Moscow
(AsiaNews) - The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill announced that he
will visit Japan on 14-18 September to celebrate the centennial of the death of
Saint Nicholas, archbishop of Japan and a great missionary who founded the Japanese
Orthodox Church. After meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Russia Chikahito
Harada, the patriarch made his decision official.
The
patriarch will be hosted by the Metropolitan of Tokyo and All Japan, Daniel. After
his visit to the archipelago, Kirill will travel to Krasnoyark in Siberia and Vladivostok,
where he will meet with local Orthodox and authorities.
The
Orthodox Church of Japan is an autonomous Church within the Orthodox Church. Born
Ivan Kasatkin, Saint Nicholas was sent in 1861 to the island of Hokkaido as a
presbyter to a chapel of the Russian consulate.
During
his mission, he translated the Holy Scriptures and other religious texts into
Japanese and had Tokyo's Holy Resurrection Cathedral built.
In
1970, when the autonomy of the Japanese Church was recognised, he was proclaimed
as "Equal-to-the-Apostles," a title given to saints who distinguish themselves
for their great missionary commitment.
At
present, there are 30,000 Japanese Orthodox, divided in three dioceses: Tokyo, led
by Archbishop Daniel Nushiro; Sendai, in the east, led by Bishop Seraphim
Tsujie; and Kyoto, in the west, also led by Daniel as locum tenens.
