Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk begins his working visit to Japan

On 7 November 2017, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, arrived in Tokyo.

At the Narita Airport he was met by Archpriest Nikolai Katsiuban, rector of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Metochion in Tokyo; Mr. Dmitry Birichevsky, Minister Counselor of the Russian Embassy in Japan; Mr. Dmitry Petrovsky, staff member of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations; and representatives of the Russian diplomatic mission. The DECR chairman arrived in Tokyo to take part in a Conference on Ss. Nicholas of Japan and Innocent of Moscow: Culture of the Peoples of Russia, Japan, and America, organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation as part of the Russian Seasons project.

The same day the hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, accompanied by Hieromonk Nikolai (Ono), student of Ss. Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute of Postgraduate Studies, and Mr. Dmitry Petrovsky, DECR staff member, visited the Cathedral of the Holy Resurrection in Tokyo, where he was greeted by Metropolitan Daniel of Tokyo and All Japan, head of the Japanese Autonomous Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Hilarion venerated a particle of the holy relics of St. Nicholas of Japan and conveyed the blessing from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to Metropolitan Daniel of Tokyo and All Japan, Archbishop Seraphim of Sendai, and the clergy and parishioners of the Resurrection Cathedral.

Later that day Archbishop Seraphim of Sendai gave a dinner in honour of the high guest. The hierarchs exchanged opinions on the promotion and preservation of the spiritual heritage of St. Nicholas, whose labours had brought forth their fruit – the Japanese Autonomous Orthodox Church.

DECR Communication Service