Banzai, Nikolai! A Russian Apostle of Japan

In March 1884, a grand construction unfolded right under the windows of the Emperor's residence in Tokyo. Onlookers thought that the ruler was renovating his palace. No one could imagine that in the heart of the country, where just 10 years ago Christians were executed for their faith, they were erecting a huge Orthodox cathedral. In the future, people will refer to it in the name of its builder, a Russian monk who managed to bring Orthodoxy to the Land of the Rising Sun, Nikolai's House, Nikola

i-do. Nikolai of Japan, Equal-to-the-Apostles, enlightener of the Japanese people, Orthodox laborer and missionary, at the end of the 19th century went to Japan as part of an embassy, a mission attached to the embassy, and opened a whole era in the history of Japan and the history of the Orthodox Church. He managed to master a vast array of Japanese culture, learn the language, literature, all the nuances of the Japanese people's psychology, and adequately present the Gospel to them. The fruit o

f his labors was the emergence of the Autonomous Japanese Orthodox Church. We all remember well that it was the Russians who brought us Orthodoxy. The number of Japanese people who received holy baptism numbered in the thousands. Saint Nikolai grew fond of this people. They gave him their hearts because he gave them his first. Over 50 years, he converted more than 40,000 people to Christ. Truly significant numbers, I believe. He was indeed a spiritual giant. His work was remarkable. When America

ns conducted carpet bombings in Tokyo in 1945, everyone fled to the Saint Nikolai Cathedral. There, they sought refuge and blessings under his protection. It's an extraordinary event. No other foreigner in the entire history of Imperial Japan has been honored in such a way. My goal is to become like that. That's why I pray here. He didn't stop being Russian, but he fully became Japanese. "Banzai" translates literally from Japanese as "long live 10,000 years". In Russian, we would say: "Long liv

e" or "Many years". This is how the Japanese greeted emperors and especially revered individuals, among whom in the once closed-off country was a foreigner, Orthodox bishop from Russia, Nikolai Kasatkin. All the traditions that were established during his time have been preserved to this day because all the liturgies he performed, we continue to perform, and we venerate Saint Nikolai because he is one of the great enlightener saints of Japan. I believe he successfully fulfilled his mission. The

Japanese people became believers. It's all the more remarkable considering that in the homeland of Saint Nikolai, his memory was nearly forgotten for almost a century. The village of Beryoza, now located in the Tver region. Here is a rectangle. Here, there was a church where Father Nikolai's father, Deacon Dmitry, served. Somewhere around here, his mother Ksenia is buried, as well as the deacon himself. And his house was here. Yes, this is the spot. Ivan - so they named the future Saint Nikolai

in honor of John the Baptist – was born into the Kasatkin family on August 1, 1836. The village, consisting of just five households, was located in the Smolensk Province and was called "Yegorye on the Birch." And here is the border - the Beryoza River, protecting from enemies. This is the Mezha River, also marking the border between two principalities. That's why "Beryoza" means "protector" or "guardian." And "Yegorye" is named in honor of St. George the Victorious. Here, where the cemetery is n

ow overgrown, there stood a church dedicated to St. George since the late 17th century. Later, it was rebuilt and consecrated in honor of the Ascension of the Lord. It stood until the mid-20th century. Now, only its foundation remains. In this Ascension church, the father of the future Saint served, and young Ivan grew up. The church disappeared during what events? Was it burned down by the Bolsheviks? In the 1950s, it was completely dismantled, even the foundation was taken apart, for construct

ion material for a factory. And there should obviously be some kind of sign here someday. You know what I want to do here? To designate the place where the church stood, highlight its foundation, and leave it as a memory of the church. And place a cross on the altar part. - Yes, exactly right. In their family, there were four children: the firstborn Gavriil, who died in infancy, daughter Olga, Ivan, and the youngest son Vasily. In the future, he too would become a priest and serve in Syzran. I b

elieve that for believers, prayerful connection is very important. His father served at the altar, and undoubtedly, his father's prayers contributed to the fact that Nikolai was under this dome and protection. I believe that here, it is the secret prayers of those who loved him, and perhaps, primarily his father's, that provide insight into and explain the success of his endeavors. Moreover, since childhood, Ivan observed his father working hard, balancing many duties. He became a widower with t

hree children to care for when Ivan was 5 years old. Moreover, at that time, by the decree of Emperor Nikolai I, provide medical care, manage crops, and even persuade parishioners to get vaccinated against smallpox. the rural clergy were given new duties to teach the population literacy, provide medical care, manage crops, and even persuade parishioners to get vaccinated against smallpox. And practically all the efforts in raising these three children fell on the shoulders of the poor deacon. Bu

t he made every effort to provide them with a good education and to raise them well. In general, there was an atmosphere of kindness and love in the family. Father Dmitry had to walk around his own and neighboring provinces to raise funds to support the parish. He would absorb what his father did. His father served in the church. As a boy, he himself would come to the church, help his father at the altar, read prayers, read from the liturgical books. Beryoza, where once bustling fairs were held,

almost died out during the Soviet era. And at the beginning of this century, a priest named Father Artemy was sent here to serve. He would have to do almost the same thing here as Saint Nikolai did in Japan over a century ago - it's like baptizing this land anew. Now he is the priest of the local church in honor of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Nikolai, oversees the local martial arts club, and gathers information about the life of the Saint. He placed a cross on the spot where his childhood home s

tood. Vessel overflowing with the love of Christ, rejoice, O Saint Nikolai, enlightener of Japanese lands. Father Artemy, patiently and for many years, in all weather conditions, serving molebens at this Cross, dreamed of pilgrims from all over the country coming to the birthplace of Saint Nikolai. By undertaking this documentary about the Saint, we appealed to the audience of the "Spas" channel. And they raised the necessary amount for the monument to the Saint. And now there will be a small ga

