Resurrection Cathedral (Tokyo)

The first temple on the outskirts of Surugadai was built in 1872, when the Russian spiritual mission in Japan , headed by Archimandrite Nikolai (Kasatkin), moved to Tokyo from Hakodate ^[1] . St. Nicholas Church was the home of the Mission. The temple was small and, according to Archimandrite Nicholas (Kasatkin), did not pass the service without “not fainting from cramped and stuffy.” Believers were going to listen to the service on the stairs and in the next rooms ^[2] . The need to build a new large temple increasingly grew.

Immediately after being ordained bishop, Nikolai (Kasatkin) began to raise funds for the construction of a cathedral in Tokyo, delivering sermons in various cities of Russia. They were collected more than 130,000 rubles.

In March 1884, a cathedral was laid on Sururgadai Hill next to the Russian Mission. Due to the lack of space for the construction of the temple, the hill was artificially expanded with earthen mounds. The temple was built according to the design of M. A. Shurupov , the design was carried out by the British architect Josiah Conder , and the construction was carried out by Nagasato Taisuke.

February 24 ( March 8 ), 1891, the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ was consecrated. For consecration, they were allowed only by tickets of some Christians and their relatives; non-Christians were in the fence ^[3] . February 28 ( March 12 ) the right side chapel was consecrated in the name of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, March 2 (14) left, in the name of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul.

The visit to Japan of the heir to the Russian throne, Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich, was timed to coincide with the consecration of the cathedral. However, as a result of the assassination attempt in Otsu , the crown prince did not reach Tokyo.

The cathedral was open daily, a specially appointed person gave explanations to all those visiting the temple, and in the case of interest in Orthodoxy, he indicated the address of the nearest catechist in Tokyo or at the guest’s homeland.

At the end of 1917, the Resurrection Cathedral, like the entire Russian spiritual mission, lost financial support from Russia. Seminary and girls' school were closed.

The great Kanto earthquake of September 1, 1923, caused great damage to the temple. As a result of the earthquake, the bell tower broke and fell with a spire on the dome of the cathedral. As she fell, she destroyed the sacristy and bricked the western entrance to the cathedral. Then a fire started, as a result of which all the wooden parts of the temple were burnt: beams, floors, ceiling and dome roofing, floors and stairs to the bell tower, a three-tier iconostasis. The metal frame of the dome collapsed. Bells and utensils melted.

At an emergency cathedral, held on October 20, 1923, it was decided, in spite of the sharply reduced number of parishioners, to revive the Resurrection Church. The consecration of the renewed council was held on December 15, 1929.

In 1941, the Bishop Nikolai (Ono) headed the Japanese Orthodox Church. However, the coming of the Resurrection Cathedral initially did not wish to receive the bishop, who received ordination in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia . Subsequently, the conflict was settled.

In wartime conditions, due to food shortages, worship became irregular. In order to avoid destruction during the bombardments, the building of the cathedral was painted black.

On April 5, 1946, an emergency Council of the Japanese Orthodox Church was held in the Resurrection Council, marking the beginning of a rapprochement with the American Orthodox Church .

In 1946, the state of the temple was characterized as neglected; metal fencing and copper sheets from the roof were sold. Divine services practically ceased.

Renewal services refers to 1949. In December [1950, a “Tripartite Committee” was established at the church ^[4] , with the aim of raising funds for the repair of the cathedral. Subsequently, due to a sharp decrease in the number of Russian parishioners, the Committee was dissolved in February 1960. His successor was the Council Support Committee.

In 1950, the Nikolskaya School was opened at the Resurrection Cathedral (“Nikorai Gakuin”); On February 13 of the same year, the Society of the Morning Dawn was founded; in 1951, the sisterhood began its activities at the temple; and on October 7, 1954, the Theological Seminary re-opened.

May 27, 1954] and a conciliation meeting of parishioners was held in the cathedral. As a result, part of the congregation headed by Bishop Nicholas (Ono) returned to the parish ^[5] .

The status of the Cathedral of the Japanese Autonomous Orthodox Church temple received March 22, 1972 ^[6] .

In November 1974, the parish began to publish a monthly publication - “News“ Nikorai-do ”.

On March 19, 1978, the chapel of St. Nicholas of Japan, consecrated on the south side of the cathedral, was consecrated. At the same time, the practice of open access to the cathedral of everyone who wanted to see it was resumed.

In 1990, a campaign began to raise funds for the restoration and repair of the cathedral. In February 1991, repairs began. The restoration lasted six years: four years were carried out external work; the other two are internal. On May 10, 1998 the consecration of the restored cathedral took place.

The cathedral was built in the Russian-Byzantine style.

The shape of a cross is a regular shape with narrow wings. The temple is designed for 2000 people. The height of the dome with a cross - 35 meters; the height of the bell tower - 40 meters; The height from the floor to the dome dome is 26 meters.

The bell tower has eight large and small bells.

Inside the walls of the temple are white. The windows are tall with stained glass windows.

Some of the icons of the cathedral are copies of the works of V. M. Vasnetsov and M. V. Nesterov .

The iconostasis of the cathedral is covered with gold and platinum.

In the altar section on the white central wall there are three round icons: the Mother of God "Sign" (diameter 2.6 meters), Archangel Michael and Archangel Gabriel (1.8 meters in diameter).

• Editorial Board. Orthodox Cathedral in Tokyo // Worldwide Illustration : Journal. - 1891. - V. 45 , No. 1177 . - p . 120 .

• Official site
• Tokyo Cathedral Resurrection Cathedral in the history of the Japanese Orthodox Church / Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate, 2000, N 6