Timeline of Orthodoxy in Japan

The History of Orthodoxy in Japan is recent when compared to that of the Orthodox Church as a whole.

Era of St. Nicholas (1836-1912)

• 1836: Ioann Dmitri Kasatkin, the future evangelizer of Japan, was born August 1, 1836, in the province of Smolensk in Russia.
• 1853: Ioann Kasatkin enters the Smolensk Theological Seminary.
• 1857: Ioann Kasatkin graduated from the Smolensk Theological Seminary.
• 1860: Ioann Kasatkin takes monastic vows as Nicholas and is ordained a priest.
• 1861: Fr. Nicholas meets Abp. Innocent of Kamchatka and discusses his missionary experience in Alaska. Fr. Nicholas arrives at the Russian Consulate in Hakodate to begin his service to the consulate and begin his missionary efforts with the Japanese.
• 1865: Fr. Nicholas meets Takuma Sawabe in a confrontation over the teaching of Christianity in Japan. After listening to Fr. Nicholas, Sawabe becomes Fr. Nicholas' first student and disciple.
• 1868: Fr. Nicholas performs his first baptisms of Japanese converts in April: Sawabe received the name Paul, Sakai became John, and Urano became James.
• 1870: Fr. Nicholas is elevated to the rank of archimandrite, and the Holy Synod of the Church of Russia grants financial support for Fr. Nicholas' mission to Japan.
• 1871: Fr. Nicholas moves his missionary efforts to Tokyo.
• 1872: Fr. Nicholas baptizes his first class of ten catechumens in Tokyo.
• 1873: Fr. Nicholas buys property in Tokyo at Surugadai in Kanda for his headquarters and there establishes schools for catechumens and the Russian language.
• 1874: In May, Fr. Nicholas convened the first general council of the Church of Japan.
• 1875: The first mission school away from Tokyo was opened in Osaka which became the center for Orthodoxy in southern part of Japan. The second general council of the Church was convened on July 12. At the council, the first Japanese were chosen to be ordained as clergy: Paul Sawabe as a priest and John Sakai as a deacon. Ordinations were made by Bishop Paul of East Siberia.
• 1878: In March, 37 catechumens are baptized in Osaka, founding the parish that becomes the Church of the Protection of the Theotokos. Fr. Vladimir Sokolovsky, a graduate of Kazan Academy becomes dean of the Russian language school at Kanda Surugadai.
• 1880: Archimandrite Nicholas is consecrated Bishop of Revel, an auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Riga. Bp. Nicholas established the Tokyo Seminary by merging the mission and language schools.
• 1882: Bp. Nicholas of Japan ordained the first Chinese Orthodox priest, Fr. Mitrophan Yang, for the Russian Orthodox Mission in Beijing, China, on June 29, 1882 in Tokyo, Japan.
• 1883: The Orthodox Church in Japan was served by 311 Japanese priests and 106 evangelists.
• 1884: Ground at Kanda Surugadai is blessed for the erection of a cathedral.
• 1891: The cathedral at Kanda Surugadai is completed and is consecrated in the name of the Holy Resurrection on March 8. The cathedral is known more affectionately as Nicolai-do, the House of Nicholas.
• 1903: In May, Bp. Nicholas consecrates the new Annunciation Church in Kyoto. The general council established, at Bp. Nicholas' recommendation, a financial plan for the independence of the Church.
• 1904: The Russo-Japanese War begins. Bp. Nicholas decides to remain in Japan but not celebrate any public services.
• 1905: The war is concluded. The Japanese Church aided the Japanese government in caring for the Russian prisoners.
• 1906: Hieromonk Andronik (Nikolsky) is consecrated Bishop of Kyoto on November 5.
• 1907: Bp. Nicholas is elevated to Archbishop of All Japan, establishing the Church of Japan as a separated, independent diocese. Bp. Andronik departed for Russia due to poor health. Abp. Nicholas asks for an auxiliary.
• 1908: Bp. Sergius (Tikhomirov) arrives in Japan as Bishop of Kyoto, auxiliary to Abp. Nicholas.
• 1911: Fiftieth anniversary of Abp. Nicholas' arrival in Japan is celebrated.
• 1912: Abp. Nicholas dies on February 16 of heart failure. Bp. Sergius is recognized by the Holy Synod of Russia as successor to Abp. Nicholas and is elevated to Archbishop.