rden in Japanese style here, in his name, with his bust. Such an area for rest and contemplation, for reflections on where everything comes from. As a native of this land, thousands of kilometers away, in an unknown distant country that worshiped the dragon in those days, and our political enemy, by the way, how did he manage and skillfully present himself as an instrument of the Holy Spirit, so that the Lord through him would give birth to a new essentially local church. I begin this work with

my morning prayer rule. As a believer, I always begin by crossing myself. It's very important for me to do so. The monument is dedicated specifically to the Saint. Blessed be our God, now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Glory to you, our God, Glory to you. Heavenly King... As if a blessing from Saint Nikolai himself on this endeavor, during the work on this film and the monument, an icon of the saint was sent to us from Japan. Perhaps it would have been good for him to rest in Tver,

but evidently, where he founded the church, there he will remain until the Last Judgment. One of the descendants of his first disciples had the image blessed on his grave, his tomb, and graciously passed it on to us for you. Thank you! The nearest city from here is Bely. As a teenager, Ivan Kasatkin enters the Bely Spiritual School and walks there on foot for over 50 kilometers. We, along with the schoolchildren, tried to find this road on bicycles, which Nikolai of Japan partially walked on fo

ot, partially on carriages if his fellow travelers took him. Unfortunately, the road has become completely overgrown. It was still marked on Soviet maps from the 1970s. When we tried to travel along it now, it was overgrown with trees taller than me. After graduating from the Bely School, Ivan Kasatkin entered the Smolensk Seminary, where he became the top graduate. And he was offered to continue his education at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy at the government's expense. Having received

his father's blessing, in 1857 he set off for the capital. The Saint himself did not hide the fact that while studying at the Theological Academy, he frequented theaters, some parties, and was one of the most cheerful students, if not the most cheerful student. Moreover, at that time, missionary departments were opened at the academy, and attending them was voluntary. Ivan ignored them. His grades for languages here were also mostly average or below average. Later, he became a brilliant transla

tor and an expert not only in Japanese but also in Chinese languages. So, how it started and how it ended! A person who did not attend the missionary department became one of the outstanding missionaries in the entire history of the Russian Orthodox Church, throughout all these centuries. A person who was a regular at all kinds of feasts and parties, becomes an ascetic, a great model, an ideal not only for missionaries but also for monks and ascetics. In this regard, even such cheerful students

are not hopeless. By the way, similar characteristics were also found in another student of this academy, the namesake of Ivan Kasatkin, also a future saint, Father Ivan Sergiev of Kronstadt. He graduated from the Academy two years before Kasatkin entered it, and recalled later that he was almost the very last of the students, barely speaking in class and during exams, However, unlike Kasatkin, Ivan Sergiev dreamed of serving as a missionary in distant China or America. But the Lord showed him t

hat the nearest Kronstadt was in need of preaching. And the fate of the merry Kasatkin was decided by one announcement on the wall of the academy. In Japan, a priest was needed as the head of the church at the Russian consulate in provincial Hakodate. There, it was simply about the embassy church. The previous priest, due to health reasons, requested retirement and was returning back. And so, a priest was needed there for several years to specifically serve the employees of our embassy. The Sain

t himself would later write: "Several people signed up, but everyone wanted to go as married priests. 'Should I go?' I asked myself. 'Yes, you should go,' my conscience answered, but not as a married man – either as an individual or with a family, or on a mission. On top of it all, in such a distant and unknown country. Every person needs a family, but in the conventional sense, Nikolai didn't have one; the Japanese Church became his bride. He saw this immaculate bride in the faces of the Japane

se, to whom he brought the gospel message. Let us pray with hearts full of tenderness to the Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Nikolai, Archbishop of Japan. The Twelve Apostles Church in the St. Petersburg Academy. Years later, Saint Nikolai would recall: it was here, during the All-Night Vigil service, that a peaceful assurance came into his heart, confirming that this was indeed his path. To the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Glory to You, O God. If we turn to the memories

of his classmates, they were somewhat taken aback by this, as no one expected that this joker would suddenly make such a decision. He needed to radically change his life, namely to accept monastic tonsure. And you know, to change everything so radically in just one evening, well, it's truly miraculous. There's no other explanation for it, undoubtedly, in my opinion. It was also a clear miracle how the rector of the Academy responded to the student's request. The fact that the church authorities

reacted positively was also generally somewhat surprising. Why so? Where did such trust come from? All the more so, well, let's say if the person had been attending services all the time, leading such a monastic, reclusive way of life, thinking about the mission, attending all the subjects of the missionary department, and so on. But none of this was the case. Nevertheless, the trust shown by the rector, the metropolitan, and the Holy Synod also evokes such reverential surprise. On June 21, 1860

, in this Apostolic church, the future Apostle of Japan took monastic vows with the name Nikolai. Then he was ordained as a hieromonk, that is, a monk-priest, and appointed as the head of the church at the Russian consulate in Hakodate. Ivan Dmitrievich Kasatkin was tonsured not by just anyone, but by the rector, Bishop Nectariy Nadezhdin. And in that very act, he hinted that Saint Nikolai was heading to a distant land. Well, nobody knew what Japan was. Where is this Japan located? "Hardly anyth

ing will come of it for you there. You'll stay there for 3 years, and after those 3 years, you'll come back." So, there was skepticism. Hieromonk Nikolai would probably recall the skepticism of the rector many times afterward. The first serious trials on the missionary path would begin already on the way to Japan. He would set off to the distant unknown islands from his home village, stopping by to say goodbye to his father and relatives. The journey of 7,000 kilometers would take almost a year.

