Nicholas of Japan: the life of an Orthodox samurai. Saint Nicholas, Equal-to-the-Apostles, Archbishop of Japan

Holy equal-noap-o-so-ny Ni-ko-lai, ar-hi-bishop Japanese, in the world Ivan Di-mit-ri-e-vich Ka-sat-kin, ro -did on August 1, 1836, in Be-re-zov-sky in-go-st, Vol-sky district, Smolensk gu-ber-niya, where he father served as deacon. For five years he lost his mother. He graduated from the Bel-skoe spiritual school, and then the Smolensk spiritual se-mi-na-riyu, in 1857 Ivan Ka-sat-kin step-drank in St. Petersburg spirit aka-de-miya. On June 24, 1860, in the aka-de-mi-che-church-me Two-on-dtsa-ti Apo-sto-loving Bishop Nek-ta-riy co-chilled in the same way bringing him into mo-na-she-stvo with on-re-che-no-thing named Ni-ko-lai. On the day of the pa-my-ty of the first-upper-hov-nyh apostles Peter and Pavel, June 29, the monk Ni-ko-lai was consecrated in hiero-di-a -ko-na, and on June 30 - on the holy feast of aka-de-mi-che-th-temple-ma - in san hiero-mo-na-ha. Therefore, according to his own-la-tion, Father Ni-ko-lai was appointed in Japan on-one-sto-I-te-lem con-sul-sko-th temple-ma of the city-ro-da Ha-ko-da-te.

Sna-cha-la about-after all, Evangelion-ge-lia in Japan ka-za-las so-ver-shen-but inconceivable-whether mine. According to the words of your father, Ni-ko-lai, "then, the Japanese looked at foreign countries as animals, but at christi- en-stvo as on an evil dei-church, to someone a swarm they can only reap from-yav-len-evil dei and cha-ro-dei " . It took seven years to study the country, people, language, customs, customs of those among to-vat, and by 1868 the flock of Father Ni-ko-lai counted-you-va-la already about two-twenty Japanese. At the end of 1869, hiero-mo-nah Ni-ko-lai in Peter-burg-ge did-lo-lived Si-no-du about re-zul-ta-tah with his ra-bo -you. There was a decision: "Ob-ra-zo-vat for pro-po-ve-di between Japanese-ski-mi language-no-ka-mi Word-va Bo- zhiya special Russian Spiritual Mission". Father Ni-ko-lai was elevated to the rank of ar-khi-mand-ri-ta and appointed to the head of this Mission. Having returned to Japan, the future saint re-re-gave the Ha-ko-Danish pasture to hiero-mo-na-hu Ana-to-liya, and he re-carried the Mission center in Tokyo. In 1871, the country began to go-not-to-christian-an, many-ver-ga-were pre-follow-to-va-ni-yam (including le first glorious Japanese, known later on as mis-si-o-ner-priest Pa-vel Sa-va-be). Only by 1873, the go-no-niya was somewhat pre-beautiful, and it became possible to free pro-christianity .

In the same year, ar-khi-mand-rit Ni-ko-lai started to build a church and a school in To-kyo for five de-syat people century, and then the spirit-hov-no-go teach-li-scha, someone-swarm in 1878 was-lo pre-ob-ra-zo-va-but in se-mi-na -ryu.

In 1874, Bishop Pa-vel, Bishop of Kam-chatsky, came to Tokyo to live in the holy san re -ko-men-du-e-mykh ar-hi-mand-ri-tom Ni-ko-la-em kan-di-da-tov from places-no-go on-se-le-niya. By this time, at the Mission in Tokyo, action-wa-whether che-you-re teach-li-scha - ka-te-chi-for-tor-skoe, se-mi -nar-skoe, female, pri-chet-no-che-skoe, and in Ha-ko-da-te two - for boys-chi-kov and de-vo-check. In the second swarm in 1877, Mis-si-she became a re-gu-lyar-but from-yes-wat-sya magazine "Tser-kov-ny vest-nik". By 1878, in Japan, there were already 4115 hri-sti-an, su-s-stvo-va-li-many-number-ny-chri-sti-an- skye communities. God-serving and teaching in the native language, from the books of re-li-gi-oz-but-moral-values-but-go so-der-zha-niya - here are the means, some-ry poses-whether the Miss-this is to fight for a short period of such significant re- zul-ta-tov.

March 30, 1880, in Tro-its-com-so-bo-re Alek-san-dro-Nevsky Lav-ra co-sto-I-las chi-ro-to-niya ar-chi-mand -ri-ta Ni-ko-barking in epi-sko-pa. Having returned to Japan, the saint, with an even greater user-di-em, began to continue his apostolic works: he completed the construction the office of the co-bo-ra of the Resurrection of Christ-sto-va in To-kyo, took on a new translation of the divine service books, co-sta-vil in Japanese is a special right-to-glorious bo-go-slov-sky dictionary.

Big is-py-ta-niya you-pa-whether on the do-lu-ti-te-la and his flock-you in the period of the Russian-Japanese war. For his moving work in these difficult years, he was honored to be elevated to the rank of ar-chi-episco-pa.

In 1911, half a century has been used since mo-lo-doi hiero-mo-nah Ni-ko-lai first set foot on Japanese soil . By that time, in 266 communities of the Japanese Pra-glorious Church, there were 33017 hri-sti-an, 1 ar-chi-bishop, 1 epi -skop, 35 priests, 6 dia-ko-nov, 14 teach-te-lei singing, 116 pro-veda-ni-kov-ka-te-chi-for-to- ditch.

February 3, 1912, yes, at the 76th year of life, the enlightener of Japan, ar-chi-bishop Ni-ko-lai peace-but departed to the Lord. Sacred Si-nod of the Russian Pra-glorious Church on April 10, 1970, you carried an act of pro-glory-le-nii of the holy in the li-ke is equal-noap-o-hundred-lov, for in Japan the saint has long been revered as the great right-wit-nik and mo-lit-ven-nik before the State at home.

Prayers

Troparion to Equal-to-the-Apostles Nicholas, Archbishop of Japan

Apostolov unanimous and somber,/ the servant of Christ is faithful and godless,/ the forearm is chosen by the God's soul,/ the vessel is the love of Christ,/ the Enlightenment of the Enlightenment,/ Holy Nicholas. world.

Translation: One in disposition and sharing the throne with the apostles, a faithful and God-wise servant of Christ, a flute chosen by the Divine Spirit, a vessel of the outpouring love of Christ, an illuminator of the Japanese land, Saint Nicholas Equal to the Apostles, pray to the Life-Giving Trinity for all your flock and for the whole world.

John Troparion to Equal-to-the-Apostles Nicholas, Archbishop of Japan

As if the Apostle of the Continiary in the work and compensation/ Tserkov, he reveres with the love of,/ the holy of Nicholas, the Equal -to -the -Apostol. according to the property. / For this sake we pray to you / pray to the Lord to abide and in your future work unshakable forever, / and enter into the bosom of the Orthodox Church for all that have perish, / be at peace with the world / / and be saved to our souls.

Translation: As a partaker of the apostles in labor and retribution, the Church honors you with love, St. Father Nicholas Equal to the Apostles. For having laid the foundation of Orthodoxy in pagan Japan with many deeds, you increased the number of those saved in it, and after death God accepted you in the abode of His apostles on merit. Therefore, we pray to you, pray to the Lord to continue to remain unshakable in your cause for centuries, and to enter the bosom of the Orthodox Church for all doomed to perish, to pacify the world and save our souls.

Kontakion to Equal-to-the-Apostles Nicholas, Archbishop of Japan

The country of Japan welcomes a stranger and a stranger, / equal to the apostles St. Nicholas, / in it you first recognized yourself as a stranger, / both exuding warmth and light of Christ, / you turned your enemies into spiritual sons, / and God gave you grace, Christ, / now pray for her, / and to you, for her sons and daughters cry // Rejoice, our good shepherd.

Translation: As a wanderer and a stranger () the country of Japan accepted you, the Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nicholas, in it you first saw yourself as a stranger, but exuding the warmth and light of Christ, you turned your enemies into spiritual sons, distributing the grace of God to them, you created the Church of Christ, now pray for her, for her sons and daughters cry out to you: “Rejoice, our good shepherd” ().

In kontakion to Equal-to-the-Apostles Nicholas, Archbishop of Japan

The steadfast and divinely prophesied preacher of Thy Gospel, O Lord, / Thou didst avenge God-likely / Thou didst accept his labors and illnesses more than all the sacrifices of the law and burnt offerings. / / With prayers keep us from enmity.

Translation: You, Lord, rewarded the firm preacher of Your Gospel, O Lord, worthily, for you accepted his labors and illnesses more than all the lawful sacrifices and burnt offerings (). Save us from enmity through his prayers.

Prayer to Equal-to-the-Apostles Nicholas, Archbishop of Japan

Oh, great saint of Christ, equal to the apostles of St. Nicholas! Hear us, servant of God (names), and look at our infirmities, and beg the Most Merciful King of Heaven, may he not be angry with us and may not destroy us with our iniquities, but may he have mercy and save us by His mercy, may he plant in our hearts repentance and the saving fear of God, yes enlighten our minds with His grace, leave us the paths of wickedness and unswervingly do the commandments of God and keep the ordinances of the Holy Church. Pray, good-heartedly, the Lover of God, may He show us His great mercy and may He deliver us, who run to your holy icon with faith, from troubles and misfortunes, ailments of the body and soul, and may He grant us the Kingdom of His Heaven forever and ever. Amen.

Canons and Akathists

Akathist to St. Nicholas, Equal-to-the-Apostles, Archbishop of Japan

Kondak 1

Chosen from the Russian clans for the gospel of Christ in the country of Japan, you laid down your soul for your sheep, affirming them in the true faith. Thy deeds reverently, we praise thee: Rejoice, Equal-to-the-Apostles St. Nicholas, the representative of the Church of Japan.

Ikos 1

An angel, like Tobias, traveled to you, when, in your young years, you directed your steps to this country, which is far away. For this reason, we cry out to you: Rejoice, glorious offspring of the Smolensk lands. Rejoice, beloved church from infancy. Rejoice, thou who did not leave the Mother of God of Smolensk Hodegetria in orphanhood. Rejoice, spiritually wise one. Rejoice, sweetness of the world, sane for nothing. Rejoice, you who have been honored with the rank of angels and priests. Rejoice, lustful preacher of the gospel. Rejoice, filled with pity for the ignorant of salvation. Rejoice, and distant ones, as if you loved your neighbors. Rejoice, fearless persecution for the faith. Rejoice, Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nicholas, the representative of the Church of Japan.

