Archbishop Seraphim of Sendai Elected as the Primate of the Japanese Orthodox Church
OCP News Service – 28/09/2023
Tokyo-Japan: Archbishop Seraphim of Sendai and Vicar of Tokyo was elected as the Primate of the Japanese Orthodox Church on 28 September 2023 in the special meeting of the Council of the Japanese Orthodox Church at Tokoyo. Following the 1970 Tomos granting autonomy to the Japanese Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, on September 28, 2023, issued a Decree to endorse the election of the newly appointed Primate, seeking God’s blessings for their future endeavors.
The election was made due to the demise of Metropolitan Daniel of Tokyo and All Japan on August 10, 2023. On 11th August 2023 Archbishop Seraphim of Sendai was appointed as the Locum Tenens of the Metropolitan See of the Japanese Orthodox Church.
Pic: orthodoxjapan.jp
Pic: orthodoxjapan.jp
Pic: orthodoxjapan.jp
Pic: orthodoxjapan.jp
Archbishop Seraphim of Sendai
His Eminence Archbishop Seraphim was born in Akita, Japan, on March 23, 1951. In 1987, he underwent Holy Baptism and took the name Andrew in honor of the Apostle Andrew the First Called. In 1990, he successfully completed his studies at the Tokyo Theological Seminary.
On November 5, 1989, he was ordained as a deacon, and on August 18, 1991, he was ordained as a priest. He served in the Tokyo Metropolis office and followed the guidance of the Tokyo Theological Seminary inspector. Starting from August 1993, he fulfilled his duties at the Sunday Cathedral in Tokyo. On August 20, 1999, at the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, he embraced monasticism and adopted the name Seraphim in honor of Reverend Seraphim of Sarov.
Following a decision made by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on December 28, 1999, he was chosen as the Bishop of Sendai. The Bishop’s consecration took place on January 15, 2000, at the Trinity Cathedral of the Danilov Monastery in Moscow, presided over by His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II. On July 8, 2012, he was promoted to the rank of archbishop.
Pic : orthodoxjapan.jp
Source:
OCP News Service