Having traveled by relay across all of Russia, Nikolai didn't make it to the ship before the close of navigation and spent the winter in Nikolayevsk-on-Amur, then it was just Nikolayevsk. And very soon, frustration would turn into amazement at the divine providence, because this unplanned delay in the Far Eastern port city would gift him an encounter with the great missionary of that time, Archbishop Innocent Veniaminov, enlightener of Kamchatka, Chukotka, the Aleutian, Kuril, and Commander Isl

ands of North America, Yakutia, the Okhotsk coast, creator of the Aleut language alphabet, and one of the founders of Blagoveshchensk. The encounter between St. Nikolai and St. Innocent was indeed a remarkable and miraculous coincidence. Those were essentially practical lectures on missionary work. At that time, Saint Innocent was a highly experienced figure in the field of missionary work. Indeed, he possessed vast experience and his personality was highly charismatic. And that fire, that grace

, that charisma, was passed from that elder to this young monk. Accustomed to life on the road and harsh conditions, St. Innocent bought velvet and sewed a cassock for the young hieromonk himself. He said, "You must look dignified; you will represent the Russian Church”. But providence did not allow the disciple to part from his mentor, even after the end of wintering. When in the summer of 1861 hieromonk Nikolai arrived in the Japanese port of Hakodate aboard the warship "Amur," soon after, Inn

ocent also arrived there. His vessel was caught in a storm and docked on the Japanese shore - they met again. He saw the situation of this missionary, he supported him. He saw that he had some French novel lying there, he said: "Actually, throw away all that and start focusing on studying the Japanese language”. And that was probably the most important advice the future enlightener of Japan heard in his life. Hieromonk Nikolai began a colossal effort to learn the language, culture, and country h

e came to preach in. For 8 hours a day, for many years, he devoted himself to learning the incredibly complex language with its intricate Chinese characters, mastering both katakana and hiragana scripts. Teachers came and went, but Nikolai remained steadfast at his desk: writing, reading, translating, speaking, articulating. The teachers and assistants of Saint Nikolai, who were Japanese, by nature able to concentrate and endure the heaviest burdens, couldn't endure and would faint from exhausti

on. As an expert in Japanese studies, I never cease to be amazed by his feat. He tried to use existing Western textbooks of Japanese at the time, such as French ones, but later discarded them with dismay, saying that they simply didn't work. Even the most educated members of the Japanese elite couldn't all boast of such knowledge. Of course, he needed to study their way of thinking, to know what they sing when they get married, and what they cry about when burying the dead. He needed to learn ab

out their ritual side, to appreciate their food, even though it's so different from what we eat on our Russian plains, to embrace their clothing, folklore, and theater. They have much that needs to be studied and appreciated. In this way, he undertook a sort of feat of deep inculturation. Moreover, he undertook this feat in one of the most closed-off and hostile-to-other-cultures countries in the world. For over 200 years, Japan remained voluntarily isolated. Similar to a military dictatorship,

the shogunate regime crushed all the achievements of previous Christian missions by Catholics and Jesuits, who had been preaching here since the 16th century, and banned any non-Japanese religions. All contacts between the Japanese and foreigners were severely restricted. Foreigners were often seen as enemies or spies here. We must dissociate from associations with modern Japan. There were none of the high-speed trains, skyscrapers, or advanced technological production we see today. It was an ag

rarian country with a relatively poor population and a completely unique culture of its own. In his diary, the Saint wrote: "When I was traveling to Japan, I imagined it as a bride awaiting her groom. Arriving in Japan, I saw that my bride was asleep and did not think of me at all”. And in general the Church internalized the name of the bride. In Scripture, the Song of Songs is understood as a love song of God and the church. The bridegroom is called Christ, the bridegroom of the church. And the

Church is the Immaculate pure bride. But later he would write in his diary heavy lines: "I am almost close to despair." "Sometimes I feel that the Japanese mission is a completely failed endeavor". It was necessary to truly to humble himself under the strong hand of God, and prepare for defeat, though on his part he needed do everything for victory. I'm trying to convey this in sculpture, to capture this determination, this courage. This is actually a brave man, I guess courage is the most impo

rtant thing. But the mere appearance of hieromonk Nikolai alone caused tension among the Japanese. It was a very tall man with a large head with sloping shoulders. You can't see it yet, but it'll all add up. He had a heroic stature, like a Russian bogatyr. Rooted in their paternal religions and traditions, the Japanese often mistook the bearded giant in robes for a sorcerer or warlock. There's a joke that in Japan, with a population of 126 million, there are 250 million believers because they s

imultaneously follow both Shintoism and Buddhism. The Japanese people are prepared: by Confucianism they have been brought up, by Buddhism they have been taught religiosity. That's why they lacked Christ. That is why he wanted to preach on this ground and of course there were clashes. The samurai were the most aggressive towards foreigners, especially Christians. It's akin to medieval chivalry, warriors who were raised from childhood on ideals of bravery, loyalty, service, endurance, fearlessnes

s, respect for elders, and disdain for pain and death. Part of the samurai were against the opening of the country to foreigners. This movement was called "jōi." These people shunned foreigners or, in some cases, even facilitated the expulsion of foreigners from the country. And here is where the most remarkable thing happened. On Japanese soil, there was a repetition of the New Testament narrative of the conversion of the Apostle Paul. Paul, before he encountered Christ, was a fervent Jew and a