Kondak 2

Seeing the deeds of St. Innocent, the God-wise Enlightener of Siberia and the Aleutians, equal to the apostles, equal to the apostles, calling: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

Thou didst show reason in humility, holiness, praying to the Lord for the gift of tongues: how I preach to a foreign people, how I open my unskilful mouth; Hearing your words, God-loving, teaching your flock in her native language, we praise thee: Rejoice, conqueror of the love of Christ. Rejoice, nourisher of spiritual babies. Rejoice, thou who didst turn adversaries into children. Rejoice, having washed away their sins by baptism. Rejoice, fortifying the faith with knowledge. Rejoice, kind and diligent mentor. Rejoice, thou who appointed the presbyters of Japan. Rejoice, organizer of the church order. Rejoice, and defender of our Fatherland. Rejoice, brotherly champion of the consent. Rejoice, lamp of the Orthodox faith. Rejoice, Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nicholas, the representative of the Church of Japan.

Kondak 3

The power of the Most High autumn and strengthen you, father, when you came to a pagan country, executing the death of your sons for receiving holy baptism. But you, seeing the field of God, cried out: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Having unfeigned love, he imagined this country to be a bride adorned, waiting for the Bridegroom for marriage, for she knew the betrothal, stained with the blood of the martyrs of old, shone with the elders and the crucified wives, and the children of Christ who confessed. Honoring your true hope, we glorify you. Rejoice, spiritual saint. Rejoice, fortified by the power of the Cross. Rejoice, unshakable pillar. Rejoice, fearless shepherd. Rejoice, untroubled mind. Rejoice, silent preacher. Rejoice, judging no one. Rejoice, you yourself are not condemned. Rejoice, fellow confessors. Rejoice, prayerful faithful. Rejoice, beloved guardian angel. Rejoice, Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nicholas, the representative of the Church of Japan.

Kondak 4

Idolatry has stirred up a storm, not enduring the Christian spirit, seeing how the Church is being built up. You, rejoicing at the patience of your children, imprisoned in their dungeons, exclaim together with them: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Hearing that the teaching of Christ encompasses all peoples and accepts them equally, and that the Lord has prepared many abodes for them, men and women, children and elders, the good shepherd, flow to you, we also praise you with the same: Rejoice, gathered little flock of Christ. Rejoice, bring him to God by a narrow path. Rejoice, imitation of the church of Aquila with Priscilla. Rejoice, thou who didst establish the home churches here. Rejoice, blessed common meal. Rejoice, thou who did not leave thy faithful in trouble. Rejoice, thou who entrusted the weakest with a strong son. Rejoice, fatherly sovereignty of the weak. Rejoice, sowing wisely in the field of Christ. Rejoice, building the Church on a hard rock. Rejoice, zealous slave, not hiding talent. Rejoice, Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nicholas, the representative of the Church of Japan.

Kondak 5

Thou, Father, appeared as a divine star, serving the Sun of Truth ardently and bringing the faithful to the Lord, like the star of Bethlehem of old. We rebuke you luminously, we cry out to Christ: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Seeing the temples of idols and Buddhist pagodas, weeping, praying the righteous: “Where will I build a church for You, Lord”; be heard from your lips prayer: Rejoice, like a deer in the springs of water. Rejoice, thou who didst erect the temple of the Resurrection of Christ. Rejoice, thou who established the Cross over the capital city. Rejoice, ringing of bells that ascended to heaven. Rejoice, quenching the flame of persecution against Christians. Rejoice, thou who acquired a good name among the people of Japan. Rejoice, thou who did not scold the ancient custom. Rejoice, having acquired a friend and brother among the people with Japan. Rejoice, light-bearer sent by God. Rejoice, faithful steward of the Lord. Rejoice, now crowned with heavenly glory. Rejoice, Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nicholas, the representative of the Church of Japan.

Kondak 6

The preachers of the Holy Gospel rejoice in the heavenly chambers, receiving you as a brother. But we, your relatives, having seen such mercy, let us sing to God: Alleluia

Ikos 6

Resplendent from the land of Smolensk, you are combined with the saints of the Russian land: behold, St. Demetrius of Rostov, spiritual tsevnitsa; this is the Zadonsk praise of Tikhon, the collector of the clever treasure; Se Stefan, Enlightener of Perm; Sergius, Seraphim, Zosima and Savvaty, Russian consolation; behold the saints, mysteries and manifestations, the divine radiance of our Fatherland. We, filled with great joy, glorify the new saint: Rejoice, son of the village deacon. Rejoice, knowing misery in youth. Rejoice, you brought the vow of non-possession. Rejoice, observant monasticism until death. Rejoice, archpastor in multi-stitched robes. Rejoice, dwelling in miserable cells. Rejoice, thou who did not seek the worldly things in the world. Rejoice, teacher of the newly enlightened. Rejoice, baptizer of the fishermen of Ain. Rejoice, having reached the far reaches. Rejoice, you who have grown companions in school. Rejoice, Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nicholas, the representative of the Church of Japan.

Kondak 7

Though from the earth to the heavenly place, blessed speech: what is this body, weakly languid, if I cannot work for the Lord, I leave this temple, crying out: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

There was a new celebration in the capital city of Japonstem: Easter is celebrated by the saint in the church of the Tokyo Cathedral, and the people of Japan have come to know the true Easter of salvation. We, commemorating this day, cry loudly: Rejoice, thou who didst preserve love in the cruelest age. Rejoice, architect of the church feast. Rejoice, old man, do not let your eyes drift. Rejoice, father, meet the children with a kiss. Rejoice, placing your child before God. Rejoice, you who acquired the Spirit in everyday labors. Rejoice, mature fruits of your hands at the end. Rejoice, throwing the seed into the earth. Rejoice, bequeathed to us a beautiful tree. Rejoice, living bridge of the Christian world. Rejoice, rejoice angelically on the day of the Resurrection of Christ. Rejoice, Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nicholas, the representative of the Church of Japan.

Kondak 8

Strange seeing how Japanese child Christ's warrior Brotherly serving the Russian captives, let us sing a song to the Lord: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

You were all devoted to the service of God, serving people incessantly, combining both commandments. We tenderly glorify your royal path: Rejoice, wise servant of God. Rejoice, hierarchical sacrifice for the nations. Rejoice, guardian of the captive Russians. Rejoice, thou who did not leave thy Japanese children in the storm of war. Rejoice, faithfulness to the native Fatherland. Rejoice, teacher of mercy and courage. Rejoice, chaste soul of the tempted. Rejoice, home of the outcasts. Rejoice, treasure of humility. Rejoice, devil of repentance. Rejoice, invincible love. Rejoice, Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nicholas, the representative of the Church of Japan.

Kondak 9

Every tree is known by its fruit, but the fruit of your many labors was the salvation of many people. Let us therefore proclaim: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

The Vetii, multi-talked, are amazed at your feat, the angels rejoice with you, but we, who lead your humble life and your mighty patience, praise thee: Rejoice, not of old, but now labored. Rejoice, in the form of an Orthodox archpastor. Rejoice, our deep conviction. Rejoice, fearful confession of Christ. Rejoice, true measure of prudence. Rejoice, treasure gathered in the soul. Rejoice, treasure squandered for your neighbors. Rejoice, accept a thousandfold reward. Rejoice, full of immortal joy. Rejoice, calming down our struggles. Rejoice, fatherly accept prayers. Rejoice, Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nicholas, the representative of the Church of Japan.

Kondak 10

Thou hast strove to save the desperate people, who do not know the True God. Now, in the shadow of death, having seen the light, your children cry out: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

Thou wall to the Mother of God Virgin: the saint prayed warmly, affirming his church. Like on an island overwhelmed, among the infidels, she stayed without a shield of protection. But we, having seen her strength and fidelity, sing to you: Rejoice, covering the church with a reliable cover. Rejoice, betraying the converts to the Mother of God. Rejoice, thou who taught the maidens to pray. Rejoice, inspiring light of chastity to virgins. Rejoice, consecrating Japanese families with an honest marriage. Rejoice, holy mirror of right judgments. Rejoice, bringing peace with settlement and hail. Rejoice, strengthened by faith in your needs. Rejoice, helping the elder father to death. Rejoice, having lived in the world, but free from the world. Rejoice, mourned by all at the end. Rejoice, Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nicholas, the representative of the Church of Japan.

Kondak 11

All singing is conquered by your feat, O saint, with which word we embrace your apostolic service; I will speak to you: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

The light-receiving Church of Japan received the gospel in its own language from your work, the true enlightener. You became like an Ecumenical teacher, turning your wise words to the service of heavenly wisdom. Honoring your good deeds, we praise thee: Rejoice, understanding of the Holy Scriptures. Rejoice, betraying him as a human child. Rejoice, worthy of speech resourceful. Rejoice, unfaithful and flattering one. Rejoice, conciliar work of your mind with the Church. Rejoice, blessedly resting from labors. Rejoice, bringing the word closer to the people. Rejoice, thou who bestowed divine service in the paternal dialect of the Japanese of the Church. Rejoice, reject all intricacies. Rejoice, nourishing with both milk and honey. Rejoice, thou who humbled the pride of false names. Rejoice, Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nicholas, the representative of the Church of Japan.

Kondak 12

Grace rests upon you, showing the holiness of your ministry. Even if you did not perform miracles, like John the Baptist, moreover, your testimony is the newly built Church, approved by the miracle of God in the last days, and with one heart we sing with her: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing your glorification and numbering among the saints, our kinsman and shepherd, we praise thee: Rejoice, having established the Church in the last days with your holiness. Rejoice, earthly torment oblivion. Rejoice, gentle wind of grace. Rejoice, helpers who ran to you. Rejoice, companions of the ascetic. Rejoice, good gardener and color guardian. Rejoice, correcting our disorder. Rejoice, meet your children in heavenly abodes. Rejoice, remember those who remember you. Rejoice, calmness of the stormy sea. Rejoice, star of the setting and east. Rejoice, Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nicholas, the representative of the Church of Japan.

Kondak 13

Oh, most holy and wonderful, most glorious and wonderful to the enlightener of the country of Japan, our ever-present prayer book before the Throne of the Holy Trinity, the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Father Nicholas! Accept our present offering and implore the Savior God and His Most Pure Mother, that by your intercession she will enlighten the peoples converted by you and our Russian country with Orthodoxy, and deliver us from all misfortunes of enemies visible and invisible, destruction and sedition, troubles and sorrows, and give forgiveness of sins, and deliverance from eternal torment, and vouchsafe the Kingdom of Heaven, but together with you and all the saints of the Trinity of Saints forever and ever we sing: Alleluia.

