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{{orthodoxyinjapan}}His Eminence the Most Reverend [[Metropolitan]] '''Theodosius (Nagashima) of Japan''' was the first Japanese man to be the ruling [[bishop]] of the '''[[Church of Japan''']].

==Life==He was born Nagashima Shinji on [[April 3]], 1935 , in Tokyo. He was attracted to the [[Orthodox Church ]] through hearing the choir singing in [[Holy Resurrection Cathedral (Tokyo, Japan)|Nicolai-do ]] when he passed the Cathedral [[cathedral]] during his student days. In the event, as he learned more about Orthodox Christianity he was baptized [[baptize]]d and became a member of the choir, that was led by [[Victor Pokrovsky|Victor A. Pokrovsky]], and began attending the [[Tokyo Orthodox Seminary(Tokyo, Japan)|Tokyo seminary]]. He graduated from the Seminary seminary in April, 1963.

[[Image:MetThoedosiusJapanGrave.jpg|thumb|left|175pxl|Grave of Metr. Theodosius in the Yanaka Cemetery, Tokyo, Japan]]He was ordained a [[deacon ]] in 1964 and a [[priest ]] in 1965. Continuing his education, he studied at [[St Tikhon’s . Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary in (South Canaan, Pennsylvania )]] for a year, before returning to Japan. Upon returning he took his [[monasticism|monastic ]] vows in October 1969 before [[Archbishop ]] Vladimir, then the then ruling bishop of the Church in of Japan. He received , receiving the name of Theodosius. In November, he was raised to the dignity of Archmandrite [[archimandrite]] and nominated for bishop. On [[November 18]], 1969, Archbishops [[John (Shahovskoy) of San Francisco]] ([[OCA|Metropolia]]) and [[Vladimir (Nagosky) of Tokyo]] consecrated Theodosius Bishop bishop of Kyoto. With his appointment as Bishop bishop of Kyoto he established his residence in Osaka which is near the old Imperial imperial city of Kyoto.

In 1972, Archbishop Vladimir, wishing to retire, had submitted his resignation. At a council Theodosius was elected the successor to Metropolitan Vladimir. [[Patriarch Pimen]] Pimen of Moscow, as the Church of Japan had become autonomous under the [[Church of Russia]] in 1970, approved the electionon [[March 22]], 1972. Thus, Theodosius became the first native Japanese ruling bishop of the [[Church of Japan]] as '''Archbishop of Tokyo and Metropolitan of All Japan'''.

Under the guidance of Metropolitan Theodosius, the Church of Japan continued its course of stabilization and growth through the rest of the twentieth century. He died in on [[May 9]], 1999, to be succeeded by Metropolitan [[Daniel(Nushiro) of Japan]][http://www.cnewa.us/default.aspx?ID=31&pagetypeID=9&sitecode=US&pageno=1].

{{start box}}{{succession|before=[[Vladimir (Nagosky) of San Francisco|Vladimir (Nagosky)]]|title=Bishop of Kyoto|years=1969-1972?|after=[[Daniel (Nushiro) of Japan|Daniel (Nushiro)]]}}{{succession|before=Vladimir (Nagosky)|title=[[Church of Japan|Archbishop of Tokyo]]|years=1972-1999|after=Daniel (Nushiro)}}{{end box}} [[Category:Bishops]][[Category:Metropolitans of Japan]][[Category:Bishops of Kyoto]][[Category: Bishopsof Tokyo]][[Category:20th-century bishops]]