persecutor of Christians. Similarly, in Japan, one of the most uncompromising enemies of all things foreign, the aggressive Japanese nationalist and Shinto priest Sawabe Takuma, became the first Christian. One night in 1865, Takuma, who had been teaching fencing to the son of the Russian consul, came to the house of Saint Nikolai to kill him. Between them occurred an interesting dialogue, very much in the spirit of Zen Buddhist dialogue between master and disciple. Nikolai asked him, "Why do yo

u hate me?" Sawabe replied, "You came here to abolish our traditions and change our customs." Nikolai further asked, "What do you know about us?" Sawabe replied, "Nothing." Nikolai asked, "And is it possible to hate those whom you know nothing about?" Indeed, that question was entirely in the spirit of Zen Buddhist dialogues between master and disciple. Sawabe remained silent for a moment, then said, "Speak." It was Nikolai's first sermon in Japanese for a Japanese listener. Christians proved t

o be more formidable than the samurai. The samurai embrace death and prepare for it; their whole aesthetic is all about preparing to meet this terrifying stranger. Christians love life, yet they do not fear death. Nikolai turned out to be a profound man who was able to bring to Christ not even ordinary Japanese, but refined, hardened bearers of Japanese culture, as the samurai were. Their meetings and conversations would continue for nearly 3 years. Sawabe was joined by his friend Dr. Sakai Toku

rei, and then two more friends, Urano and Suzuki. Orthodoxy was still forbidden. But these first Japanese began to talk about it little by little to others. The samurai were the most educated people. The point is not that Pavel Sawabe was a practitioner of martial arts. It's that he was educated. Because they received a proper education, which peasants and craftsmen could not obtain. Indeed, he could engage in conversation effectively. He reached out to a representative of the most educated clas

s of his time. It was a wise choice, a very wise one. In April 1868, in complete secrecy, Vissarion Sartor, the reader of the consulate's church, guarded the doors of the consulate office. Father Nikolai baptized Sawabe, Sakai, and Urano, giving them the names of the apostles Paul, John, and James. They became the first Japanese to embrace Orthodoxy, and this occurred only in the eighth year of Nikolai's ministry in Japan. Nikolai's most significant victory was gaining local disciples. He arrive

d alone, and when he gained local people, when they became his disciples and followers, even in small numbers, these people were already a significant victory. So even if there were only two or three of them, it's enough for Christ to be among them, in their midst. Since then, the life of Pavel Sawabe in many ways mirrored the life of the Apostle Paul. He would renounce his Shinto priestly position and be despised by his former parishioners. They would spit and hurl insults at him. Pavel's wife

would go mad with horror and abuse. In a fit of madness, she would even set their house on fire. Like the Apostle Paul, Pavel Sawabe, his colleagues, and friends were arrested by the authorities for preaching Christ. In his life, there were many difficulties because belonging to the villainous sect of Christians at that time - the 1860s and 1870s - was a challenge to society. But Sawabe went for it. In 1868, the military dictatorship of the shogunate fell, and Japan gradually began to open up to

the world. Imagine that people of that time saw foreigners for the first time. Americans, French, Russians started coming. They arrived at the port on unprecedentedly massive ships. Of course, the Japanese were simply astonished. A Civil War broke out in the country. Many were against the intrusion of other cultures, believing, and time proved them right to a large extent, that Japan would lose itself and its identity from this. However, new opportunities were opening up for the preaching of Ch

ristianity on the Japanese islands. The Lord arranged it so that by the time of the changes in Japanese history, when the emperor returned to the throne, and the era known as the Meiji era began, characterized by enlightened rule, missionaries from around the world were flooding into the country again. Japan started rapid development, transforming into a major Pacific power. By then, the foundation of the future Orthodox Church had already been laid, and its first apostles were at work. The enti

re Meiji era is the life of St. Nikolai, meaning he and the emperor passed away a few months apart. The year 1912 precisely marks the end of that era. He was a man of that time. In 1869 he went to St. Petersburg with a request to establish a Russian spiritual mission in Japan. This advice was also given to him by Bishop Innocent Veniaminov. Throughout all the years of his service in Japan, Nikolai Kasatkin lived in extreme poverty. His salary amounted to approximately 160 rubles per month. For i

nstance, just the candles imported to Hakodate from Nikolaevsk-on-Amur cost 100 rubles, which lasted for 2-3 months. Nikolai had neither the means nor the personnel for a broad mission. The mission consisted of three missionary monks and a deacon. While Saint Nikolai was in Russia, Pavel Sawabe managed, with the help of his friends, to attract some people who were interested in Orthodox teachings, including my great-grandfather. He was from the city of Sendai, from a samurai family. When Saint N

ikolai, having received the blessing to establish a mission in Japan, returned to Hakodate and saw Pavel Sawabe and other new disciples, including my great-grandfather, he was undoubtedly very pleased. Hieromonk Nikolai Ono, a native of Tokyo and a hereditary Orthodox priest. His great-grandfather, Ioann Ono, was one of the first Japanese Orthodox priests. Alongside Pavel Sawabe, an important associate of Saint Nikolai in the Russian spiritual mission. Indeed, the establishment of the mission di

dn't immediately change the situation for Father Nikolai and the first Japanese Christians. The ban on spreading Christianity was not lifted immediately. The newly converted Japanese Christians were persecuted. The mission had to operate semi-underground, mostly in the same consulate church in Hakodate. By 1872, there were already around 50 baptized Japanese Christians in Hakodate. Hakodate was indeed remarkable, but it's in Hokkaido, which is quite far north. Given the isolationism of the Japan

ese, Hokkaido remains relatively sparsely populated to this day. Therefore, Saint Nikolai was aware that if a missionary station were to be established, it should be done in the capital. After the Meiji Revolution, the capital of Japan was moved to the city of Edo. The city itself was renamed "Tokyo," which means "Eastern Capital." Father Nicholi moves here in 1872. In the Surugadai area, he consecrates a small household chapel of Saint Nikolai in the mission building and wrote that no service p

assed without people fainting from the tightness and stuffiness. People coming in crowded into the staircase, into neighboring rooms. Nikolai himself settled in Tokyo in even more cramped conditions. And in his eleven-square-meter apartment, where he could barely stand upright, 20-30 Japanese people came every day to study the Law of God. He recounted that the listeners gathered in one room, while he spoke from another small room as if from some sanctuary. Such were his modest living conditions.