After Nicholas of Japan (1912-1945)

• 1913: The first church in Nagoya is consecrated in September by Abp. Sergius (Tikhomirov).
• 1917: The revolutions in Russia caused loss of financial support for the Church of Japan.
• 1923: The Great Kanto earthquake of September 1 caused severe damage to Holy Resurrection Cathedral and other buildings of the cathedral complex. Abp. Sergius expends major effort to raise funds and restore the cathedral.
• 1929: The re-built Holy Resurrection Cathedral is re-consecrated on December 15.
• 1931: Abp. Sergius is elevated to Metropolitan of All Japan by the Holy Synod of Russia.
• 1940: Militarised Japanese government enacts laws requiring all religious organisations in Japan to have ethnic Japanese in leadership positions. Under pressure from the special police, Metr. Sergius is forced to resign on September 4, and he, his choir director Victor Pokrovsky and the other non-Japanese staff are removed from their posts. Metr. Sergius chooses to remain in Japan. On November 5, he hands the temporary running of the Church to a layman, Arseny Iwasawa, who has the trust of the military.
• 1941: In January, a parish council removes Iwasawa, and Archpriest James Tohei of Osaka takes over the Church's administration for the time being. Priest Nicholas Ono elected bishop by the general council. On April 6 he is consecrated Bishop Nicholas by Abp. Nestor of Harbin after Fr. Ono's wife enters a Harbin monastery. Bp. Nicholas is first Japanese to be consecrated a bishop.
• 1942: In January, Metr. Sergius leaves the mission's residence beside Holy Resurrection Cathedral and moves to a house in Setagaya, Tokyo. He later lives in a one-room apartment in Itabashi, Tokyo.
• 1944-45: Major Orthodox churches in Osaka, Nagoya, Shizuoka, Kagoshima, Nagasaki, and Sendai are destroyed in World War II air raids.
• 1945: In the spring, the special police arrest Metr. Sergius on suspicion of spying for the Soviet Union. He is held for about forty days and tortured, and is released with his health broken. He dies alone in his apartment in Itabashi on August 10, five days before the war ended. His funeral is held at Holy Resurrection Cathedral, one of the few buildings in the area to survive the bombing, and he is buried beside St. Nicholas in Yanaka Cemetery. Church of Japan enters temporarily under the jurisdiction of the North American diocese of the Church of Russia (commonly referred to as the ‘'Metropolia).

Post World War II (1946-1999)

• 1947: Abp. Benjamin (Basalyga) from the Metropolia is assigned as Bishop of Tokyo. Begins restoration of the Church of Japan organization.
• 1953: Bp. Ireney (Bekish) replaces Abp. Benjamin. Begins restoration of the Tokyo Seminary. Restores publication of religious books.
• 1957: Bp. Ireney is elevated to Archbishop.
• 1959: Abp. Nikon (de Greve) succeeds Abp. Ireney as Bishop of Tokyo.
• 1962: Archimandrite Vladimir (Nagosky) is consecrated Bishop of Kyoto on October 14, auxiliary to Abp. Nikon. In April, the parish in Osaka begins using its new Church of the Protection of the Theotokos.
• 1964: Bp. Vladimir (Nagosky) succeeds Abp. Nikon as Archbishop of Tokyo.
• 1967: Archimandrite Nicholas (Saiama) was consecrated Bishop of Tokyo by the Church of Russia to head the Patriarchal mission in Japan.
• 1969: Fr. Theodosius (Nagashima) is consecrated Bishop of Kyoto.
• 1970: As part of the autocephaly granted to the Metropolia in the United States, the Church of Japan was granted autonomy under the Church of Russia. Also, on April 10, the Church of Russia recognized the sainthood of Abp. Nicholas as the Equal of the Apostles and Evangelizer of Japan. Abp. Vladimir was elevated by Patriarch Alexis I to Metropolitan of all Japan. With the granting of autonomy to the Church of Japan, Bp. Nicholas (Saiama) was named the Patriarchal Representative (Podvorie) in Japan.
• 1971: Bp. Seraphim (Sigrist) is elected Bishop of Sendai.
• 1972: Bp. Theodosius (Nagashima) of Kyoto succeeds Metr. Vladimir as Archbishop of Tokyo and Metropolitan of All Japan due to poor health.
• 1985: The Orthodox Version of New Testament in Japanese is reprinted.
• 1986: Annunciation Cathedral in Kyoto is designated a "tangible cultural property" by the city of Kyoto. Abp. Nicholas (Saiama) retired as the Patriarchal Representative, to live at the Monastery of St. Sophia in Sanmu, Chiba Prefecture.
• 1996: Abp. Nicholas (Saiama) was designated vicar of the Moscow Diocese with the title of Archbishop of Ramenskoe.
• 1999: Metr. Theodosius (Nagashima) dies on May 9. Fr. Peter (Arihara) is consecrated Bishop of Yokohama on October 9, and Fr. Daniel (Nushiro) is consecrated Bishop of Kyoto on November 14. During the year, a general renovation of Annunciation Cathedral in Kyoto begins.

