Русская версия: Актовый день и международная церковно-научная конференция "Духовное наследие Равноапостольного Николая Японского"

The Assembly day began with the Divine Liturgy in the Transfiguration Cathedral of  Nikolo-Ugreshskiy monastery. The Liturgy was headed by his Eminence Ambrose, Archbishop of Verey, rector of the Moscow theological academy. His Eminence was co-served by the rector of the, Nikolo-Ugreshskaya theological seminary Hegumen John (Rubin), vice-rector for educational work, priest Alexy Sorokin, vice-rector for educational work, priest Andrey Kolganov, teachers and students of the seminary in the Holy dignity. Before the Divine Liturgy, Archbishop Ambrose performed a consecration as a reader over the students of the 4th year of the seminary bachelor's degree.

A number of prayers and chants during the service were performed in Japanese. Apostolic reading was read in Japanese by Igor Shimizu, a guest of the seminary, professor of Kobe University (Japan).

During the service, Bishop Ambrose ordained John Zagumenov, a student of the Sretenskaya theological seminary, to the Holy rank of deacon.

The liturgical chants were performed by the choir of the Nikolo-Ugreshskaya theological seminary under the direction of S. Kondakov.

A sermon before the sacrament, said a teacher at the seminary of priest Sergey Shilov.

The service ended with the rite of praise before the icon of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Japan.

At the end of the service, hegumen John thanked Archbishop Ambrose for the festive service and presented the Archpastor with the image of St. Nicholas of Japan. In his words of gratitude, father rector, in particular, noted the symbolism of the fact that the festive service was headed by Bishop Ambrose – Bishop for a long time headed the St. Petersburg theological academy, where equal-to-the-apostles Nicholas received spiritual education, took monastic vows and ordination to the Holy order. In addition, as rector of the Moscow theological academy and vicar Bishop of the Moscow diocese, Bishop Ambrose has care of Moscow theological schools. Father John asked Bishop Ambrose to convey to his Holiness Patriarch Kirill the gratitude of all the teachers and students of Nikolo-Ugreshskaya seminary for his constant attention to the spiritual school and for the primatial blessing for this festive service.

In his response, Archbishop Ambrose congratulated all those praying on the feast of the presentation of the Lord and on the day of remembrance of equal-to-the-apostles Nicholas. Bishop Ambrose, in particular, noted that the life feat of St. Nicholas of Japan is a source of inspiration for every Minister of the Church and every student of the theological school. The number of Orthodox believers in Japan under his Holiness reached 30 thousand people, although at the beginning of his mission, the young hieromonk Nicholas, who was hastily ordained, knew neither the language nor the culture nor the customs of distant Japan. A special archpastoral word of Bishop Ambrose was addressed to the newly ordained deacon John, as well as to the students of the Nikolo-Ugreshskaya seminary, who were elevated to the degree of readers during the festive service.

On the same day, the rector of the Moscow theological academy, Archbishop Ambrose, headed a one-year act in the Assembly hall of the Nikolo-Ugreshskaya seminary. Opening the Annual act, the rector of the seminary hegumen John welcomed the representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church Training Committee, the Moscow Patriarchate Department for external Church relations, the heads of the city administration and secular educational institutions, as well as all the guests gathered to participate in the celebrations of the theological school. Father rector also welcomed the representatives of Japan – Professor Igor Shimizu and student of the icon painting school of the Moscow theological Academy Zoe Watanabe.

Archbishop Ambrose addressed the participants of the Annual act with the archipastoral word. His Eminence, in particular, wished all students preparing for the priestly service the same indefatigability, patient asceticism and dedication, as possessed by the equal-to-the-apostles Nicholas of Japan. Bishop Ambrose also reminded future pastors that the Eucharist should be at the center of Every Minister's life.

Archpriest Valentin Vasechko announced the welcome address of the Chairman of the Training Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church Archpriest Maxim Kozlov in connection with the one-year act of the Nikolo-Ugreshskaya theological seminary.

Nikolay Valeryevich Minaev, deputy head of the city of Dzerzhinsky on social issues, welcomed the participants of the celebrations on behalf of the city administration and noted that for the new mayor Sergei Mikhailovich Gribinyuchenko and employees of the administration, cooperation with the Nikolo-Ugreshskaya seminary and monastery is a priority, so the city looks forward to the continuation of many years of fruitful cooperation and new joint projects.