This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1st and kontakion 1st

Prayer to Saint Nicholas, Equal-to-the-Apostles, Archbishop of Japan

Oh, the most honorable and sacred head and the grace of the Holy Spirit, filled with the Savior's dwelling with the Father, the great bishop, our warm intercessor, the holy hierarch, Equal-to-the-Apostles Nicholas of Japan! Standing at the Throne of all the King and enjoying the light of the Consubstantial Trinity and cherubically from the angels proclaiming the song of the trisagion, having great and unexplored boldness to the All-Merciful Master, pray to be saved by you converted to Christ, and all the flock of Christ people. Ask Vyshnyago: may the Lord free the suffering country of Russia from the fierce atheists and their power, and may he raise the throne of Orthodox rulers; His faithful servants, in sorrow and sorrow crying out to Him day and night, let the many-sick cry be heard and let our belly out of perdition, let the prosperity of Orthodoxy in our country of Russia and in the land of Japan be established. Let him adorn the bishops with the magnificence of hierarchy, and strengthen the monastics with the feat of a good current: the reigning cities and all the cities of the country will be good to keep. Oh, holy saint! Die the whole world with your intercession: save us from hunger, thirst, destruction and sedition, from the elements that often find us, sin for the sake of our many, from corrupting winds, destructive ulcers and from attacks of foreign tribes. Consol the old, instruct the young, make the fools wise, have mercy on widows, intercede for orphans, grow up babies, freedom and return those who are captive and in prison, heal those who are weak, be a good helmsman floating, and all who warmly call on you everywhere and with faith flow to you, and diligently falling down and praying to you from slander and all sorts of misfortunes, the enemy of the visible and invisible, troubles and all evil by your intercession of freedom. Pray for us the All-Generous and Human-loving Christ our God, may He forgive us all the sins committed by us from our youth, and on the day of His terrible coming He will deliver us from His standing and the joys of the saints, the communicants will create, and together with them we glorify the One in the Trinity of God, the Father and Son and Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos

Oh, Mother of God of Smolensk, Mother of God of Smolensk, Hodegetria. Thou hast brought the Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nicholas to the far reaches of Japan to preach the Gospel of Your beloved Son. Behold, I have done Thy will, O Lady. Stretch out your blessing hand on your servants, children, converted to them, and on us, who are in sins, so that with his holy prayers we will preserve the Orthodox faith forever and ever. Amen.

Before Vanyushka Kasatkin began to bear the name Japanese Nikolai, he was the son of an ordinary village deacon and was close friends with the admiral's children of the Skrydlov family, whose estate was located next to the father's temple. Friends once asked him about what he wants to become, and immediately decided that he would follow in the footsteps of his father. But Vanya dreamed of becoming a sailor. However, his father reined in his dreams of the sea and sent him to study at the theological seminary of the city of Smolensk, and then, as one of the best students, he was sent at public expense to study at the theological seminary of St. Petersburg.

In this city, childhood friends, Vanya and Leont Skrydlov, who became a graduate of the naval cadet corps, met. When asked why he did not become a sailor, Vanya replied that it was possible to surf the expanses of the sea and the ocean as a ship priest.

Japanese Nicholas: the beginning

In his fourth year at the Theological Academy, Ivan learned from an announcement that the Russian Imperial Consulate in Japan needed a priest. Consul of Japan I. Goshkevich decided to organize missionaries in this country, although at that time there was a strict ban on Christianity there.

Ivan, at first, having heard about the Chinese mission, wanted to go to China and preach to the pagans, and this desire had already been formed in him. But then his interest spread from China to Japan, as he read with great interest "Notes of Captain Golovin" about captivity in this country.

In the first half of the 60s of the XIX century, Russia under Alexander II sought to revive, the time has come for great reforms and the abolition of serfdom. The trend of missionary work abroad intensified.

Preparation

So, Ivan Kasatkin began to prepare for missionary work in Japan. On June 24, 1860, he was tonsured a monk with the name Nicholas in honor of the Great Wonderworker Nicholas. After 5 days he was consecrated a hierodeacon, another day later - a hieromonk. And on August 1, Hieromonk Nicholas, at the age of 24, leaves for Japan. He dreamed of her as of his sleeping bride, who needs to be awakened - this is how she was drawn in his imagination. On the Russian ship "Amur" he finally arrived in the land of the Rising Sun. In Hakodate, Consul Goshkevich received him.

At that time in this country for more than 200 years there was a ban on Christianity. Nikolai of Japan is taken to work. First of all, he studies culture, economics, history and starts translating the New Testament. All this took him 8 years.

Fruit

The first three years were the hardest for him. Japanese Nikolai closely watched the life of the Japanese, visited their Buddhist temples and listened to preachers.

At first, he was mistaken for a spy and even dogs were set loose on him, and the samurai threatened with reprisals. But in the fourth year, Nicholas of Japan found his first like-minded person who believed in Christ. It was the abbot of a Shinto shrine, Takuma Sawabe. A year later, they had another brother, then another. Takume received the name Pavel at baptism, and ten years later the first Japanese Orthodox priest appeared. In this dignity, he had to go through difficult trials.

The first Japanese Christians

Money was very tight. Consul Goshkevich often helped Father Nikolai, who gave money from those of his funds that are usually kept for "extraordinary expenses." In 1868, there was a revolution in Japan: newly converted Japanese Christians were persecuted.

In 1869, Nikolai traveled to St. Petersburg to seek the opening of a mission. This was to give him administrative and economic independence. Two years later, he returns to the rank of archimandrite and head of the mission.

In 1872 Nikolai of Japan received an assistant in the person of a graduate of the Kyiv Theological Academy - Hieromonk Anatoly (Quiet). By this time, there were already about 50 Orthodox Japanese in Hakodate.

Tokyo

And even then St. Nicholas of Japan leaves everything under the care of the priest Pavel Sawabe and Father Anatoly and moves to Tokyo. Here he had to start all over again. And at this time, he opens a Russian language school at home and begins to teach the Japanese.

In 1873, he passed a legislative act on religious tolerance. The private school was soon reorganized into a theological seminary, which became Father Nikolai's favorite brainchild (besides theology, many other disciplines were studied there).

By 1879, there were already several schools in Tokyo: a seminary, catechism, clergy, and a school of foreign languages.

By the end of Father Nikolai's life, the seminary received the status of a secondary educational institution in Japan, the best students of which continued their studies in Russia in theological academies.

The number of believers in the church increased by hundreds. By 1900 there were already Orthodox communities in Nagasaki, Hyogo, Kyoto and Yokohama.

Temple of Nicholas of Japan

In 1878, the consular church began to be built. It was built with charitable money from the Russian merchant Pyotr Alekseev, a former sailor of the Dzhigit ship. At that time there were already 6 Japanese priests.

But Father Nikolai dreamed of a cathedral. To raise funds for its construction, it is sent throughout Russia.

The architect A. Shurupov worked on the sketch of the future temple of the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ. Father Nikolai bought a plot in the Kanda area on Suruga-dai hill. The English architect Joshua Conder built the temple for seven years, and in 1891 he handed over the keys to Father Nikolai. The consecration was attended by 19 priests and 4,000 believers. In the people this temple was called "Nikolai-do".

Its scale for Japanese buildings was impressive, as was the increased authority of Nicholas of Japan himself.

War

In 1904 due to Russo-Japanese War the Russian embassy left the country. Nicholas of Japan was left alone. The Orthodox Japanese were mocked and hated, Bishop Nicholas was threatened with death for espionage. He publicly began to explain that not only the national Russian religion, patriotism is a true and natural feeling of any Christian. He sent an official appeal to the temples, where it was ordered to pray for the victory of the Japanese troops. So he decided to save the Orthodox Japanese from contradictions: to believe in Christ and be Japanese. By this he saved the Japanese Orthodox ship. His heart was breaking, and he did not participate in public worship, but alone prayed at the altar.

Then he took care of the Russian prisoners of war, of whom there were more than 70 thousand by the end of the war.

Bishop Nikolai, who had not been in Russia for 25 years, felt the approaching darkness with his perspicacious heart. To escape from all these experiences, he plunged headlong into translations of liturgical books.

On February 16, 1912, at the age of 75, he gave his soul to his Lord in the cell of the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ. The cause of death was heart failure. During his half-century activity, 265 churches were built, 41 priests, 121 catechists, 15 regents and 31,984 believers were brought up.

Saint Nicholas of Japan

Equal-to-the-Apostles Nicholas (Kasatkin), the founder and First Hierarch of the Japanese Church, is an outstanding Russian missionary of the 20th century. Having died in 1912, he was canonized sixty years after his death (March 31, 1970).

The whole life and all the forces of this selfless missionary were devoted to preaching the Gospel and sowing the Word of God in the Land of the Rising Sun, and his Equal-to-the-Apostles labors bore rich fruit. Naganawa Mitsuo writes: "He left to descendants a cathedral, 8 temples, 175 churches, 276 parishes, raised one bishop, 34 priests, 8 deacons, 115 preachers. The total number of Orthodox believers reached 34,110 people ..."

Archpriest I. Vostorgov, who visited Japan, wrote: "There was no person in Japan, after the emperor, who would have enjoyed such fame in the country. In the capital of Japan, it was not necessary to ask where the Russian Orthodox mission was, it was enough to say one word" Nicholas and literally every rickshaw immediately knew where the guest of the mission had to be delivered. And the Orthodox church was called "Nikolai," and the place of the mission was also "Nikolai," even Orthodoxy itself was called the name "Nikolai." affectionate glances were met everywhere, and in the words of greeting and conversation about us, we caught with our ears among the incomprehensible words and expressions of an unfamiliar language, one familiar and dear one: "Nikolai" ... "

1 The well-known orientalist D. M. Pozdneev, who knew the saint closely, recalls: “Together with gentleness, he was iron man, who did not know any obstacles, a practical mind and an administrator who knew how to find a way out of any difficult situation. Along with courtesy, he had the ability to be icy, adamant and harsh with people whom he found it necessary to educate with strict measures, to punish or stop for anything. Along with his sociability, he had a very great restraint acquired through long experience and bitter trials, and it took a lot of time and effort to earn his trust and frankness. Along with some kind of childish naivety of a cheerful interlocutor, he had the breadth of ideals of a great statesman, endless love for the motherland, suffering from her suffering and torment by her torment ... Broad and holy ideals, iron will and inexhaustible diligence - this is the essence of Archbishop Nicholas.

One cannot but agree with A. Platonova, the author of one of the biographies of the saint, who wrote: “To know as much as possible about him is the duty of every Russian person, because such people as Archbishop Nikolai are the pride and adornment of their country.”

His work was fraught with many sorrows. Archbishop Nicholas was persecuted from two sides: the Japanese - as a Russian political agent, spy, agitator, sowing treason and sympathy for treacherous, predatory Russia on Japanese soil; Russians - as a figure who tells Japan about Russia what she does not need to know ... The activities of the archbishop were thus declared not only useless, but also harmful, and many in Russia looked at him as an original seized by a strange mania. Archbishop Nicholas was saved for the cause by two ideas that guided him throughout his life: the first is the idea apostolic ministry, the feat of spreading Orthodoxy among the pagans; the second is an ardent conviction that his work should stand apart from any connection with politics." And in another place: "He was penetrated by what he kept in himself for no earthly purpose."

Vocation.

Ivan Dmitrievich Kasatkin was born on August 1, 1836 in the village of Bereza, Velsky district, Smolensk province. His father Dmitry Ivanovich Kasatkin served as a deacon in a rural church2. The child was named John in honor of the glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord. His mother, Ksenia Alekseevna, died at the age of 34, when he was only five years old.

