Assembly day began with the Divine Liturgy, celebrated in the Transfiguration Cathedral of St. Nicholas Ugreshsky Monastery. The service was celebrated by His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of Moscow Patriarchate. His Eminence was co-served by the abbot of the St. Nicholas Ugreshsky Monastery, Hegumen Bartholomew (Petrov), Rector of the Nicholо-Ugreshskaya Seminary, Hegumen Ioann (Rubin), resident of The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, Archimandrite Gerasim (Shevtsov), Pro-rector for academic affairs Priest Nikolai Shcheglov, brethren of the monastery, teachers, guests and ordained students of the seminary.

A number of prayers and chants during the service were conducted in the Japanese language. The Gospel was also read in Japanese by Archimandrite Gerasim. His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion offered an arch-pastoral sermon to the worshipers, devoted to our Lord Jesus Christ’s parable about the prodigal son.

Later that day, Metropolitan Hilarion chaired the Assembly Day in the conference hall of Nicholo-Ugreshskaya Seminary. Opening the Assembly Day, the rector of the seminary, Hegumen Ioann (Rubin) pronounced a welcoming speech addressing the distinguished guest, Metropolitan Hilarion, as well as representatives of Theological schools, and the Head of the town of Dzerzhinsky Ludmila S. Ivanova. Among those addressed in the speech were also employees of the Town hall, secular educational institutions and all the guests who arrived to attend the conference.

Father Rector addressed a special welcoming word to the esteemed guest, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Russia, Toyohisa Kozuki-sama, as well as all the representatives of Japan in attendance. This is the first time the Ambassador of Japan has attended the Nicholo-Ugreshskaya Seminary, which testifies to the significance of the conference. The Ambassador of Japan Toyohisa Kozuki-sama, who pointed out in his address the vital importance of the spiritual feat of Equal-to-the-Apostles Nicholas of Japan for Russian-Japanese relations.

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk addressed the participants of Assembly Day with a warm speech. He noted the paramount significance of the study of the written heritage of Equal-to-the-Apostles Nicholas, which is being carried out within the walls of the Nicholo-Ugreshskaya Seminary. He called the students of the seminary to pay special attention to the lifetime spiritual feat of St. Nicholas of Japan. The life of Saint Nicholas is an inspiration to every minister of the Church and every student of the theological school, the Metropolitan stressed.

The welcoming address of Archpriest Maxim Kozlov, Chairman of the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church, was also read out at the start of the Assembly Day.

Representatives of Orthodox Theological Schools of the Russian Orthodox Church also attended this landmark event. Among them were Hieromonk Mark (Svyatogorov), pro-rector of the Sretensky Theological Seminary, Priest Dionisy Patrushev, pro-rector of the Ryazan Theological Seminary, Deacon Nikita Stratilat, pro-rector of the Pererva Theological Seminary, Pavel E. Lipovetsky, Dean of the Theological and Pastoral Faculty of the Moscow Theological Academy, and Alexander V. Yastrebov, professor of the Russian Orthodox University.

A word of greeting was sent by the Archbishop Seraphim of Sendai, via video connection with Japan.

In the course of the event Metropolitan Hilarion awarded a number of Patriarchal medals and certificates.