21st century (2000-Present)

• 2000: Fr. Seraphim (Tsujie) is consecrated Bishop of Sendai on January 15. In March, a council of the Church of Japan elects Bp. Peter (Arihara) as Metropolitan, but he falls gravely ill and resigns before his enthronement; Bp. Peter later dies. On May 6, the council elects Bp. Daniel (Nushiro) instead. He is enthroned Archbishop of Tokyo and Metropolitan of All Japan by Patr. Alexei II of Moscow and All Russia, who traveled personally to Japan to enthrone the new Metropolitan on May 14, the first time a Russian Patriarch had ever visited the country. The Church of Russia glorifies Bp. Andronik (Nikolsky), formerly of Kyoto, as a New Martyr.
• 2005: Metr. Daniel blesses the founding of a monastery for men near Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Tokyo.
• 2008: Abp. Nicholas (Saiama) of Ramenskoe reposes at St. Sophia Monastery on August 26 and is buried in Gaijin Botchi.
• 2010: The new Holy Theophany Church in Nagoya is consecrated by Metr. Daniel on January 11.
• 2011: The great earthquake and tsunami of March 11 cause heavy damage in the Diocese of Sendai. The Church of the Annunciation in Yamada-cho is destroyed.
• 2012: On July 8, the council of the Church of Japan elevates Bp. Seraphim (Tsujie) of Sendai to Archbishop. From September 14 to 18, Patr. Kirill of Moscow visits Japan for the centenary of the repose of St. Nicholas, travelling to Hakodate, Sendai and Tokyo. On September 16 he serves the Divine Liturgy at Holy Resurrection Cathedral with Metr. Daniel, and announces a new Order of St. Nicholas of Japan, whose first award goes to Metr. Daniel.
• 2013: On May 19, Abp. Seraphim consecrates the first church building of the parish in Tono, Iwate Prefecture. In November, the Kursk Root icon is brought to Japan by Abp. Kyrill (Dmitrieff) and Bp. Nicholas (Olhovsky). On November 24, Abp. Seraphim consecrates a temporary church for the parish in Yamada, Iwate Prefecture, whose church was destroyed in 2011, and the first Divine Liturgy since the disaster is served there.
• 2019: The council of the Church of Japan, meeting on July 6-7, names Abp. Seraphim of Sendai a vicar of the Diocese of Tokyo.
• 2020: On September 12-13, Holy Resurrection Cathedral marks the 150th anniversary of the Russian mission in Japan, the 50th anniversary of autonomy and the 50th anniversary of the glorification of St. Nicholas. Because of COVID-19 restrictions only about 70 people attend, and a planned visit by Patr. Kirill is postponed.
• 2022: On February 27, Abp. Seraphim consecrates the new Holy Trinity church of the Yamate parish, with Metr. Daniel present.
• 2023: Metr. Daniel (Nushiro) reposes on August 10, after 23 years as primate. Abp. Seraphim, now the only bishop of the Church of Japan, is chosen locum tenens the next day. On September 28, an extraordinary council in Tokyo elects him Archbishop of Tokyo and Metropolitan of All Japan, and Patr. Kirill approves the election the same day. He is enthroned at Holy Resurrection Cathedral on October 22; Metr. Anthony of Volokolamsk attends on behalf of the Church of Russia.
• 2025: On May 11, Metr. Seraphim consecrates the restored church of St. Matthew the Apostle in Toyohashi, after its first major restoration (2021–2024). On May 18, Metr. Seraphim gives relics of St. Nicholas and the Gospel book he used in his mission to the Convent of St. Elizabeth in England. On October 24, Japan's Council for Cultural Affairs recommends four Meiji-era buildings around Holy Resurrection Cathedral for listing as Important Cultural Properties: the former main building (1875, now the bishops' residence), the former residence (now part of the seminary), the former library (1895, now the church offices) and the former gatehouse (now the cathedral office).

Sources

• A. Ishido, Masters Thesis, The Achievement of St. Nicholas, Equal of the Apostles and Evangelizer of Japan, St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, 1974.
• Rev. John Binns. An introduction to the life of the Orthodox Churches of the Christian East from 312 up to the year 2000. Cambridge University Press, 2002. 270 pp. (ISBN 0521667380; ISBN 9780521667388)