Despite extreme poverty, the boy was sent to study first at the Velsk Theological School, and then at the Smolensk Seminary. S. Nedachin writes: “In the absence of railways, the young man had to trudge through the terrible and now Velsky slums to the provincial city of Smolensk to get an education in a theological seminary. Not all seminarians of that time went to study on horses. Very many of them, the poorest , to which the boy Kasatkin belonged, had to walk for over 150 miles to appear inside the walls of the seminary.

In 1856, he brilliantly graduated from the seminary and was sent to the St. Petersburg Theological Academy at public expense, where he studied until 1860.

The parishioners of the Moscow Church of the Ascension of the Lord on Nikitinskaya found that the village is now located on the site of this village. Birch of the Mostovsky rural district of the Oleninsky district of the Tver region. In 1836, the village of Bereza was the center of the Berezovskaya volost of the Velsky district and consisted of 5 households (7 men and 6 women). Not a single house remained from the village in the village. The village church was destroyed during the Great Patriotic War.

The saint took care of his father until his death, monthly giving him part of his salary.

The young man showed outstanding abilities; he was supposed to stay at the academy to prepare for a professorship, but the decision to go to Japan completely changed his fate.

It was taken quite unexpectedly. According to St. Nicholas himself, until that time the thought of monasticism had never entered his head. One day, walking through the academic rooms, Ivan Dmitrievich noticed in one of the "amusing" an announcement with a proposal to go to Japan for the role of rector of the embassy church in Hakodate. Several of Kasatkin's comrades have already expressed their desire to go to Japan as a priest. This invitation did not make a special impression on the young man, even though at one time he was strongly impressed by Golovnin's memories of Japan. He calmly went to the vigil. And so, during the service, he suddenly decided that he must go to Japan. Returning from the vigil, in deep emotion he went to the rector of the academy, His Grace Nektary, and told him of his desire to go to Japan, but not as a married priest, but as a monk. The rector of the academy was very sympathetic to the impulse of the young man and reported his desire to the metropolitan. In the shortest possible time, the fate of Ivan Dmitrievich Kasatkin was decided.

On June 21, 1860, the young man was tonsured a monk with the name Nicholas. June 29, Saints Day supreme apostles Peter and Paul, he was ordained a hierodeacon, and the next day, when the Council of the Twelve Apostles was celebrated ( patronal feast academic church), - in the hieromonk. Bishop Nektary, who tonsured the young man as a monk, named him Nicholas and said: “Not in a monastery you must complete the course of an ascetic life. You must leave your Motherland itself, go to the service of the Lord in a country far and unfaithful. along with the feat of monasticism, the works of the apostles are set before you."

At the end of June, Hieromonk Nicholas left St. Petersburg and spent three days with his family in the countryside. Saying goodbye to them, he set off on a long journey. He took with him the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, which he kept all his life4.

The road to Japan was long and difficult. Hieromonk Nicholas spent the winter in Nikolaevsk-on-Amur. Here he met with St. Innocent, Enlightener of Siberia (at that time Bishop of Kamchatka). The latter blessed him for his future work and advised him to come to grips with the study of the Japanese language. Seeing the poor robe of the hieromonk, Bishop Innokenty bought good velvet and he himself cut out of it a cassock for Father Nikolai. He also laid on Father Nikolai a pectoral bronze cross received for participation in the Crimean campaign.

On June 14 (2), 1861, Hieromonk Nikolay arrived in the Japanese port of Hakodate on the military transport "Amur".

Hakodate.

Iosif Antonovich Goshkevich (1814-1875), a remarkable personality in many respects, was appointed the first Russian consul in Khakodate5. He arrived in Hakodate in the third decade of September 1858, accompanied by his family, a naval officer, a doctor, a clergyman (the latter returned home due to illness in the year the consulate was established), four servants and two maids.

Even before the arrival of Hieromonk Nicholas in Japan, the Russian consulate managed to build the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Hakodate (subsequently, during the great Hakodate fire, this church burned down, and a stone temple was built in its place). Father Vasily Makhov built and consecrated the church. The disease forced him to leave Japan a year later and return to his homeland, after which I. A. Goshkevich turned to the Synod with a request to send a priest with a higher spiritual education.

It should be noted that at this time the attitude of the Japanese towards foreigners was very unfriendly. Imposed Western countries the "peace" treaties caused extreme displeasure among the samurai, who considered foreigners "barbarians" and advocated their complete expulsion. Accordingly, the opening of the country and the arrival of foreigners contributed to the development of extreme xenophobia, sometimes manifested in open violence. So, in the first half of 1861, six foreigners were killed. Armed attacks on Christians, in which the Japanese saw almost their main enemies, took place in Kyoto, Edo and Yokohama. There were no incidents of this kind in Hakodate, however, the Japanese treated the Russians with no less, if not more, suspicion than other foreigners. The turmoil, and with it the anti-Shogun sentiments, intensified. In 1862 the real Civil War, which ended in 1868 with the resignation of the shogun and the creation of an imperial government. The last stronghold of the shogun's forces, by the will of fate, turned out to be Hakodate, occupied by the Enomoto fleet. However, this fleet was defeated by the imperial forces already in May 1869. The Emperor moved to Edo, which later became known as Tokyo, or "Eastern Capital." The Meiji era began - the era of "Enlightened Rule."

“Only the Lord knows how much torment I had to endure in these first years. All three enemies: the world, the flesh and the devil, rose up against me with all their might and followed me on their heels to overthrow me in the very first dark, narrow place, and These temptations were the most legitimate in appearance: "Am I, like every man, not created for family life? Can't you brilliantly serve God and your neighbors in the world? Isn't Russia, after all, more in need of people now than Japan? And so on. Thousands of slanders are poured into your ears, and this is every day and hour, both in reality and in a dream, and at home in a cell, and at prayer in a church. this is."

There was no question of preaching, because "then the Japanese looked at foreigners as animals, and Christianity as a villainous sect, to which only notorious villains and sorcerers can belong." Among other things, the young missionary did not know Japanese and was not familiar with Japanese religion, history and culture. “Having arrived in Japan, I began to study the local language as much as I could. A lot of time and labor was spent until I managed to look at this barbaric language, which is positively the most difficult in the world, since it consists of two: natural Japanese and Chinese, mixed with each other, but by no means merged into one.<...>Somehow I finally learned to speak Japanese and mastered that very simple and the easy way letters, which is used for original and translated scholarly writings." First, he was taught Japanese by the translator of the Hakodat governor. On the recommendation of the latter, hieromonk Nikolai began to attend a private school known for his rare erudition Kimura Kensai. There he began to study the history and literature of Japan, as well as Buddhism, Shinto and Confucianism. In addition to Kimura Kensai, his mentors were Saga Juan and Niijima Shimeta. It took him eight years to study in his desk. Almost all of this time he studied 14 hours a day. Then he began to attend literary meetings and pagan temples. D. M Pozdneev writes: “Through constant reading of Japanese literature and constant communication with the Japanese, Father Nikolai achieved an amazing knowledge of the Japanese spoken and book language. He had a strong foreign accent, but this did not prevent him from being understood by all Japanese from young to old, the richness of the dictionary and the ease of constructing phrases gave his speech a power that delighted all Japanese ... The phrases were short, the most unexpected turns, but extremely bright and strong."

"At first I tried with all care to study Japanese history, religion and the spirit of the Japanese people, in order to find out to what extent the hopes of enlightening the country with the gospel preaching were realizable there, and the more I got to know the country, the more I became convinced that the time was very close when the word of the gospel will be heard loudly there and will quickly sweep from end to end of the empire.

First successes.

The first Japanese convert to Orthodoxy was Takuma Sawabe (1835-1913), a former samurai of the Tosa clan, a priest of an old Shinto shrine in Hakodate. Sawabe was a member secret society, who set out to expel all foreigners from Japan, and was known as an excellent swordsman. As a fencing teacher, he came to the son of the Russian consul I. A. Goshkevich. Once he wandered around Japan, earning a living by fencing lessons. Arriving in Hakodate, he married the daughter of the priest of the Shinto shrine and took not only his surname Sawabe, but also the hereditary priesthood and place of service of his father-in-law.

"Peacefully and serenely lived Sawabe in paganism. Being the priest of the oldest shrine in the city, he enjoyed the respect of the people, receiving significant income and knowing only contentment and happiness. In his family he had a beautiful young wife, a little son and his wife's mother. He was proud of his fatherland, the faith of his ancestors, and therefore despised foreigners, hated their faith, about which he had the most unfounded notions.

A detailed story about the conversion of a stern Japanese that took place in 1864 is given in the book by A. Platonova.

Sawabe kept running into Hieromonk Nicholas in the consul's house and always looked at him with such hatred that one day he could not stand it and asked:

Why are you so angry with me? A very definite answer followed:

You foreigners must be killed. You have come to look out for our land. And with your preaching, you will hurt Japan the most.

Are you already familiar with my teachings?

No, - the Japanese was confused.

But is it fair to judge, let alone condemn someone, without listening to him? Is it fair to blaspheme what you do not know? You first listen and find out, and then judge. If my teaching is bad, then drive us out of here. Then you will be just.

Well, speak!

The words of Hieromonk Nicholas shocked the samurai. He asked permission to meet with the hieromonk again and continue the conversation. After some time, Father Nikolai was already writing to Metropolitan Isidore: "A priest comes to me ancient religion study our faith. If he does not grow cold or die (from the death penalty for the adoption of Christianity), then much can be expected from him.

In a letter dated April 20, 1865, Hieromonk Nikolai writes: “The priest is looking forward to my baptism. He is well educated, intelligent, eloquent, and devoted to Christianity with all his heart. The only goal of his life now is to serve the fatherland by spreading Christianity, and I have to constantly stop him requests out of fear that he should not lose his head before he can do anything for this purpose.

The danger of Sawabe's situation can be judged by his following story: "I could not openly read this book [the Gospel], but I wanted to read it. So I invented reading it at the time when I served in my mission [i.e. in a pagan temple ]. You used to put the Gospel in front of you instead of a pagan missal, and you read by tapping on an ordinary drum. No one thought that I was reading a foreign "heresy."

Soon Sawabe brought his friend, doctor Sakai Atsunori, to Hieromonk Nikolai. After some time, they were joined by a third friend - the doctor Urano. The Japanese began to conduct catechism talks on their own, and by the spring of 1868 there were already up to 20 people ready to be baptized.

At this time, the persecution of Catholics began again in Nagasaki, and a new official arrived in Hakodate. In April 1868, Hieromonk Nicholas secretly baptized three friends in his office, after which they left Hakodate. These were Pavel Savabe, John Sakai and Jacob Urano. It was then, five months before the Meiji era, that the Japanese Orthodox Church was born.

