St. Nicholas of Japan

Joyous feast! С праздником! Today we celebrate the memory of our Holy Father Nicholas the Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Japan. Born to a deacon in what today is western Russia in 1836, the future missionary pursued theological studies that eventually took him to the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, where he was tonsured a monk and ordained to the priesthood at the age of twenty-four.

Not long after his ordination in 1860 Hieromonk Nicholas was assigned, per his request, to serve at the Russian consulate in the Japanese city of Khakodate. He went to Japan with the desire to convert its people to Orthodoxy, but made little headway his first eight years in the country as he learned the Japanese language and studied Japanese culture. In those eight years only twelve Japanese were converted to Orthodoxy. Nevertheless, due in part to a report to the Holy Synod submitted by Fr. Nicholas in 1869 a Russian Orthodox ecclesiastical mission to Japan was organized under his leadership.

Not long after the organization of the mission and his elevation to the rank of archimandrite Fr. Nicholas moved from Khakodate to Tokyo, where in 1873 he established a church and ecclesiastical school that was upgraded five years later to become a seminary. Both the Tokyo and Khakodate parishes established multiple schools, whilst the ordination of native Japanese Orthodox to the priesthood in 1874 gave added impetus to the growth of the Orthodox Church in Japan, which by 1878 had over 4,000 members.

The results of Fr. Nicholas' missionary labors led to his consecration to the episcopacy in 1880 at St. Alexander of the Neva's Lavra in St. Petersburg, after which he returned to Japan to continue his ministry there as head of the ecclesiastical mission to the country. Under his guidance the Cathedral of the Resurrection (commonly known as the Nikolai-do or 'House of Nicholas') was built in Tokyo while the work of translating the services and Orthodox theological works into Japanese continued. Although significantly effected by the Russo-Japanese War the Church's mission in Japan continued, and after the war Bishop Nicholas was elevated to the rank of archbishop.

Archbishop Nicholas fell asleep on this day in 1912 after 51 years of service in Japan. By the time of his death the Japanese Orthodox Church included some 266 parishes and missions with approximately 35,000 members. Fifty-eight years later the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church glorified Archbishop Nicholas as a saint, recognizing him as an equal to the apostles because of his labors in Japan. More on St. Nicholas' life can be found here and here. May his blessing and prayers be with us all!

Bishop Seraphim of Sendai on the Reconstruction

In an interview Bishop Seraphim (Tsujie) of Sendai of the Japanese Orthodox Church has said that, "The restoration of damaged buildings is a difficult task, but doable. It is more difficult to heal the wounds in the souls of the faithful." The funds necessary to repair the churches destroyed or damaged by the recent earthquake are available, but due to the ongoing reconstruction needs of eastern Japan as a whole the restoration of the Eparchy of Sendai's churches will take some time. More (in Russian) here.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch to Visit Japan in 2012

Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow will visit Japan this coming year to check the progress in the reconstruction of the Japanese Orthodox churches damaged during its recent earthquake. More here.

Japanese Orthodox Synod to Meet, Discuss Earthquake Relief Efforts

The Local Synod of the Japanese Orthodox Church will meet this coming Tuesday to assess the needs of the areas of Japan effected by the recent earthquake and how the Church can help in the ongoing reconstruction efforts.

Since the earthquake the Eparchy of Sendai (the diocese of the Japanese Orthodox Church in the area worst hit by the earthquake) has accounted for all of its clergy and churches. Of its faithful it has been discovered that six died as a result of the earthquake while four others remain missing. More here.

Copy of Chernobyl Icon Given to Japanese Orthodox Church

The Chernobyl Union of Ukraine has given a copy of the Chernobyl Icon of the Savior to the Japanese Orthodox Church as Japan continues to suffer through its nuclear crisis. More here.

Missing Japanese Orthodox Priest Found

The Japanese Orthodox Church has reported that the missing priest from its Eparchy of Eastern Japan has been found alive and safe together with his family. More here.

Sendai Bishop Reports Status of Coastal Parishes Unknown

A report from Bishop Seraphim (Tsujie) of Sendai to Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow reprots that the status of most of the diocese's coastal parishes, which were in the area worst effected by the recent earthquake in Japan, is unknown. More here.

Russian Orthodox Church Providing Assistance to Japanese Orthodox

The Russian Orthodox Church is organizing assistance to the parishes of the Japanese Orthodox Church effected by the recent earthquake, primarily in the Eparchy of Sendai and Eastern Japan. More here.

Sendai Cathedral Unharmed

The Eparchy of Sendai of the Japanese Orthodox Church, located in the areas of Japan most effected by the recent earthquake, has reported that its cathedral in Sendai is unharmed despite the damage done to much of the city. In relaying the above Bishop Seraphim (Tsujie) of Sendai also, however, stated that the status of many of the other parishes of the diocese was unknown. More here.

40th Anniversary of the Autonomy of the Church of Japan

Many years to all the hierarchs, clergy, and faithful of the Japanese Orthodox Church on this fortieth anniversary of its autonomy! A press release on the anniversary's celebration in Osaka is available here. A beautiful picture of the Nikolai-do, the Japanese Orthodox cathedral in Tokyo, can be found here.

The anniversary also coincides with the fortieth anniversary of the glorification of St. Nicholas the Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Japan - may his prayers and blessings always be with us!