Founder of the Orthodox Church in Japan Japanese Nicholas: biography, photo

Before Vanyushka Kasatkin began to bear the name of the Japanese Nicholas, he was the son of an ordinary rural deacon and closely friends with the admiral children of the Skrydlov family, whose estate was in the vicinity of the father's temple. Friends once asked him about who 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 put his dreams of the sea on shore and sent him to study in the theological seminary of the city of Smolensk, and then as one of the best students for his official account they are sent to study in the theological seminary of St. Petersburg.

In this city and met friends of childhood, Vanya and Leont Skrydlov, who became a graduate of the Naval Cadet Corps. Asked why he did not become a sailor, Vanya replied that it is possible to navigate the sea expanses of the sea and ocean and the ship's priest.

Japanese Nikolay: The Beginning

On the fourth year of the spiritual academy Ivan learned from the announcement of the Holy Synod that the Russian Imperial consulate in Japan needed a priest. Consul of Japan I. Goshkevich decided to organize missionary work in this country, although at that time there was a strict ban on Christianity.

Ivan, first, after hearing about the Chinese mission, wanted to get to China and preach to the Gentiles, and this desire was already formed. But then his interest spread from China to Japan, as he read with great interest the "Notes of Captain Golovin" about the captivity in this country.

In the first half of the 60-ies of the XIX century, Russia under Alexander II sought a revival, it was time for great reforms and the abolition of serfdom. The tendency of missionary work abroad has increased.

Preparation

So, Ivan Kasatkin began to prepare for missionary work in Japan. In 1860, on June 24, he was tonsured into monks named Nikolai in honor of the Great Wonderworker Nicholas. After 5 days, he was ordained a hierodeacon, another day - in a hieromonk. And on August 1, Hieromonk Nicholas, at the age of 24, travels to Japan. He dreamed of her as his sleeping bride, which must be awakened - as she pictured in his imagination. On the Russian ship "Cupid" he, at last, has arrived in the country of the Rising Sun. In Hakodate, Consul Goshkevich accepted him.

At that time in this country for more than 200 years there was a ban on Christianity. Nicholas of Japan starts to work. First of all, he studies Japanese language, 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 Nicholas closely watched the life of the Japanese, visited their Buddhist temples and listened to the preachers.

At first he was mistaken for a spy and even sent dogs down to him, and samurai threatened reprisals. But in the fourth year, Nikolai of Japan found his first adherent, who believed in Christ. It was the rector of the Shinto temple, Takuma Savabe. A year later they had another brother, then another. Takume at the christening received the name of Paul, and ten years later appeared the first Orthodox priest-Japanese. In this position, he had to go through severe trials.

The first Christians-Japanese

The money was very tight. Father Nicholas was often helped by Consul Goshkevich, who gave money from those of his funds, which usually hold for "extraordinary expenses." In 1868, a revolution occurred in Japan: newly converted Japanese Christians were persecuted.

In 1869 Nikolai went to St. Petersburg to achieve the opening of the 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, the Japanese Nicholas received an assistant in the person of a graduate of the Kiev Theological Academy - Hieromonk Anatoly (Tikhaya). By this time there were already about 50 Orthodox Japanese in Hakodate.

Tokyo

And already then svt. Nicholas of Japan leaves all for the care of priest Pavel Savabe 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 his home and begins to teach the Japanese.

In 1873, the government of Japan will adopt a legislative act on religious tolerance. The private school was soon reorganized into a theological seminary, which became the beloved child of Father Nicholas (except for theology there were studied many other disciplines).

By 1879, there were already several schools in Tokyo: the seminary, the catechetical school, the parish school and the school of foreign languages.

Towards the end of the life of Nicholas's father, the seminary received in Japan the status of an average educational institution, whose best students continued their studies in Russia in theological academies.

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

Temple of Nicholas of Japan

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

But Father Nicholas dreamed of a cathedral. To raise funds for its construction, it is sent all over Russia.

In 1880 on March 30 priest Nicholas was a chirotonissan in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Above the sketch of the future church of the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ worked architect A. Shurupov. Father Nicholas bought a site in the Kanda district on the Suruga-dai hill. The temple was built by the English architect Joshua Konder for seven years, and in 1891 he handed him keys to Father Nicholas. On consecration 19 priests and 4 thousand believers were present. In the people this temple was called "Nicholas-do".

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

War

In 1904, because of the 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 Orthodoxy is not only a national Russian religion, patriotism is the true and natural feeling of any Christian. He sent a formal appeal to the churches, where it was prescribed to pray for the victory of the Japanese troops. So he decided to save the Orthodox Japanese from the contradictions: to believe in Christ and be Japanese. This he saved the Japanese Orthodox ship. His heart was torn, and he did not participate in public worship, and one prayed in the altar.

Then he cared about Russian prisoners of war, who by the end of the war there were more than 70 thousand.

Bishop Nikolai, who was not in Russia for 25 years, felt his approaching darkness through his penetrating heart. To distract from all these experiences, he plunged into the translations of liturgical books.

In 1912, on February 16, 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 is paralysis of the heart. For its half-century activity, 265 churches were built, 41 priests, 121 catechists, 15 regents and 31 984 believers were brought up.

Equal-Apostolic Saint Nicholas of Japan was listed as a saint on April 10, 1970.