Russian spiritual mission in Japan

The Russian Spiritual Mission in Japan ( 日本ロシア正教伝道会社 ) is an Orthodox church mission run by the Russian Holy Synod , established by the government of the Russian Empire in 1870 to spread the Orthodox Christian faith in Japan .

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History

In 1870, Emperor Alexander II approved the definition of the Holy Synod on the establishment of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Japan under the leadership of Archimandrite Nikolai (Kasatkin) . The mission’s statutory documents were compiled by Archimandrite Nikolai “Regulations for the Russian Spiritual Mission in Japan” and “Instructions for the Head of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Japan”, approved by the definition of the Holy Synod on May 14, 1871. According to the “Regulation”, the Mission existed “for the spread of the Orthodox Christian faith in Japan”, consisted “in full possession and administration of the Holy Synod”, obeyed the common affairs of the Kamchatka diocese, and was formed of four hieromonks (or widowed priests) and a clerk ^[1]

Initially, the Mission was located at the Resurrection Church in Hakodat ; in 1872 it was moved to the new capital of the country - Tokyo , where a cross church was soon built, and in 1891 the Resurrection Cathedral was consecrated. By 1874, there were already Orthodox Christians: up to 300 in Hakodate and 85 in Tokyo; in other places several hundred Japanese were converted and prepared for baptism . ^[2]

After the Russian revolution of 1917, the Mission lost financial support from Russia and de facto ceased to exist.

Heads

Nikolai (Kasatkin) ((1861) 1870 - February 3, 1912)
Sergius (Tikhomirov) (February 3 - May 19, 1912)
Sergius (Tikhomirov) (May 19, 1912 - August 10, 1945)

1945-1967 stopped

Nikolai (Sayama) (December 10, 1967 - April 10, 1970)

Notes

↑ Sablina E. B., 150 years of Orthodoxy in Japan. History of the Japanese Orthodox Church and its founder Hierarch Nicholas, M .: AIRO-XXI; St. Petersburg: "Dmitry Bulanin," 2006, S. 309, 313.
↑ Japanese mission // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.

Literature

日本キリスト教大事典, Köbunkwan
明治のキリスト教, Masao Takahashi , Yoshikawa Kobunkan

[1] Sablina E. B., 150 years of Orthodoxy in Japan. History of the Japanese Orthodox Church and its founder Hierarch Nicholas, M .: AIRO-XXI; St. Petersburg: "Dmitry Bulanin," 2006, S. 309, 313.

[2] Japanese mission // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.