Rector of the Moscow socio-pedagogical institute Dmitry A. Melnikov in his welcoming speech spoke about the successful and fruitful experience of cooperation with the Seminary in scientific and educational activities.

Employee of the Department for external Church relations of the Moscow Patriarchate Dmitry Ivanovich Petrovsky welcomed the participants on behalf of the Chairman of the Department for external Church relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk.

Also in the Year the act was attended by distinguished guests: consultant of the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Russia Vasily Saplin, head of the Department for the development of culture Dzerzhinsk Natalia Pomace, Deputy Director of the College "Ugresha" Svetlana Istratov, representatives of the public Association "the altar of the Fatherland" Sergei Novikov and Irina Shipov.

The guests of the Seminary were offered a video about the current state of the theological school: "Nikolo-Ugreshskaya seminary: 2018-2019 academic year."

In the course of a year-act the Archbishop Ambrose presented the awards to the teachers of the Seminary. In attention to the works in the field of spiritual education:

- Seminary teacher Mikhail Viktorovich Pervushin was awarded the order of st. Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow III degree;

- the Confessor of the Seminary hegumen Anastassy was awarded a medal of the pdp. Seraphim of Sarov;

- Seminary teacher hierodeacon Nikita was awarded the medal of the order of st. Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow;

- philanthropist Seminary Nikolay Vladimirovich Razorenov awarded with Patriarchal certificate.

At the end of the Annual act, in attention to active participation in the spiritual life of the school and progress in studies diplomas were awarded students of the Seminary a reader Ilya Sirichuk, reader Kostyantyn Rybachuk, Stanislav Samohleb, Andrew Mania, Evgeny Yarygin, Dmitry Rogozhin.

In the second half of the festive day the international Church-scientific conference "Spiritual heritage of equal-to-the-apostles Nicholas of Japan" dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the death of Patriarch Sergius (Stragorodsky), a member of the Russian spiritual mission in Japan (1890-1893; 1897-1899) was held.

Assessment of the role of his Holiness Patriarch Sergius (Stragorodsky) in the history of the Russian spiritual mission in Japan was devoted to the report of the rector of Nikolo-Ugreshskaya seminary hegumen John. Overview of the activities of Patriarch Sergius in Japan, as well as letters and diaries of St. Nicholas of Japan showed that St. Nicholas greatly appreciated the contribution of Archimandrite Sergius to the spiritual mission. Professor of Kobe University (Japan) Igor Shimizu made a report at the conference "Orthodox Japanese in 1892-93 through the eyes of Sergei Stragorodsky".

The following reports were also made during the conference:

Smirnova I. S. N., Secretary Of the center for the History of religion and the Church of the Institute of Russian history RAS " Connection between Orthodox missions of the East: correspondence of equal-to-the-apostles Nicholas of Japan and Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin)".

Mazurik, V. P., candidate of philological Sciences.PhD, associate Professor of the chair of Japanese Philology of Institute of countries of Asia and Africa of Moscow state University. M. V. Lomonosov "Experience of the Russian Mission in Japan: confrontation of dialogue and monologue at the turn of epochs and cultures".

Klobukova (Golubinskaya) N.F. candidate of Culturology, Moscow state Conservatory. Tchaikovsky's ""Our Japanese". Life Tokyo of the turn of XIX-XX centuries the eyes of the Archimandrite. Sergius (Stragorodsky)".

Bertola A. D. Ph. D., Institute of Philosophy, SPBSU "the Image of Nicholas in the Japanese idea of Shinto priest Sano, Tsunehiko: to the question about the authenticity of the debate on 21 September 1884."

Hvalin A. Yu., Chairman of the Anniversary Committee to the 130th anniversary of the journey to the East, the Grand Duke Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich, member of the Union of writers of Russia "equal to Apostles Nikolai of Japan and the residence of crown Prince Nikolai Alexandrovich in Japan in 1891".

Sadovsky N. In. "The life of St. Nicholas of Japan and six questions of historical search»

Kuzmin I. V., ed. ed Collection of works equal to the apostles. Nicholas of Japan, "Correspondence ravnoap. Nicholas and ed. W La "torch-and a writer's diary" A. V. Kruglov".

Cerana A. A. student Nikolo-Ugreshskaya Seminary "Archbishop Vladimir (Sokolovsky), the question of monasticism in the Orthodox Church of Japan".

Erofeeva N. Ah. D. p. N. "Year with Saint Nicholas of Japan".