Metropolitan Seraphim (Tsujie) of All Japan ((セラフィム) 辻永昇, (Serafimu) Tsujie Noburu, born March 23, 1951) is a Japanese prelate of the Orthodox Church in Japan. He has been the primate of the Orthodox Church in Japan since 2023, by virtue of the office of the Archbishop of Tokyo.
Seraphim | |
|---|---|
| Archbishop of Tokyo | |
| Elected | September 28, 2023 |
| Installed | October 22, 2023 |
| Predecessor | Daniel Nushiro |
| Other post(s) |
|
| Orders | |
| Ordination | November 5, 1989 |
| Consecration | January 15, 2000 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Noburu Tsujie March 23, 1951 |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Denomination | Eastern Orthodox |
| Alma mater |
|
Early life
editMetropolitan Seraphim was born on March 23, 1951, in Akita. In 1969, he entered the Tokyo College of Photography, from which he graduated in 1973, after which he worked in an advertising company. In 1987, Tsujie was baptized with the name Andrew in honor of the Andrew the Apostle. In 1987, he entered the Tokyo Orthodox Seminary, from which he graduated in 1990. On November 5, 1989, Tsujie was ordained by Bishop Herman Swaiko as a celibate deacon and served in the Holy Resurrection Cathedral.
Priesthood
editOn August 18, 1991, Tsujie was ordained a priest by Metropolitan Feodosi. He then began working in the metropolitan office and also became an inspector of the Tokyo Theological Seminary. By August 1993, he began to serve in the Holy Resurrection Cathedral. On August 20, 1999, at the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, he was tonsured a monk with the name Seraphim in honor of Seraphim of Sarov. On September 6, 1999, at the Dormition Cathedral, Patriarch Alexy II elevated Seraphim to the rank of abbot. On December 28 of the same year, by resolution of the Holy Synod, he was appointed the Bishop of Sendai of Orthodox Church in Japan.[1]
On January 9, 2000, Seraphim was elevated to the rank of archimandrite by Alexy II. Six days later, he was formally enthroned as Bishop of Sendai. As a representative of the Japanese Church, he visited Russia several times.[2] With a report on the Japanese Orthodox Church, he took part in the International Scientific and Practical Conference "Christianity in the Far East", held from September 19 to 21, 2006 in Khabarovsk.
The areas within the Sendai Diocese were the hardest hit by the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, but Seraphim himself was not injured.[3][4] On July 8, 2012, by decision of the Council of the Japanese Orthodox Church, he was elevated to archbishop.[5] On April 16, 2016, by decision of the Holy Synod, Seraphim was included in the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church to participate in the Pan-Orthodox Council, but on June 13, the ROC refused to participate in the council.[6][7]
Metropolitan of All Japan
editOn August 10, 2023, following the death of Daniel Nushiro, Seraphim was appointed Acting Primate.[8] On September 28, at an extraordinary Council of the Japanese Orthodox Church, he was elected Archbishop of Tokyo and Metropolitan of All Japan,[9] on the same day the election was approved by Patriarch Kirill.[10] The enthronement took place on October 22, 2023.[11]
References
edit- ^ "Определения Священного Синода от 28 декабря 1999 года : Русская Православная Церковь". Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
- ^ "Верующие Японии ощущают единство с русскими братьями во Христе / Православие. Ru". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
- ^ "Боже, помилуй японцев и нас! ("Молва", Владимир): Голос России". Archived from the original on 1 April 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
- ^ "Сообщение о положении в Восточно-японской епархии". Archived from the original on 4 April 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
- ^ "ТОКИЙСКИЙ СОБОР 2012 — Древо". Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
- ^ "ЖУРНАЛ заседания Священного Синода от 16 апреля 2016 года / Официальные документы / Патриархия.ru". Archived from the original on 16 May 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- ^ "Русская Православная Церковь настаивает на переносе даты Всеправославного Собора". Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ^ "首座主教代理セラフィム座下の就任 | 東京復活大聖堂（ニコライ堂）" (in Japanese). Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- ^ "日本正教会｜ハリストス正教会" (in Spanish). Orthodox Church in Japan.
- ^ "ЖУРНАЛЫ Священного Синода от 11 октября 2023 года, журнал № 89". Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ "Журналы Священного Синода от 27 декабря 2023 года. ЖУРНАЛ № 133". www.patriarchia.ru.