Serious trials immediately fell upon Sawab. His wife went mad and burned down her own house a few months later in a fit of illness. Sawabe never found refuge and soon returned to Hakodate. Now he had not only the means of subsistence, but also shelter. Then, in 1868, he was imprisoned. Saint Nicholas wrote: "Before my eyes, the process of the birth of a person to a new life by the grace of God took place, and behind my eyes another process began - the process of testing and strengthening the strength of the newborn Paul." His eight-year-old son, by hereditary right, became a priest of the same shrine, which gave him the means to feed himself and his sick mother. Later, Paul Savaba was given consolation to see his son as a Christian. The trials only strengthened Paul's zeal, and in 1875 he was ordained a priest.

"The second Christian was Mr. Sakai John. He was a local doctor and a close friend of Mr. Sawabe, who was converted to Christianity. Sawabe tried to persuade his friend to do the same, but Sakai was strong in dialectics, and it was difficult to defeat him then Mr. Sawabe began to invite him to me more often, and the two of us convinced him. Finally, Mr. Sakai was baptized and even consecrated to the priesthood, in which dignity he soon died due to illness. The third Christian was Mr. Urano Jacob, also a former doctor. He was followed by a holy baptism in Hakodate over the present Fr. John Ono, and then some others were baptized. But the aforementioned persons were the main of our first Christians. baptism, and the possibility of a systematic spread of the Christian faith in Japan began to be foreseen.With this very purpose, in order to obtain official authority for this, I went to Russia for a while and, having received permission and blessing from the Holy Synod for this and returned to Japan. Upon my arrival, Mr. Sawabe soon visited me and, incidentally, informed me of the strange behavior of Mr. Sakai during my absence from Japan, who spent all his time the rest of the Christians tried, on the contrary, to share everything with their brothers. When I heard about this, I wanted to denounce Mr. Sakai, but with the arrival of the latter, the matter was immediately explained. Appearing to me, Mr. Sakai presented the hundred yen he had collected (about two hundred rubles), which he wished to use for the affairs of the Church. This cleared up Mr. Sawabe's perplexity about Mr. Sakaya's apparently strange behavior.

Another, similar in its apparent strangeness, happened to Mr. Tommy Piotr. At one time, everyone noticed his sudden disappearance somewhere. Nobody knew where he had gone. I asked my wife, but she did not know either, although her face did not express any grief, or even special concern. All this was very mysterious and lasted quite a long time. But now, 11 days after that, one evening, at about eleven o'clock, Mr. Peter Tomy comes to me, accompanied by Mr. Sakay. I see - thin to the point of improbability, the bones protrude strongly on a face that has completely changed in its color; it was just pitiful to look at him. When I asked where he had been and why he had become so emaciated, he replied that he spent all this time abstaining from sleep and food and in prayer for the speedy enlightenment of the pagan brethren with the light of truth, which he himself had recently been honored with. When I heard about all this, I was very amazed at such a touching display of ardent fidelity by faith. But still, I had to notice to him that such a thing should henceforth be done in accordance with the institutions of the Church, otherwise you can cause severe harm to your health.

Help from Russia.

At the end of 1869, Hieromonk Nikolai, having asked for leave, went to Russia to petition the Holy Synod for permission to open a Russian spiritual mission in Japan.

Hieromonk Nikolai arrived in Russia in February 1870. His request was granted. On April 6, 1870, Alexander II approved the decision of the Most Holy Synod to establish a Russian spiritual mission in Japan, consisting of the head of the mission, three hieromonks-missionaries and a clerk. Half of the planned expenses were covered by the treasury, the other half was attributable to the printing capital of the spiritual department. In total, the spiritual mission was allocated 6,000 rubles a year and 10,000 rubles at a time. Mission centers were located in Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagasaki and Hakodate. Hieromonk Nikolai was appointed head of the mission and elevated to the rank of archimandrite. The mission was under the jurisdiction of the Kamchatka episcopate. The duties of the missionaries were set out in the "Instructions for the Mission," presented by Hieromonk Nicholas and approved by the Synod.

Archim himself. Nikolai wrote in 1879: “It is characteristic of Orthodox Japan that the Orthodox mission, which has existed for only 8 years, with two missionaries existing during this time, without any definite material means, the number of Christians was already twice as strong as the Catholic and all Protestant missions taken together."

Before leaving for Japan, Archimandrite Nicholas was able to see his old father.

He returned to Hakodate in March 1871. The preaching of the gospel continued even in his absence. At the end of the year, Archimandrite Nicholas baptized eleven people in Sendai.

In 1872, Hieromonk Anatoly (Tikhai), a candidate of the Kyiv Theological Academy, arrived in Khakodate8. Archimandrite Nikolai spoke of him like this: "I would not wish for better assistants!" He leaves the Hakodat church on about. Anatolia and February 4, 1872 moved to Tokyo.

5. I. A. Goshkevich, the son of a Belarusian priest, a teacher at a parochial school, graduated from the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, after which he was sent to China, where he served for ten years (1839-1840) as part of the Russian Orthodox mission. Gifted with linguistic abilities, he studied Chinese, Manchu, Korean and Chinese in Beijing. Mongolian. He conducted astronomical and meteorological observations, reports on which he sent to Pulkovo, circled the globe three times on sailing ships, collected collections of fauna and flora (collections of shells South Seas and Chinese butterflies were donated by him to the Zoological Museum - the former Kunstkamera). In 1852, when an expedition to the shores of Japan was being formed in St. Petersburg, Goshkevich was seconded to its chief, Vice Admiral Putyatin, as a dragoman. He became the author of the first Japanese-Russian dictionary. Goshkevich left Japan in 1865. Returning to St. Petersburg, he served for two years in the Asian Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after which he retired.

6. Dmitry Matveevich Pozdneev (1865-1937) - the first professional Japaneseist. He worked in Japan from 1906 to 1910. He taught at the Practical Oriental Academy (until 1917) and at the LVI Leningrad State University. Shot on October 20, 1937.

7. Naganawa Mitsuo notes that the Meiji era ended with the death of the emperor five months after the death of Archbishop Nicholas.

8. Later, Fr. Anatoly moved to Osaka, where he built a missionary house, a temple and a catechism school. Then he was transferred to the rector of the embassy church in Tokyo. Father Anatoly died in the rank of archimandrite on November 23, 1883. The grateful Japanese immortalized his memory by building a large cross with an icon on the front side and a brief biography of Archimandrite Anatoly on the other side at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Tokyo.

Translations of Holy Scripture and other necessary books.

The main work of the saint, begun back in Hakodate, was the translation into Japanese Holy Scripture and liturgical books. Back in 1869, St. Nicholas wrote: “From all that has been said so far, it seems that one can conclude that in Japan, at least in the near future, the harvest is plentiful. , activity ... Even if I continued my studies in the same direction, but the strength of one person here is almost the same as a drop in the ocean. One translation of the New Testament, if done clearly (but can it be done differently?), It will take even at least two years of exceptional labor.Then a translation of the Old Testament is also necessary, besides, if there is even the smallest Christian Church, it is absolutely necessary to celebrate the service in Japanese; All this is also essential, and all this and other similar things must be translated into "Japanese," about which it is still unknown whether it will ever be given to a foreigner so that it can be written at least half as easily. and soon, as a foreigner usually writes in his own. Much later, he writes that the translation work "contains the whole essence of the mission's work. At present, in general, the work of the mission, in any country, cannot be limited to one oral sermon. The times of Francis Xavier, who ran through the streets with a bell and called such In Japan, however, with the love of the population for reading and with the development of respect for the printed word, believers and readers should first of all be given a book written in their native language, certainly in a good style and carefully, beautifully and cheaply published. we have books explaining religious differences with Catholicism and Protestantism."

11. The project of the temple belongs to the St. Petersburg architect Mikhail Arefievich Shchurupov. The iconostasis, which died during the earthquake of 1923, was painted by the St. Petersburg icon painter Vasily Makarovich Poshekhonov. Donations for the construction of the temple came from all over Russia. Moscow alone donated 200,000 rubles, which was up to 40 percent of the cost of all work.

12. The visit to Japan of the heir to the Russian throne was also timed to coincide with this event, but after the Otsu incident, the Tsarevich left Japan.

In Hakodate, for lack of translation, the service was performed in Church Slavonic, while in Japanese only "Lord, have mercy," "Holy God," "I believe" and "Our Father" were sung and read. When translating the prayer "Lord, have mercy," the question arose of how to translate the word "have mercy," which is often perceived as pardoning a criminal. Bishop Nikolai said: "We don't have such a relationship with our God. We'll take the word 'avarema.' So a mother 'pardons' a child, 'sorries' in the original Old Russian sense." There, in Hakodate, St. Nicholas began to translate Scripture from Chinese, but he soon became convinced of the imperfection of Chinese translations and moved on to translating the New Testament from Church Slavonic, which he considered to be more accurate than Russian. Each verse was checked against the Vulgate, Septuagint and English translation. In difficult places, the saint relied on the interpretations of St. John Chrysostom. For 4-5 hours of work, he managed to translate no more than 15 verses. After the saint finished his work on translating the Gospels and the Apostle (his first version), they also began to be read in Japanese. Among other things, the Epistles of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, as well as half of the Epistle to the Romans were translated in Hakodate. At the same time, he translated a short prayer book (from Chinese), the rite of baptism and the accession of non-believers, the "Orthodox Confession" of St. Dmitry of Rostov, a catechism for catechumens, summary of the Old Testament, the "Explanatory Gospel" of Bishop Michael and the "Moral Theology" of Metropolitan Platon.

13. During the Canton earthquake in 1923, the dome collapsed, and all the decoration of the cathedral and the iconostasis perished in a fire. The mission's library, which contained up to 30,000 volumes, also burned down. Even the bells that melted from the strongest heat were lost. At an emergency council on October 20, 1923, it was decided to restore the temple. On December 15, 1929, the temple was consecrated after restoration. The Japanese architect Shinichi Okada, who rebuilt the cathedral, did not change the general proportions of the structure, but gave the dome a barely noticeable bend, borrowed from Buddhist temple architecture and symbolizing the soaring of a bird or flight up.

Having moved to Tokyo, St. Nicholas first of all translated the Octoechos, then the Colored and Lenten Triodion, at the same time engaged in a new translation of the Gospel. From the Old Testament they were translated all the parts necessary for the completion of the annual cycle of worship. He did not trust the less pedantic translations of Catholics and Protestants, and therefore tried not to even read them, for fear of submitting to them or involuntarily borrowing something from them. The cherished dream of the saint was the translation of the entire Bible. In 1910, he said that according to his calculations, it would take him another five years to complete this work.

"It is not the translation of the Gospel and Divine services that should descend to the level of development of the masses, but on the contrary, believers should rise to the understanding of the Gospel and liturgical texts. Vulgar language in the Gospel is unacceptable. If I come across two completely identical hieroglyphs or expressions, and both of them are for the Japanese ear and eyes are equally noble, I will, of course, give preference to the common one, but I never make concessions to ignorance and do not allow the slightest compromise regarding the accuracy of translations, even if I have to use a Chinese character that is very little known in Japan. I myself feel that sometimes my translation requires great effort on the part of the Japanese for understanding, but this is largely due to the novelty of Orthodoxy itself for them ... "

A number of difficulties and dangers in translation were also associated with the fact that many hieroglyphs have been used by Buddhists and Shintoists for centuries, which gave them a very definite semantic connotation, making their use in an Orthodox context impossible or risky14. In a number of cases, the saint sent out a translation of this or that verse or concept to parishes with a request addressed to the clergy and laity to speak about it.

