MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th October, 2019) Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will visit Japan in September 2020, where he will head the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Nikolai of Japan's canonization and the half-century anniversary of the Japanese Orthodox Church's (OCJ) autonomy, as well as meet with Emperor Naruhito and the country's political leadership, the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR) said Thursday.
The OCJ, which has existed since 1870, received autonomy from the Russian Orthodox Church in 1970. The OCJ includes three dioceses � Tokyo, Kyoto and Sendai � about 60 parishes and 40 clergies. The total number of believers is estimated at 10,000 people.
"Next year, the Japanese Orthodox Church will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the canonization of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Nikolai of Japan. At the invitation of Metropolitan Daniel of Tokyo, I intend to visit Japan in September 2020 to mark this significant date in the history of Japanese Orthodoxy and the spiritual ties of our countries with joint prayers," Patriarch Kirill said, when congratulating Emperor Naruhito on the occasion of his enthronement.
The Patriarch emphasized that "the interaction of the traditional institutions of Russian and Japanese societies contained significant potential for a peaceful dialogue between our countries" and wished the emperor good health and prosperity.
"The Japanese Orthodox Church maintains close ties with the Mother Church [Russian Orthodox Church]: Moscow and All Russia patriarchs traditionally visit Japan," Dmitry Petrovsky, DECR staff member told Sputnik.
In 2000, Patriarch Kirill's predecessor Alexy II visited Japan to raise the head of the Japanese Church � the current Archbishop of Tokyo, Metropolitan of All Japan � to the episcopal chair. Patriarch Kirill visited the island country in 2012.