Following the example of European missionaries, Father Nikolai opened a private school and library at his home and began to teach the Japanese the Russian language. And in Russia, his articles about Japan were published. He literally opened these islands for the Russians, while opening Russia to the Japanese. What truly contributed to Nikolai's popularity among the Japanese was that he provided a good education. In the following year, 1873, an act of tolerance was issued in Japan, and the preac

hing of Christ emerged from prohibition. Father Nikolai's private school was transformed into a seminary, and his Russian spiritual mission then seemed to spread its wings. By 1874, there were up to 300 Orthodox believers in Hakodate and 85 in Tokyo. By 1879, five years later, the mission in Tokyo had several spiritual schools, a catechetical school, a women's school, a deacon school, a foreign language school, and for its flagship - the seminary - Father Nikolai introduced a six-year program. I

n addition to theological subjects, Russian and Chinese languages, it included algebra, geometry, geography, Chinese characters, psychology, history of philosophy, singing, and even gymnastics and a judo club. And many, not only commoners but also representatives of the Japanese elite, generally considered it an honor to send their children to be educated under the equal-apostolic Nikolai. In the Orient, the figure of the teacher is highly revered overall. It goes beyond martial arts to include

Buddhist monasticism, painting, and music. One could even assert, with a certain degree of boldness, that he became such a sensei. He taught to think correctly, to understand life, to comprehend things beyond logic. Indeed, Nikolai became a sensei. As if echoing the missionary journeys of the first-century apostles, archimandrite Nikolai in 1880 and 1881 embarked on similar journeys by water, rickshaw, or on foot throughout Japan, where previously foreigners were prohibited from traveling. Yet,

even this was not so simple. Special permission and documents were required. Many researchers argue that indeed, Saint Nikolai was one of the few Japanese and perhaps the only Russian who traveled throughout all of Japan at that time. He had several missionary journeys, nine in total. The idea occurred to me to map out all of this, and I did just that, traveling along these routes. Hakodate, Morioka, Sendai, Maebashi, Tokyo, Odawara, Nagoya, Osaka. These are only the towns where Orthodox priests

were already permanently stationed during the time of Saint Nikolai. And Orthodox communities were growing in Kyoto, Nagasaki, Hyogo, and Yokohama – all over Japan. The landscapes remain the same as those Saint Nikolai saw. Therefore, as I traveled along these routes, I certainly didn't compare myself to Saint Nikolai, but I felt the same air he breathed. He fully immersed himself in his mission and in this new family, which certainly required a very deep soul, something beyond the reach of an

ordinary person. In those years, Father Nikolai wrote: "The Orthodox mission, existing for only 8 years with just two missionaries during that time and without any definite material means, already has twice as many Christians as the Catholic and all Protestant missions combined." In general, Nikolai's diaries are filled with his polemics, sometimes very harsh, especially with non-Orthodox and particularly with Protestants. He saw the vast resources human and financial that those threw at preachi

ng, but he also saw its unreliable fruits. "Protestantism casts its nets over the whole world, but the problem is - the nets are rotten. The fish may be caught, but then they slip away. In Japan, this is very noticeable." After a successful lesson – and lessons can be successful or not, as good teachers know – when everything he wanted to say entered the minds of the students, he would run down the school corridor in excitement and say, "Christ did not come for the truth of the Gospel and the tr

uth of the Church to be clouded by Catholic additives and Protestant exclusions." In other words, people have mixed in a lot of their own human ideas, but what's needed is the pure, radical, correct truth of God, the paternal Church, the apostolic Church. That's what he did – he brought the Japanese the only true version of Christianity. In those same years, the Saint wrote with more and more bitterness about the fact that missionaries from Russia were reluctant to come to Japan. And if they did

come, it was only for a short time before they longed to return to their homeland. Throughout his life, he waited for a companion and helper, and only in 1908 did he finally receive one with the arrival of Bishop Sergei. He had almost, well, not quite despaired, but certainly such a feeling visited him, that no one wished to come with the pure intention of dedicating their entire life to Japan, not just to write a dissertation or gain some experience, publish a book, and leave. He was waiting f

or comrades, not tourists. The Saint himself only returned to his homeland twice during all the years of his service in Japan. The last time was in the winter of 1879. He traveled again to collect donations, this time for the cathedral in Tokyo. The previous church was unbearably cramped for the growing Tokyo congregation. He traveled through the main cities of the country: Moscow, Kiev, Odessa, Novgorod. It was as if he was bidding farewell to his homeland, which he truly loved deeply, and whic

h, although he hardly suspected it at the time, he would never see again. In the letter he sent ahead of himself, he wrote about how "the mission is in need of financial resources, which are catastrophically lacking here." And then follows a passage something like this: "I will come to you now, and I will not leave until you give, donate, or provide addresses where I can go and collect these necessary donations." When you read this text, written by some, let's say, young but nonetheless learned