For thirty years, exactly at six in the evening, Pavel Nakai, his constant colleague for translations, entered the cell of the bishop, a man of excellent education, unusually hardworking and completely devoted to the Orthodox faith. He would sit on a low stool next to the bishop and begin to write as he dictated. The work usually lasted four hours and ended at ten in the evening.

"Before me lie the Slavic and Greek texts of the service, with books at hand, contributing to the correct understanding of it. My colleague has Chinese and Japanese lexicons and grammars at hand, and we also have the Chinese text of the service, borrowed by us from Beijing from our Mission. Looking into the Slavic text and checking it in Greek, I dictate the translation, trying to express the meaning with literal accuracy, the employee writes in Chinese characters interspersed with Japanese alphabetic characters. the subject must be in front, between it and the predicate, it must contain everything that is in the translation, no matter how many subordinate and introductory sentences, they must all come in front of the main predicate; in each subordinate and introductory - the same arrangement of parts.

When a song or prayer is dictated and the syntactic relationship of a part of it is established, then the finishing of what is written begins, and my main concern is not to allow one iota to deviate from the meaning of the text; my colleague, with no less concern, takes care of the correctness and elegance of the grammatical and stylistic construction of speech. This part of the work is the most difficult and painstaking. This is where Sino-Japanese scholarship is especially needed, because, firstly, you need to clearly know the meaning of each Chinese sign, in order to choose the most common and understandable from many unambiguous hieroglyphs, secondly, it is necessary to discuss whether to leave the Chinese pronunciation behind the hieroglyph or give it Japanese, because the hieroglyphs, passing from China to Japan, brought with them the Chinese monosound reading, which remains for them and hitherto and which in full is available only to profound scientists, but which, by gradations, shrinking and descending, to a large extent penetrated to the lowest strata of the people; at the same time, almost every sign is translated into Japanese and has its own Japanese reading. What to follow? Apparently, one should stick to purely Japanese speech, but it very often happens that the Japanese reading of a sign, even for uneducated people, is less understandable than the Chinese. Thirdly, you need to think about whether to leave the signs without Japanese alphabetic transcription or, due to the difficulty of the signs or their ambiguity, substitute it and to what extent. In a word, it is necessary to decide which language to master for translation. When thinking about the importance of what we are translating, the most venerable scholar of language is kind to us, who is not much embarrassed either by signs or by their pronunciation and does not need any transcription; but this language would be inconvenient even for average scientists, and for few scientists it would be completely incomprehensible. At the thought that what we have translated should be accessible to everyone and that this should be its main merit, the language of the masses, the language of the people, attracts us to itself, but then our translation would turn out so vulgar that it would be immediately neglected by everyone. , not constituting the common people. We are supposed to use the middle language. We try to follow this, although, due to the vagueness of the signs and the ambiguity of the boundaries, there is a wide field for endless disputes, in which I try in every possible way to defend the greatest general understanding, and my colleague - to protect himself from vulgarism and observe the elegance of speech. When at last all these difficulties are removed, the text of the translation is established and the whole book is translated, we go through it again, carefully comparing it with the original text, observing that throughout the book for the same original words and expressions the same translated hieroglyphs and readings were used. ."

From the former students of the seminary, a whole team of translators was formed, working on the translation of not only Russian theological, but also Russian fiction (initially, the translation department included only people who received spiritual education in Russia, then the Japanese began to work in it as well). Among them were the rector of the seminary Ivan Senuma and his wife Anna Lukinichna Senuma, professor of philosophy and theology of the seminary Konishi Masutaro, who spent 10 years in Russia (later converted to Protestantism), the famous translator and scholar Nobori Shomu. The saint wrote: "Let them translate and read. Having learned Russian literature, having known Pushkin, Lermontov, Count Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, one cannot but fall in love with Russia."

Since 1900, anti-Russian sentiments have again intensified, which could not but affect the attitude towards the church. D. M. Pozdneev cites a characteristic excerpt from the Nihon newspaper: “The Orthodox Church is a malicious place from where curses are poured on the head of Japan and where they pray for its defeat. It has always been the central agency of spies in the Russian service. The Japanese hate the dome of the Russian towering above the whole city, as if sending contempt to the imperial palace itself, the temple bell is hated, which every Sunday morning, with its hubbub, bothers the peaceful sleep of the inhabitants.

After an alliance between Japan and Great Britain was concluded in 1902, it became obvious that a war between Japan and Russia was inevitable. At the council of 1903, Bishop Nicholas was forced to answer the question, which was extremely worrying for Japanese Orthodox Christians, whether they should participate in the war against Russia. He replied that they would have to fulfill their duty to their homeland along with all the people. In the event of a war, they will have to treat Russia as an enemy, but "fighting enemies does not mean hating them, but only defending their fatherland."

On February 5, 1904, Japan severed diplomatic relations with Russia. Two clergymen who were working in the mission at the time returned home. The clergy and laity of the Japanese church asked their bishop to stay in Japan. Bishop Nicholas replied that he had already made a decision before God to stay in Japan, in his small apartment at the cathedral. “I hope that the declaration of hostilities will not bring with it any change in the activities of our church. The catechists will continue to preach the Gospel of the Savior, the disciples will attend the mission school, and I myself will give myself entirely to the translation of our liturgical books ...

Today, as usual, I serve in the cathedral, but from now on, I will no longer take part in the public services of our church ... Until now, I have prayed for the prosperity and peace of the Japanese Empire. Now, since war has been declared between Japan and my homeland, I, as a Russian subject, cannot pray for Japan's victory over my own homeland. I also have obligations to my homeland and that is why I will be happy to see that you are fulfilling your duty in relation to your country. Christians to fulfill their duty as loyal subjects, but reminded: “Whoever has to go into battle without sparing his life, fight - not out of hatred for the enemy, but out of love for your compatriots ... Love for the fatherland is a holy feeling ... But apart from the earthly Fatherland, we also have a heavenly fatherland... This fatherland of ours is the Church, of which we are equally members, and according to which the children of the Heavenly Father truly constitute one family... And together we will fulfill our duty towards our heavenly fatherland, as it behooves us... And at the same time, let us fervently pray that the Lord will quickly restore the broken peace..."

The saint stopped all correspondence with Russia and devoted himself entirely to translation work.

When Russian prisoners of war began to arrive in Japan (their total number reached 73,000), Saint Nicholas, with the consent of the Japanese government, formed the Society for the Spiritual Consolation of Prisoners of War. To feed the prisoners, he selected five priests who spoke Russian. Each prisoner who arrived in Japan was blessed by the Japanese church with a silver cross. The prisoners were supplied with icons and books. Vladyka himself repeatedly addressed them in writing.

The activities of Bishop Nicholas during the war were extremely highly appreciated not only in Japan, but also in Russia. Emperor Nicholas II wrote to Bishop Nicholas at the end of 1905: “... You revealed to everyone that the Orthodox Church of Christ, alien to worldly domination and any tribal enmity, equally embraces all tribes and languages.<...>You, according to the covenant of Christ, did not leave the flock entrusted to you, and the grace of love and faith gave you the strength to endure the fiery test of warfare and, in the midst of warlike enmity, to keep peace, faith and prayer in the church created by your labors.

The rare tact and wisdom shown by St. Nicholas during the war years further increased his prestige in the eyes of Japanese society when the war ended. This prestige of the saint contributed to the rapid overcoming of the psychological consequences of the war and cleared the way for the Russo-Japanese rapprochement, which lasted until 1917.

The post-war period brought new challenges. The flow of donations to the Orthodox mission in Japan from Russia has almost stopped. As a result, the mission was forced to dismiss 30 catechists and close the catechist school.

In 1908, Bishop Sergius (Tikhomirov)15 arrived at the Kyoto see. He quickly mastered the Japanese language and became active in missionary work, traveling all over Japan. His appearance greatly comforted Archbishop Nicholas, who wrote: "Now I can die in peace in the confidence that the work of the mission is in good hands," and also: to Russia."

Last years of life and death.

In July 1911, the fiftieth anniversary of Father Nikolai's ministry on Japanese soil was solemnly celebrated. Bishop Sergius (Tikhomirov) wrote: “Now the priests and catechists began to arrive from all over Japan... There were over 120 of them alone, and many provincial Christians were also zealous. in his room and listened to the reports of the priests on the state of their parishes, the stories of catechists about preaching within their jurisdiction, or kindly talked with some grandmother who arrived from distant lands. ... In one day, a liturgy, a prayer service, a dinner at a hotel with guests of honor, a musical evening. With this, we young people finished. But the 75-year-old elder was invited to a meeting of former pupils of the Surugadai school. And he went. And not so much listened, how much he spoke and taught. One should have wondered how Vladyka could endure such a day... And tomorrow, too, promised no rest. Long, four hours, reading addresses. And in the evening, dinner in the mission yard, with hundreds of Christians... it seems to me that this day would have gone relatively well for the deceased, if not for the final moment... , offered to sing a Japanese hymn in honor of His Majesty, the Emperor of Japan, thanks to whose religious tolerance Christianity got the opportunity not only to spread, but also to enjoy, if not patronage, then, in any case, complete prosperity. It was necessary to see the extraordinary excitement of the lord, his face covered with a blush. One should have heard how Vladyka was not only the first to sing the hymn, but also sang it to the end... One should have seen this young fire in such a middle-aged organism. And then it would be clear to everyone that this moment could not pass without a trace for the upset heart of the lord ... "

nervous tension and the overwork of those days exacerbated the cardiac asthma from which Vladyka suffered. His strength began to fade rapidly.

Shortly before his death, Vladyka told Bishop Sergius: “... Our role is not higher than the plow. Here the peasant plowed, the plow was worn out. He abandoned it. I was also worn out. And they will leave me. Plow! Plow tirelessly! May God's cause grow! Still, it's nice that God plowed just for you. It means that you haven't rusted either. It means that your soul has been somewhat cleansed while working in God's field, and for this we will always thank God. "

The last time Archbishop Nicholas served was on the first day of the Nativity of Christ in 1912. A few days later he was admitted to St. Bows in Tsukiji. However, on February 5, Vladyka, in a hurry to finish his business, insisted on being taken back to Surugadai, and again returned to translation work. On February 13, he compiled the last report to the Synod on the state of affairs in the mission.

On February 15, Vladyka demanded the resumption of choir classes, which usually took place in the next room and were canceled on the recommendation of doctors, and asked him to perform his favorite "On the Rivers of Babylon."

At night, delirium began, during which the dying man uttered the word "Resurrection" several times. On February 16, at a quarter past seven, a large church bell rang, announcing the death of St. Nicholas.

