIARCH ALEXY II OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA ENTHRONES THE PRIMATE OF THE AUTONOMOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH IN JAPAN

The official visit of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy to the Orthodox Church in Japan began with visiting the city of Hakodate, where St.Nicholas Equual-to the-Apostles, Archbishop of Japan, commenced his missionary work in 1861.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church and his suite which consisted of Metropolitan Kirilll of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Bishop Veniamin of Vladivostok and Primorski Krai and other officials, were met at the Hakodate airport by Japanese archpastors Bishop Daniel of Kyoto and Bishop Seraphim of Sendai, General Consul of the Russian Federation in Sapporo V.I.Saplin and the Mayor of Hakodate.

After the sightseeing of the city His Holiness proceeded to the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, where its parishioners, the Orthodox believers of Hakodate were waiting for him. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy conducted a prayer service after which he greeted Bishop Seraphim and his flock. His Holiness noted that the visit, which started at the place where St.Nicholas Equal-to-the-Apostles, began his missionary ministry, testifies to the inseparable links between the Orthodox people of the country of rising sun with the Russian Orthodox Church, which like a Mother fond of her children has cared for the Japanese flock during many years and has introduced them to the traditions of Orthodox culture.

Then His Holiness visited the branch of the Far East State University in Hakodate, where the Japanese students study the Russian language. His Holiness was greeted by the rector, the faculty and the students. After the talk with them His Holiness visited the Russian cemetery in Hakodate, where Russian sailors were buried in the last century and conducted a Requiem Litiya.

In the evening of May 12 the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church left for Tokyo.

The next day began with the visit to the main holy place of the Orthodox Church in Japan – the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, or ‘Nikorai-Do’, as the Japanese call thus showing their profound respect and gratitude to the Illuminator of Japan, Archbishop Nicholas Equal-to-the-Apostles. The Cathedral is a living memory of him and one of the Tokyo sights. Archbishop Nicholas built for centuries. He checked each stone, as he wished this church to symbolize the strength and triumph of Orthodoxy. The magnificent cathedral with a capacity of two thousand believers was restored two years ago.

After sightseeing of the cathedral the Primate of the Russian Church, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad and Bishop Veniamin of Vladivostok and Primorski Krai had a talk with the newly-elected Primate of the Orthodox Church in Japan Bishop Daniel of Kyoto and with Bishop Seraphim of Sendai.

After the talk His Holiness proceeded to the Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Tokyo, where Russian Orthodox believers where the parishioners of the chapel dedicated to St.Nicholas the Wonderworker were waiting for him.

In the church of the Representation, His Holiness the Patriarch conducted a Thanksgiving prayer service to St.Nicholas the Wonderworker and to St.Nicholas, Equal-to-the-Apostles, Archbishop of Japan.

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II consecrated a new plating for the altar made in the ‘Sofrino’ Art Productions in Russia. He presented it to the Representation church as a gift for the 30th anniversary of its foundation.

Taking part in the service were Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, the new primate of the Orthodox Church in Japan Bishop Daniel of Kyoto and other clergymen of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church in Japan.

In his address to the clergymen and parishioners of the Representation Church His Holiness said: ‘We prayed in this small church, which no longer can accommodate all Orthodox Russian believers, as well as the Serbian, Greek and Japanese believers who come here. Therefore it makes sense to build a new church, and its model is ready. May God grant that this church is built, and that the Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate on the Japanese land takes spiritual care for the Orthodox Russian people living here and at the same time continues to be a living link between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Orthodox Church in Japan’.

Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia awarded Archpriest Nikolai Katsyban with the Order of St.Sergius, 3rd class, for many years of his work for the good of the Representation, and Priest John Nagai, a clergyman of the Representation church, with the decorated cross. Many parishioners were awarded with the Patriarchal Diplomas.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church gave small icons of the Resurrection of Christ to all the parishioners as a blessing. The visit was concluded with a lunch, given by the parishioners in honour of His Holiness.

In the evening of May 13, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia celebrated the All-Night Vigil in the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ. Concelebrating were Metropolitan Theodosius of All America and Canada, who arrived to the enthronement of the Primate of the Orthodox Church in Japan with a delegation of the Orthodox Church in America, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Bishop Daniel of Kyoto, Archbishop Herman of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania (Orthodox Church in America), Bishop Veniamin of Vladivostok and Primorski Krai and Bishop Seraphim of Sendai.

May 14 will be remembered as a memorable day in the Autonomous Orthodox Church in Japan. During the Divine Liturgy, which was celebrated in the Cathedral of the Resurrection, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy together with the same hierarchs who concelebrated with him yesterday, conducted the enthronement of Bishop Daniel and his elevation to the rank of Metropolitan of All Japan.

After the Gospel reading, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy presented His Grace Daniel the signs of primatial dignity, and the office of installment was performed: Bishop Daniel was seated to the hierarch’s throne three times.

After the Divine Liturgy the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church addressed the new Primate of the Orthodox Church in Japan with a welcoming speech:

‘The great and salutary news of the Resurrection of Church has spread all over the universe and reached the country of the rising sun, thus bringing into life a small, but consolidated and firm in faith Autonomous Orthodox Church in Japan.

During its history this Church has experienced many difficulties and misfortunes. Yet, neither political circumstances or natural calamities, nor various temptations brought into the church milieu by external forces, – no earthly things could shake the sincere faith of the Orthodox Japanese, who with God’s help have courageously have witnessed about Holy Orthodoxy in the milieu of non-Christians, who outnumber them many times.

The destiny of the Orthodox Church in Japan has been inseparably connected with its Mother-Church – the Russian Orthodox Church. It was from Russia that the first preachers of the Orthodox faith arrived to Japan – Bishop Nicholas and other Russian missionaries, who played an outstanding role in the history of establishment and development of the Orthodox mission in Japan. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the autonomy of the Orthodox Church in Japan. During these years our relations have been steadily developing, and it gives me a real joy to visit the beautiful land of Japan at a time when such a remarkable event is taking place in the life of the Orthodox Church in Japan as the enthronement of its new Primate.

Your Eminence, please accept my cordial greetings with your election and enthronement as Primate of the Orthodox Church in Japan. I wholeheartedly wish Your Eminence to be a good shepherd of the flock entrusted to you by the Lord, guiding them to the salvation in Jesus Christ. I pray the Lord for your primatial ministry to be marked by the flourishing of the Orthodox Church in Japan with God’s help’.

The solemn divine service was concluded with the blessing by the new Primate of the Japanese Church of his flock. After that a reception was given for the enthronement of Metropolitan Daniel of All Japan. Attending the reception were all those present at the divine service and many guests.

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia and Metropolitan Daniel of All Japan exchanged speeches. Metropolitan Daniel noted symbolic coincidence of the enthronement of the Primate of the Japanese Church with the Name Day of the late Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov), who initiated the granting of autonomy to the Orthodox Church in Japan thirty years ago.

On May 15, His Holiness the Patriarch visited the Yanaka cemetery in Tokyo where St.Nicholas Equal-to-the-Apostles, Archbishop of Tokyo, is buried, and conducted a prayer service to the illuminator of the country of the rising sun and also a requiem litiay for Metropolitan Sergy (Tikhomirov), Metropolitan Theodosius (Nagashima) and Biship Nicholas (Onon), who are buried at the same cemetery and also for the newly-deceased Bishop Peter of Yokohama, who was buried that same day in Hakodate.

On May 16 the Primate of the Russian Church will visit Kyoto, the old capital of Japan.