His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and all Russia, head of the Russian Orthodox Church delegation, meets the Emperor, prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan

HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH ALEXY II OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA, HEAD OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH DELEGATION, MEETS THE EMPEROR, PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF JAPAN

On May 16, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, head of the Russian Orthodox Church delegation, which consisted of Metropolitan Kirill 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, made a trip to Kyoto.

The delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church was accompanied by the newly-installed Metropolitan Daniel of All Japan, Primate of the Autonomous Orthodox Church in Japan, and Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Japan A.N.Panov. The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church said to the representatives of the Diocese of Kyoto, ‘we would not have known Japan, had we not visited its ancient capital’.

From the railway-station His Holiness proceeded to the Annunciation Church of Kyoto, which cherishes memory of St.Nicholas (Kasatkin). The church was built upon his blessing on donations of the Orthodox Japanese and philanthropists from Russia. St.Nicholas, Equal-to-the-Apostles, consecrated this church, which is located in one of the most beautiful places of the city.

The church in Kyoto is remarkable for the Gospel and the silver crosses placed on the altar, which were sent here by St.John of Krondshadt. The donation was recorded by St.Nicholas himself.

His Holiness the Patriarch conducted a prayer service in the Annunciation Church and presented the eucharistic vessels to the Orthodox Church in Japan as a gift. In his word addressed to the Archbishop of Tokyo and Metropolitan of All Japan Daniel, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church said, ‘Maybe in a hundred years someone will also remember our gift to the Annunciation Church. We have presented it as a symbol of the unity between our Churches, as we see that the archpastors, pastors and Orthodox believers of Japan continue the ministry of St.Nicholas.’

His Holiness got acquainted with the historical monuments of Kyoto.

On May 17, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia met with the Emperor of Japan. This event was appraised as an extremely important one in the social and political life of Japan and in practical bilateral relations between Japan and Russia. The Emperor of Japan and the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church had a warm cordial talk.

That same day, on the initiative of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Japan, His Holiness met the Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr.Yohei Kono. His Holiness observed that he had arrived in Japan with peace mission. The main objective of the visit was the enthronement of the new Primate of the Autonomous Orthodox Church in Japan. ‘We shall develop our spiritual and cultural relations and pilgrimage from Japan to Russia and from Russia to Japan so that our compatriots can be introduced to the culture of this country’, said His Holiness Patriarch Alexy.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs underlined that Japan and Russia can play the leading role in the world community, but that would be possible if complete mutual understanding is reached. ‘We must renounce the use of military force in the solution of disputes. That, unfortunately, happened in our history. The new relations must be based on the development of cultural and economic relations’, said Mr.Kono.

His Holiness bore out the words of the Minister for Foreigh Affairs of Japan by saying that the exchange of spiritual and cultural values is the correct path. ‘We are neighbours, and we need to live in peace’, said His Holiness.

Mutual agreement was expressed on the necessity of maintaining two fundamental values, which are the preservation of an adequate moral climate in society and of the environment.

In conclusion of the talk the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan expressed his gratitude to the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church for the meeting.

His Holiness invited Mr.Kono to pay a visit to him during his official visit to Moscow.

In the evening of May 17, press conference of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia was held in the Embassy ofd the Russian Federation in Japan.

While answering the questions of the journalists His Holiness said: ‘The more contacts we have with each other and the more we learn about spiritual and cultural values of our nations, the more closer we shall be to each other, thus proceeding to the signing of peace treaty.’

I hope that this visit will facilitate the invigoration of the relations between Japan and Russia in general and of the relations between our Churches’.

That same day A.N.Panov, Ambassador Extaordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation in Japan gave a reception in honour of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia and the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church.

A.N.Panov addressed the high guest with a welcoming speech and presented him four pictures on religious subjects.

On May 18, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church visited the National Museum in Tokyo.

That same day His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia met with the Prime Minister of Japan Mr. Yosiro Mori.

The Primate Minister said that the visit of the Patriarch of All Russia was a historic event in the relations between Japan and Russia.

The recent meeting of the Prime Minister Yosiro Mori with the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir V.Putin in St.Petersburg and the agreement of the latter’s visit to Japan this year, show that the governments of Russia and Japan wish to raise their relations to a qualitatively new level.

The Prime Minister told His Holiness about his father, who was the mayor of a small town in Japan and maintained and intensified the relations with Russian during 40 years. He asked to bury a part of his ashes in the town of Shelekhov in the Irkutsk region in Russia, a twin city of his native town. Mr.Mori honoured this request and will try to fulfil another command of his father – to develop and consolidate the relations with Russia.

His Holiness the Patriarch noted that the mission of the Russian Orthodox Church, which has begun 139 years ago, was in no way a cultural expansion. On the contrary, the young Orthodox Church in Japan has been distinguished from the very beginning by its national and cultural identity, thus enriching the treasure of world Orthodoxy.

Both sides expressed their hope that the good-neighbourly relations between the two countries will be thoroughly developed.