monk, you marvel at this audacity. The small Moscow church of the Ascension, nicknamed the Little Ascension, on Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street. During this visit, the Saint surely served in it, because since 1870, this church became a center for collecting donations for the young Japanese church. The memory of the saint lives on here in his remarkable image. Here, the icon painter depicted scenes from the life of the equal-to-apostles Nikolai, which portray very important events in his life. For exa

mple, let's take a look at the depiction of the calling of the equal-to-apostles Nikolai, a pivotal moment in his life. The Holy Spirit descends in the form of a dove and strengthens his heart for the mission in the Land of the Rising Sun. And here is the depiction of the ordination of Father Nikolai as a bishop. This took place in March 1880 at the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, where the first episcopal see of the Japanese Orthodox Church was established. Upon his return to Japan, Bishop Nikolai unde

rtook extensive construction on a purchased plot in the heart of Tokyo. In just seven years, a huge Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ was erected here. Of course, some Japanese criticized it. Attention was drawn to the bell tower project when it was discovered that from it, the Imperial Palace could be seen very clearly, almost as if in the palm of one's hand. Questions arose: could there be spies here? And was it appropriate? However, Bishop Nikolai's authority quelled all these speculati

ons. The highest respect and trust for the Saint was expressed even by Emperor Meiji himself during the grave events of the spring of 1891. Several days before the consecration of the cathedral, an assassination attempt was made on the heir to the Russian throne, Crown Prince Nikolai Alexandrovich, in the town of Otsu. A fanatic policeman did to him what the samurai Sawabe Takuma had once tried to do to monk Nikolai. He struck the Crown Prince several times on the head with a sword. The wound wa

s very serious, and the international scandal even more so. Emperor Meiji personally went to see the heir to the Russian throne. But before that, he asked Bishop Nikolai to come with him. This is how two Saint Nikolais met - not at the altar of the cathedral, at the consecration of which the Crown Prince intended to be, but at the bed of illness, where Nikolai Alexandrovich had his wounds bandaged. Later, Bishop Nikolai acted as an interpreter between him and Emperor Meiji. Indeed, Bishop Nikola

i took the most active part in resolving and settling this conflict. A few days after the hurried departure of the heir from Japan, the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ was consecrated by 19 Japanese priests, and during the solemn service, 4,000 Japanese Christians prayed. Long before Nikolai-do, there stood a lighthouse on this elevation. And now, Russian sailors recognized in the outline of the cathedral the image of the Naval Cathedral of Saint Nikolai in Kronstadt. The grandiose templ

e became and remains the embodiment in stone of the miracle of the birth of the Japanese Church and its rapid growth. Imagine the 1880s and 1890s. Throughout the year, the number of Japanese receiving holy baptism typically reached four-digit figures. The church would witness the dramatic history of Japanese Orthodoxy in the 20th century. First, the revolution would sever the ties of the Japanese flock with the mother Russian Church. A terrifying warning of even greater upheavals would come in t

he form of the earthquake in 1923 when the bell tower collapsed onto the church, and it was almost entirely consumed by fire. The church would be restored, but two decades later, it miraculously survived the bombing of World War II. One of my Japanese colleagues, quite elderly, when I accidentally mentioned the name of St. Nikolai and his temple in a conversation, said, "I am the godson of St. Nikolai; I survived thanks to him, or rather, I was born thanks to him." I asked, "In what sense?" He r

esponded, "My parents survived thanks to this church. When the Americans conducted carpet bombings of Tokyo in 1945, which resulted in more casualties than in Nagasaki and Hiroshima combined, everyone fled to the St. Nikolai Cathedral, where they sought refuge under its protection and blessing. My parents, many of their relatives perished, but they survived because they hid in the grounds of this temple, and I was born shortly after the war. Fix or chop a little, maybe refine a bit here and ther

e, we will get to it. The last great monument to Saint Nikolai is the volumes of translations into the Japanese language of liturgies, parts of the Bible, and a vast number of sacred books created by him. They say about him that he had a very strong Northern accent, but he spoke very freely and easily. Listening to Saint Nikolai, people were amazed that he didn't speak with any standard phrases, but rather gave some unexpected examples and used very skillful rhetorical turns of speech. He worked

specifically on creating new terms, for example, the word 'Shoshinjo' for 'Theotokos,' the Virgin who gave birth to God. This word is not in the Japanese language dictionary. Saint Nikolai believed that over time, as the church spread across Japan and more people embraced these words, they would naturally become part of everyday language. For 30 years in a row, every day at exactly 6 p.m., Pavel Nakai, an assistant, would go to Father Nikolai's cell and begin writing under his dictation until l

ate at night. In 1903, he wrote in a report to the Holy Synod: "I, a sixty-nine-year-old man, am living out the last days of my life, dedicating it primarily to the translation of sacred liturgical books.” He translated the entire New Testament, the Psalms, and some parts of the Old Testament, and also created a dictionary of liturgical language. Equal-to-Apostles Nikolai dedicated himself to this translation work until the end of his days. To be honest, this task, which would probably require 1

