Society and Church: Exhibition on the history of Russian Orthodox Mission in Japan underway in St. Petersburg

On March 20 2012 the National Library of Russia, Korf Hall (St. Petersburg) is presenting a new exhibition “Here I am the only one Russian…” (from the history of the Russian Orthodox Mission in Japan), which is timed to 100th assumption anniversary of Saint Nicholas of Japan.

Saint Nicholas, Equal-to-the-Apostles, Archbishop of Japan (born Ivan Kasatkin), founder and first hierarch of the Japanese Church, was an outstanding Russian missionary in late 19th – early 20th cc.

To the future generations he left the orthodox cathedral in Tokyo, 8 cathedrals, 175 churches, 276 parishes. The Russian Orthodox Mission in Tokyo was in charge of 4 schools, and 2 schools – for boys and girls in Hakodate. Nicholas of Japan was occupied with translation and publication of books of religious and moral content, he also authored a special Theological Dictionary in Japanese.

The show presents books in Japanese, which were published by the Russian Orthodox Mission with mission’s bookplates and autographs of Nicholas of Japan, his letters from the National Library of Russia’s Manuscript Division, photographs.

The exposition includes sections which cast light on the life and work of the first hierarch of the Japanese Church, as well as materials focused on Japan, traditions and customs of its inhabitants by Russian and foreign authors, which came out in late 19th – early 20th cc.