15. Metropolitan Sergius (Tikhomirov) was arrested in April 1945 as a "Russian spy." He died on August 10 of the same year.

Bishop Sergius writes: “Vladyka no longer groans. His sister does not give him injections. making a plan for a 10-year work.<...>

The body of the highly blessed archbishop lay in the cross church... On Saturday, February 4 [v. st.] in the morning and evening after the All-Night Vigil, on Sunday after the Liturgy and in the evening, on Monday, February 6, solemn requiems were performed here in the morning and evening, always in a crowded church. Vladyka was not yet in the tomb, for the tomb was not ready. I had to observe a wonderful custom these days, for the first time during my service in Japan! A well-known group of Christians, by mutual agreement, comes to the body of the deceased in the evening and stays awake until the morning, listening to the reading of the Gospel.

Vladyka's body was wiped with holy oil from the relics of St. Joasaph of Belgorod. With the money donated by A.P. Sinelnikova, a small plot of land was bought at the Yanaka cemetery (Ueno district), where on February 22 he was buried.

In the morning, four liturgies were served on four altars for the repose of the soul of Archbishop Nicholas. At 11 o'clock in the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, the funeral began, performed mainly in Japanese. Among other wreaths, a wreath from the emperor of Japan stood out - this honor was awarded to foreigners extremely rarely. After the funeral, the coffin was surrounded around the cathedral and mounted on a chariot. The funeral procession, stretching for ten kilometers, headed to the cemetery. "The wind frantically tears our banners. We had to carry them in a lowered position. Pupils, pupils are walking. All in monotonous costumes. Everyone is holding palm branches, a symbol of faith in the victory of the lord's cause in Japan. Numerous flowers, hundreds of wreaths. Holy icons, crosses "Priests, deacons in sacred vestments... Many catechists in surplices. Bishop in full vestments with a staff in their hands. Vladyka's orders. All paraphernalia of the hierarchal dignity worn by the Vladyka. In conclusion, a chariot with an expensive coffin, a representative of Russia in an embroidered gold court uniform. And a ribbon, an endless ribbon of Christians..."

Cathedral of St. Nicholas.

A lot of money and public support were needed to implement the plan to build the cathedral. To raise funds, Archimandrite Nicholas went to Russia. In 1879 - 1880 he visited St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kazan, Kyiv, Odessa and collected voluntary donations.

In Russia, the mission was always greatly supported by the Minister of Public Education, and later a member of the State Council - Count Efimy Vasilyevich Putyatin. In 1853, Vice Admiral Putyatin, on the flagship frigate Pallada, "discovered Japan" for the Russian fleet, he also established diplomatic relations between the two countries and signed the first official treaty of friendship between Japan and Russia. An influential person in the secular and political circles of St. Petersburg, Putyatin treated Nikolai as own son and lovingly cared for the needs of the mission. The admiral's daughter Olga was also friendly with Father Nikolai, and in 1884 she came to Japan as a nun to help him in his missionary work.

Seeing the success of the mission in Japan, the Holy Synod decided to appoint a bishop there. Candidates other than Nikolai himself could not be imagined. On March 30, 1880, he was consecrated at the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Returning back to his second homeland by the steamship Voluntary fleet, Bishop Nicholas visited Palestine, bowed to the Holy Sepulcher and brought a palm branch to Japan.

Initially, a sketch of the future temple was developed by the St. Petersburg architect, Professor A. Shurupov. The building in plan resembled a Greek cross, the domes were designed in the Byzantine style. Nikolai bought a plot of land on the top of the Suruga-dai hill in the Kanda region, where in medieval times there was a fire tower, which also served as a beacon for ships entering the port of Edo (old Tokyo). The construction was led by the English architect Joshua Conder, who at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries built more than 50 buildings in Tokyo, including the imperial palace. Seven years later, in 1891, Konder handed Bishop Nikolai the keys to the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ. The consecration was attended by 19 Japanese priests and over 4,000 Christians. The Orthodox temple, popularly referred to as "Nikolai-do" (literally - "the temple of Nicholas"), soon became a landmark of the Japanese capital. Russian sailors recognized in its outlines the image of the main temple of the Russian fleet - the Naval Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Kronstadt. Before the strongest earthquake that destroyed Tokyo in 1923, after which multi-storey construction began, the well-located Orthodox Cathedral was one of the tallest buildings in the city. This caused attacks: "it is disrespectful that the cathedral rises above the imperial palace," "this is a manifestation of arbitrariness on the part of Russia."

However, the scale of construction and the place that the cathedral occupied in the Japanese capital corresponded to the scale of the personality of Nicholas himself and the role that he began to play by that time in Japanese society. The bishop enjoyed great respect, many of his admirers were both in Russia and in Japan. His authority was resorted to on a very wide range of issues, from articles on Oriental studies to interstate relations. The diplomatic qualities of Bishop Nikolai were especially evident in the resolution of the conflict because of the well-known "incident in Otsu," when an attempt was made on the heir to the Russian throne, Nikolai Alexandrovich.

It was an unprecedented event. The Russian Tsarevich, who visited Japan at the invitation of the Japanese emperor and to whom the latter guaranteed safety, was attacked by a policeman from the guards. Japan found itself in the face of a scandalous diplomatic failure, and even a threat to the country's security, since at that time the seven Russian warships accompanying the heir to the throne could easily destroy the entire Japanese fleet. The fact of their refusal of the services of Japanese doctors sent by the emperor spoke of the anger of the Russians, although the wound was trifling. The emperor himself hurried to personally come to Nikolai Alexandrovich, escorted him to the port and even boarded a Russian warship - an act unthinkable for a reigning Japanese monarch. Russian envoy Shevich and Bishop Nikolai intervened in the events. Nicholas was especially zealous and, in particular, more than others persuaded his namesake not to bring matters to a war with Japan. The Tsarevich accepted the Japanese emperor's apology. The incident was resolved amicably.

In 1910, the 50th anniversary of Nicholas' ministry in Japan was solemnly celebrated. The Holy Synod elevated him to the rank of archbishop. Nicholas was congratulated by both the Japanese emperor and the governor of Tokyo, the Japanese press, and foreign missions. The speech of the governor of Tokyo contained the following words: "... It seems to me that the merits that the venerable teacher Nikolai rendered to our state are not limited to the success of the missionary alone, but also lies in the fact that he contributed to civilization in our country ... "

Other foreigners in Japan spoke enthusiastically about the Russian mission. From the English report: "Along with the Anglican Church of Japan stands the magnificent Russian Mission under the leadership of the best Christian in Japan, Archbishop Nicholas..."

Vladyka himself reasoned about his merits as follows: "Is there any merit in the plow with which the peasant plowed the field? How can she boast: "Look, Orthodox, what I have done!..." the peasant has plowed, the plow has worn out. He has abandoned it. I have also worn out. And they will leave me. The new plow will begin to plow. So be careful, plow! Plow honestly! Plow tirelessly! Let the cause of God grow!

Still, it's nice that it was you that God plowed. So you are not rusty. It means that your soul has been somewhat cleansed while working in God's field. And for this we will always thank God."

Conclusion.

The main merit in enlightening Japan with the light of Orthodoxy belongs to the outstanding Russian missionary - the Apostle of Japan, Archbishop Nikolai, "the Apostle of Japan," who in the middle of the 19th century began the ministry of the gospel in the Land of the Rising Sun. Saint Nicholas of Japan spared no effort and time to study the language and life of people, among whom his half-century of tireless activity then unfolded, but its results were impressive: from a lonely ascetic missionary, he turned into the head of the Church with dozens of Japanese shepherds and tens of thousands of flocks. . Today, the Autonomous Church of Japan exists in the complex world of post-industrial Japan, with its poly-confessional traditions, the science-centric attitudes of the intelligentsia, and the aggressiveness of neo-religious sects and societies.

There is no one in history Christian preaching in this country, who would deserve this name with more right than the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Archbishop Nicholas.

The Russian Orthodox Church, headed by Alexy I, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', on April 10, 1970, decided to glorify St. Nicholas as a saint with the name Equal-to-the-Apostles.

His grave still remains in Japan a national and general church shrine, and St. Nicholas himself is revered as a great righteous man and a special intercessor before the Lord.

The memory of Equal-to-the-Apostles Nicholas, Archbishop of Japan, is celebrated on February 3, the day of the blessed repose

It seems, what kind of connection can there be between Japan and a native of the remote Smolensk village, Ivan Kasatkin (in monasticism - Nikolai)? But it was our compatriot, a simple guy from the family of a village deacon, who could become the Equal-to-the-Apostles educator of Japan and the first founder in this country Orthodox church. Rising majestically in the center of Tokyo, the Temple of the Ascension of the Lord or Nikolai-Do (St. Nicholas Temple), as the Japanese used to call it, still attracts many pilgrims from all over the world to this day.

Born on August 1 (13), 1836 in the Smolensk province in the village of Bereza. Behind him are the Belsk Theological School, the Smolensk Theological Seminary and the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. Diligent study for many years, a sincere desire to be useful people and to preach the Christian faith, they brought Nikolai (who had already taken monastic tonsure) in 1860 to Japan as a missionary. At that time, it was allowed to establish the first diplomatic mission in Hakodate. It was not an easy task to preach the gospel to the Japanese people. Japan, always hostile to everything foreign and alien to Christian ethics, held fast to its customs. The confession of Orthodoxy in this country has been banned for more than 2 centuries. And besides, there are also samurai customs, when, defending his honor, a samurai must end his life with the help of hara-kiri. But Nikolai took up the assigned tasks with zeal and diligence characteristic of him - for 8 years he studied everything related to Japan, its history, language and customs, re-read a bunch of literature in Japanese, mastered the language itself perfectly, spoke fluently only with a slight accent . The former samurai Sawabe became the first student and follower of Father Nikolai. Initially hostile, after several conversations with Nikolai, he began to show interest in Christian teaching, and later he was baptized and even was ordained a priest. Later they were joined by doctors Sakai and Urano, who also took clergy and received the names of the apostles James and John. And Sawabe was named Paul. After the persecution of Christians in 1871, when all the old decrees against Christianity were destroyed, Father Nikolai began to build a temple, a school, and then a religious school. He translated into Japanese a huge number of liturgical books and compiled a theological dictionary. It was difficult for Nikolai's father at the time, he was the only Russian in the mission. He declined the offer to return to his homeland and remained in Tokyo. He ordered all his parishioners to pray for the victory of Japan, while he himself quietly prayed that Russia, beloved by him, would win. As far as possible, he tried to visit his captive compatriots and help them in every possible way. During the war, the number of people who accepted the Christian faith only increased. And by 1912, the number of baptized Japanese was over 34,000. In 1906, Saint Nicholas was elevated to the rank of archbishop for his missionary work and ascetic labors. In 1912, at the age of 76, the saint peacefully passed away into the other world. He is buried at ancient cemetery in Tokyo. In 1970, Nicholas was glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church as a saint. To this day, he is revered in Japan as a true righteous man and a great prayer book before God. It is customary to celebrate the memory of the saint on February 16. According to the descriptions of eyewitnesses, he was like an epic hero - tall, strong physique, with large features, his gaze exuded strength and inflexibility. There is even a comparison of St. Nicholas with a hero, who also came from a remote village. Always feeling the mood of anyone who came to him, he gave advice and admonished the suffering with warmth and paternal care. In addition to his ardent faith, his success in preaching Orthodoxy to the Japanese was also due to the deepest understanding of the spirit of the Japanese people, their culture.

monastic name revered

in Orthodoxy

Glorified in the face main shrine Day of Remembrance Attributes

book, episcopal vestment

Proceedings Awards

Archbishop Nicholas of Japan(in the world - Ivan Dmitrievich Kasatkin, Japanese: ニコライ・カサートキン; August 1, Berezovsky churchyard, Smolensk province - February 3, Tokyo, Japan) - Archbishop of the Russian Church; missionary, founder of the Orthodox Church in Japan, Honorary Member of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society. Glorified among the saints as equal to the apostles; memory - 3 (16) February.