0-20 people, he accomplished all alone. That's why, as Professor Kinosuke Nakamura called him, he was a giant of spirit. His work was incredible, showcasing astonishing diligence. The books translated with great accuracy are still in use today. We are very proud that we have managed to preserve and transmit these translations since the Meiji era. I believe they are very important because they convey the spirit of Saint Nikolai himself, his spirituality. In January 1904, Japanese ships attacked t

he first Pacific squadron of the Russian fleet. The Russo-Japanese War that followed became a tragedy for Saint Nikolai and possibly the greatest trial in his life. At that time, there were over 20,000 Orthodox Christians in Japan. There were more than a dozen priests, a similar number of deacons, and over 100 catechists. Of course, the outbreak of hostilities was a significant shock to this young church. Everyone expected that Orthodoxy in Japan would cease to exist. Russian embassies and consu

lates were deserted, and hardly any Russians remained in Japan. Evacuation was offered to Bishop Nikolai, but he refused, unable to leave his flock. People felt like the ground had been pulled out from under them. Russia's enemies rejoiced like children, while those who loved Russia were driven to despair. He had to live in a country that was victorious in the war against Russia. In the final part of the decree from the Holy Synod, Saint Nikolai is essentially permitted to remain in Japan. Moreo

ver, the decree mentions that prayers will be offered. You know, I've worked extensively with decrees from the Holy Synod, and this is the first and last decree where in the item "ordered," it stated the necessity of praying for Saint Nikolai, considering the circumstances he found himself in. Overall, the situation was quite unusual. At the onset of hostilities, Bishop Nikolai sent a circular letter to all parishes of the Japanese church, blessing Japanese Christians to fulfill their sacred dut

y of defending their homeland and the Christian duty of praying for it. However, he added that fighting enemies does not mean hating them, but only defending one's homeland. The Bishop himself refrained from public worship, unable to offer prayers for the health of the Japanese emperor and the victory of Japan during these days. Indeed, those who are forced or voluntarily separated from their homeland tend to love it more. A person outside their native land sees it more clearly—distance grants a

broader perspective, and they often understand what's happening there more accurately than those immersed in the historical reality. Nikolai deeply loved Russia; he prayed fervently in his cell for the victory of Russian arms. At the same time, Nikolai's diaries preserved his merciless and even harsh words about the spiritual reasons behind the woes that befell his homeland. These words are always relevant, and especially so in times of turmoil. "We are being attacked by the Japanese, hated by

all nations, and God is punishing Russia, meaning He has withdrawn from her because she has turned away from Him. She has become morally rotten, almost entirely transformed into filthy livestock. Not only do they mock patriotism, but they also ridicule any reminder of it. Russia is now being scourged, shamed, dishonored, and robbed. But does this sober her up? Satanic laughter of joy resounds throughout her from end to end." The dramatic story of the Port Arthur icon of the Mother of God, create

d during those years through the revelation of the Virgin Mary herself but never reaching the front lines— lost, forgotten, or overlooked when there was no time for it, and when it was remembered, Port Arthur had already fallen to the enemy—only confirms the merciless spiritual diagnosis given by Saint Nikolai to Russia at that time. Sometimes it's even unsettling how a saint can write such things, utter such epithets towards certain persons. Equal-to-Apostles Nikolai was in fact such a person t

hat some might say he had a difficult character. During the war years, many Japanese saw him as a Russian spy, while Russians condemned him for refusing to return and considered him an enemy agent. The Bishop sent all business correspondence unsealed, demonstrating that he had nothing to hide. 70,000 of our prisoners of war ended up on Japanese territory. He established a special society to support and aid these people. They were primarily the vulnerable, many of them wounded, and those carrying

the weight of defeat. He sent priests fluent in Russian to the camps of Russian prisoners of war, and the Japanese served Russians there. These were Japanese priests who had studied at the Kiev Theological Seminary in their time; they spoke Russian fluently. Therefore, I believe that this was the main goal: to spiritually support our prisoners of war. And this was also a great feat because, for a Japanese person, going to the camps was probably not easy either. By the way, the Japanese were dee

ply impressed by the piety of Russian soldiers. Japanese priests who cared for our wounded and prisoners were amazed. It was their first encounter with Russia altogether. Until then, they only knew Nikolai, but now they saw many simple peasants in military uniform who astonished them with their patience, humility, prayerfulness, and piety. And they received spiritual assistance in this vulnerable state from Nikolai. Hence, many soldiers consider Saint Nikolai their patron. On the frontline in Do

nbass in 2023, fighters would establish a battalion named after Saint Nikolai of Japan. On March 26, 1906, Bishop Nikolai was elevated to the rank of Archbishop, and for his exemplary service during the war, he was honored with the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. Accompanying the order was a note from Tsar Nikolai: "You have not forsaken the flock entrusted to you according to Christ's commandment. The grace of love and faith has given you the strength to endure the fiery trials of battle and, am

idst the turmoil of war, to preserve peace, faith, and prayer in the church established through your efforts." Once we dress him in copper, we'll then create the frame. We'll only shape the hands and head, the face and panagia. Many athletes also consider Nikolai their patron. Sporting schools bear his name, and for many years, the Patriarchal Martial Arts Festival - the Cup of Equal-to-the-Apostles Nikolai of Japan has been held near Moscow. It is largely thanks to him that we owe the emergence

of the renowned Russian wrestling. One of his disciples at the Tokyo Seminary became the founder of both sport and combat Sambo. Initially, it was called "combat in clothing," in contrast to Greco-Roman wrestling, where competitors fight in singlets. Vasily Oshchepkov, the son of exiles from Sakhalin, found himself orphaned and under the patronage of the Tokyo Seminary. There, under Nikolai's guidance, students, subdeacons, and seminarians were blessed to study judo, jiu-jitsu, kempo, and other

martial arts to immerse themselves in Japanese culture. In 1911, Vasya Oshchepkov had the opportunity to join the famous Kudokan club, the main forge of judo masters. In 1913, he was awarded the title of first-degree master there. In 1913, he returned to Russia as a qualified judoka and a man burning with the desire to spread judo in his homeland. Vasily Oshchepkov added Russian techniques to the Japanese philosophy of judo, resulting in a completely new form of wrestling subsequently named Sam