Biography

Born in the Berezovsky churchyard of the Belsky district of the Smolensk province (now the village of Bereza of the Mostovsky rural district of the Oleninsky district of the Tver region) in the family of a deacon. He graduated from the Belsk Theological School and the Smolensk Theological Seminary. Among the best students in 1857, he was recommended and entered the St. Petersburg Theological Academy where in 1860, having learned that there was a vacancy for the position of rector of the church at the recently opened Russian consulate in the city of Hakodate (Japan), he applied and was elected for this ministry. Then he took the tonsure.

When Russian prisoners of war began to arrive in Japan (their total number reached 73 thousand people), Bishop Nicholas, with the consent of the Japanese government, formed the Society for the Spiritual Consolation of Prisoners of War. To feed the prisoners, he selected five priests who spoke Russian. The prisoners were supplied with icons and books. Vladyka himself repeatedly addressed them in writing (Nikolai himself was not allowed to see the prisoners).

After the death of Archbishop Nicholas, the Japanese Emperor Meiji personally gave permission for the burial of his remains within the city.

Awards

• Order of St. Vladimir, 1st class
• Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky with diamonds
• Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky
• Order of St. Anne, 1st class
• Order of St. Vladimir II degree

Canonization

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Notes

Literature

• Archbishop Anthony (Melnikov). Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Archbishop Nicholas of Japan. // Theological works, 1975, sb.14
• O. V. Shatalov.
• Kedrov N. Archbishop Nicholas of Japan in letters to Archpriest N. V. Blagorazumov // Russian Archives. - St. Petersburg. , . - No. 3 . - S. 379-402.

Links

• Online " Russian Orthodoxy»
• // Pravoslavie.Ru website
• Bishop Alexander (Mileant).

An excerpt characterizing Nicholas of Japan

The comrade soldiers, walking next to Pierre, did not look back, just like he did, at the place from which a shot was heard and then the howling of a dog; but a stern expression lay on all faces.

The depot, and the prisoners, and the convoy of the marshal stopped in the village of Shamshev. Everything was huddled around the fires. Pierre went up to the fire, ate roasted horse meat, lay down with his back to the fire and immediately fell asleep. He slept again in the same dream as he slept in Mozhaisk after Borodin.
Again the events of reality were combined with dreams, and again someone, whether he himself or someone else, spoke to him thoughts, and even the same thoughts that were spoken to him in Mozhaisk.
“Life is everything. Life is God. Everything moves and moves, and this movement is God. And as long as there is life, there is the enjoyment of the self-consciousness of the deity. Love life, love God. It is most difficult and most blessed to love this life in one's suffering, in the innocence of suffering.
"Karataev" - Pierre remembered.
And suddenly Pierre introduced himself as a living, long-forgotten, meek old man who taught geography to Pierre in Switzerland. "Wait," said the old man. And he showed Pierre the globe. This globe was a living, oscillating ball, without dimensions. The entire surface of the sphere consisted of drops tightly compressed together. And these drops all moved, moved, and then merged from several into one, then from one they were divided into many. Each drop strove to spill out, to capture the greatest space, but others, striving for the same, squeezed it, sometimes destroyed it, sometimes merged with it.
“This is life,” said the old teacher.
“How simple and clear it is,” thought Pierre. How could I not have known this before?
- God is in the middle, and each drop seeks to expand in order to largest sizes reflect it. And it grows, merges, and shrinks, and is destroyed on the surface, goes into the depths and emerges again. Here he is, Karataev, here he spilled and disappeared. - Vous avez compris, mon enfant, [You understand.] - said the teacher.
- Vous avez compris, sacre nom, [You understand, damn you.] - shouted a voice, and Pierre woke up.
He got up and sat down. By the fire, squatting on his haunches, sat a Frenchman, who had just pushed a Russian soldier away, and fried the meat put on the ramrod. Wiry, tucked up, overgrown with hair, red hands with short fingers deftly turned the ramrod. A brown, gloomy face with furrowed brows was clearly visible in the glow of the coals.
“Ca lui est bien egal,” he grumbled, quickly addressing the soldier behind him. - ... brigand. Va! [He doesn't care... Rogue, right!]
And the soldier, turning the ramrod, looked gloomily at Pierre. Pierre turned away, peering into the shadows. One Russian soldier, a prisoner, the one who was pushed away by the Frenchman, sat by the fire and ruffled something with his hand. Peering closer, Pierre recognized a purple dog, which, wagging its tail, was sitting next to the soldier.
- Did you come? Pierre said. “Ah, Pla…” he began and did not finish. In his imagination, suddenly, at the same time, connecting with each other, there arose a memory of the look with which Plato looked at him, sitting under a tree, of a shot heard in that place, of a dog howling, of the criminal faces of two Frenchmen who ran past him, of smoking gun, about the absence of Karataev at this halt, and he was ready to understand that Karataev had been killed, but at the same moment in his soul, coming from God knows where, there arose a memory of the evening he spent with the beautiful Polish woman, in the summer, on balcony of his Kyiv house. And yet, without connecting the memories of the current day and not drawing a conclusion about them, Pierre closed his eyes, and the picture of summer nature mingled with the memory of bathing, of a liquid oscillating ball, and he sank somewhere into the water, so that the water converged over his head.
Before sunrise, he was awakened by loud, frequent shots and screams. The French ran past Pierre.
- Les cosaques! [Cossacks!] - shouted one of them, and a minute later a crowd of Russian faces surrounded Pierre.
For a long time Pierre could not understand what happened to him. From all sides he heard the cries of joy of his comrades.
- Brothers! My darlings, doves! - crying, shouted the old soldiers, hugging the Cossacks and hussars. Hussars and Cossacks surrounded the prisoners and hurriedly offered some dresses, some boots, some bread. Pierre sobbed, sitting in the middle of them, and could not utter a word; he embraced the first soldier who approached him and, weeping, kissed him.
Dolokhov stood at the gates of a ruined house, letting a crowd of disarmed French pass him by. The French, excited by everything that had happened, spoke loudly among themselves; but when they passed Dolokhov, who lightly lashed his boots with a whip and looked at them with his cold, glassy look, promising nothing good, their speech fell silent. On the other side stood the Cossack Dolokhova and counted the prisoners, marking hundreds with a line of chalk on the gate.
- How much? Dolokhov asked the Cossack, who was counting the prisoners.
“On the second hundred,” answered the Cossack.
- Filez, filez, [Come in, come in.] - Dolokhov said, having learned this expression from the French, and, meeting the eyes of the passing prisoners, his eyes flashed with a cruel brilliance.
Denisov, with a gloomy face, took off his hat, walked behind the Cossacks, who were carrying the body of Petya Rostov to a hole dug in the garden.

Since October 28, when the frosts began, the flight of the French only acquired the more tragic character of people freezing and roasting to death at the fires and continuing to ride in fur coats and carriages with the stolen goods of the emperor, kings and dukes; but in essence the process of flight and disintegration of the French army has not changed at all since the departure from Moscow.
From Moscow to Vyazma, out of the seventy-three thousand French army, not counting the guards (who did nothing during the whole war except robbery), out of seventy-three thousand, thirty-six thousand remained (of this number, no more than five thousand were eliminated in battles). Here is the first member of the progression, which mathematically correctly determines the subsequent ones.
The French army was melting and destroyed in the same proportion from Moscow to Vyazma, from Vyazma to Smolensk, from Smolensk to Berezina, from Berezina to Vilna, regardless of a greater or lesser degree of cold, persecution, blocking the path and all other conditions taken separately. After Vyazma, the French troops, instead of three columns, huddled together and so went to the end. Berthier wrote to his sovereign (it is known how remotely from the truth the chiefs allow themselves to describe the state of the army). He wrote:
“Je crois devoir faire connaitre a Votre Majeste l"etat de ses troupes dans les differents corps d"annee que j"ai ete a meme d"observer depuis deux ou trois jours dans differents passages. Elles sont presque debandees. Le nombre des soldats qui suivent les drapeaux est en proportion du quart au plus dans presque tous les regiments, les autres marchent isolement dans differentes directions et pour leur compte, dans l "esperance de trouver des subsistances et pour se debarrasser de la discipline. En general ils regardent Smolensk comme le point ou ils doivent se refaire. Ces derniers jours on a remarque que beaucoup de soldats jettent leurs cartouches et leurs armes. Dans cet etat de choses, l "interet du service de Votre Majeste exige, quelles que soient ses vues ulterieures qu "on rallie l" armee a Smolensk en commencant a la debarrasser des non combattans, tels que hommes demontes et des bagages inutiles et du materiel de l "artillerie qui n" est plus en proportion avec les forces actuelles. En outre les jours de repos, des subsistances sont necessaires aux soldats qui sont extenues par la faim et la fatigue; beaucoup sont morts ces derniers jours sur la route et dans les bivacs. Cet etat de choses va toujours en augmentant et donne lieu de craindre que si l "on n" y prete un prompt remede, on ne soit plus maitre des troupes dans un combat. Le 9 November, a 30 verstes de Smolensk.
[It takes me a long time to report to Your Majesty about the condition of the corps that I examined on the march in the last three days. They are almost in complete disarray. Only a quarter of the soldiers remain with the banners, the rest go on their own in different directions, trying to find food and get rid of the service. Everyone thinks only of Smolensk, where they hope to have a rest. AT the last days many soldiers abandoned their cartridges and guns. Whatever your further intentions, but the benefit of Your Majesty's service requires gathering corps in Smolensk and separating from them dismounted cavalrymen, unarmed, extra carts and part of the artillery, because now it is not in proportion to the number of troops. Need food and a few days of rest; the soldiers are exhausted by hunger and fatigue; in recent days many have died on the road and in the bivouacs. Such plight incessantly intensifies and makes one fear that, unless prompt measures are taken to prevent evil, we will soon not have troops in our power in the event of a battle. November 9, 30 versts from Smolenka.]