bo. Saint Nikolai of Japan is the patron saint of our sport, Sambo. Our president supports all types of sports, including Eastern martial arts. Sambo is not just a sport; it also has a spiritual component. It teaches not to harm the weak, to defend those in trouble, and it fosters character, molding individuals into true fighters, true people. At first glance, there may seem to be nothing in common between martial arts and Christianity, but that's only at first glance. In reality, the Apostle Pa

ul, living in the Hellenistic world, used sports and combat terminology in his speeches. He said, "I do not fight like someone beating the air. I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." There, we'll place foam on the shoulders, clean it all with nitric acid; it will shine like gold, and then we'll take fine sand and rub it. It will turn out with a metallic shade. In July 1911, Japan celebrated the fi

ftieth anniversary of Archbishop Nikolai's service. Priests and catechists from all over Japan gathered for the festivities. The seventy-five-year-old elder received guests from morning till night, listening to their accounts of the state of the parishes and offering advice. The exhaustion of those days exacerbated his cardiac asthma, and the his condition rapidly deteriorated. In January of 1912, he was hospitalized. However, despite the doctors' advice, he returned to his cell to work. While b

usy with his pen in hand, he departed to the Lord on the 16th of February, 1912, according to the old style calendar. The cause of death was diagnosed as cardiac paralysis by the doctors. For over 20 years, the priest of the St. Nikolai of Japan Church in his hometown of Beryoza prayed for a monument to be erected in honor of the Saint at the site of his home. However, he could not have imagined that the entire Russia would contribute funds for this monument, just as it once gathered funds for t

he cathedral in Tokyo. Moreover, he never expected that all regional leaders and many guests from the capital would gather for the monument's unveiling ceremony. He left a formula for all Christians for all ages: if you want to talk about God, first love that person, then make them love you, and only then speak about Christianity. More than a century after the Saint's death, he began to receive honors in his homeland comparable to those he received in his second homeland, Japan. The Yanaka Cemet

ery in Tokyo is the burial place of distinguished Japanese individuals. St. Nikolai earned immense trust from the Meiji government, the Japanese government. It can be assumed that this is why he is buried here. On Nikolai's memorial day, believers come here, and Orthodox Christians from abroad often visit the tomb of St. Nikolai. Representatives from various countries, Japanese ministers, and the pinnacle of honor was when Emperor Meiji sent an enormous wreath made of live flowers with the inscr

iption "Highest Gift" to bid farewell to Nikolai. This extraordinary event marked a unique honor, as no other foreigner in the history of imperial Japan had been bestowed with such recognition. The Orthodox community in Japan bid farewell to their Saint with great sorrow. There were many people in attendance, including over 30 priests, several deacons, and Bishop Sergei Tikhomirov, the successor of Nikolai of Japan, performed the funeral service. He departed to eternity, leaving behind on Japane

se soil, where Orthodoxy was previously unknown, almost 33,000 faithful laypeople, 265 churches, 41 priests, 6 deacons, 15 choir directors, and 121 catechists. Founded by Saint Nikolai, the church extended beyond the Japanese archipelago to preach Christ in Taiwan and Korea. Over 50 years, he converted more than 40,000 people to Christ. This, I believe, is truly a significant figure. By the present day, the Japanese Church has not been able to surpass or even maintain this record. According to s

tatistics from 1900, Orthodox Christians accounted for 20% of all Christians in Japan. However, there were significant upheavals thereafter, including the revolution, the Great Kanto Earthquake, persecution of the Church before the war, and the devastation of war. Currently, there are roughly 9,000 Orthodox believers. During Saint Nikolai's time, there were about 200 parishes; now there are around 60. No new parishes have been established anywhere, meaning that the Japanese are using what has al

ready been built. Indeed, it seems clear that Saint Nikolai also laid a significant foundation for the future challenges of the 20th century. Therefore, despite its numerical decline, the Japanese Church continues to exist. When you are in Japan, you can sense how alive the connection is among Japanese believers with their founder. In every parish, in every family, there are still people who joyfully recall that their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents were baptized by Equal-to-Apostl

es Nikolai. Today, we all greatly need Saint Nikolai. When you look at his monument, it's as if he's blessing us, taking a step forward, once again coming to baptize his native land. Because today, in a sense, we all need to do the same thing he did with the Japanese once. After everything we've experienced in the past century, we need to be baptized again, we all need Saint Nikolai. You know, I was baptized as a child. My parents took me to church from birth. That's how I learned about this chu

rch. That's how it all came together. I come to church to rediscover my faith. I myself choose to draw nearer to God. For if I do not change, neither will the world around me. The path that I must take, which Jesus Christ has long indicated, demands change. Saint Nikolai of Japan was canonized on April 10, 1970. In the same year, the Japanese Orthodox Church, founded by Saint Nikolai, gained autonomy but remained spiritually affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church, often referred to here as

the "Mother Church." Russian Orthodoxy is a remarkable phenomenon. While the number of followers in Japan was relatively small, only a few hundred thousand, the tradition endures, and we will continue to carry it forward. For us Japanese Orthodox believers, the Russian Church is like an elder sister. We all remember well that it was the Russians who brought us Orthodox Christianity. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Father Nikolai, pray to God for

us. But the main victory of Saint Nikolai Kasatkin, perhaps, is that he never considered any of his victories as his own, but always said: "Is there any merit in the plow that the farmer plowed the field with? Can it boast: look, Orthodox believers, what I have done? Our role is no higher than that of the plow. The peasant plows, the plow wears out, he discards it. I too will wear out, and I will be discarded. A new plow will start plowing. So look, plow, plow honestly, plow tirelessly. Let the

work of God grow. But still, it is pleasant that it was you whom God plowed with. This means that you have not rusted, that your soul has been somewhat purified by working in God's field, for this we will always thank God."