On Sunday September 22, 1946, in the Saint-Nicolas Cathedral, with large gathering of worshipers has taken place a rare spiritual celebration — consecration of archimandrite Nikandr (Viktorov) to Bishop of Qiqihar. The consecration was conducted by Exarch of East Asia Right Reverend Nestor, metropolitan of Harbin and Manchuria, archbishop Dimitry and bishop Juvenaly of Shanghai.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Right Reverend Nestor has handed over to Bishop Nikandr bishop's staff and has addressed him with the following words: "Dear Right Reverend brother in Christ Nikandr! I joyfully congratulate you and I welcome you with reception of saintly rank. […] Much is put on shoulders of Bishops, and we submissively and obediently bear sometimes a heavy cross of bishop's services and feat, but steadily follow in the steps of Christ and His Sacred Precepts. […] Selecting you in coserving with us and in helping our church management here, in the East of Asia, we were guided by the knowledge that our Orthodox flock knows you, esteems and loves you, and consecration of you to the rank of Bishop has nowadays met with full satisfaction" [22.]
In the pages of the magazine "Heavenly Bread" there is evidence that archbishops long before 1946 were calling Father Leonid Viktorov to serve in the rank of bishop. Thus, Vladyka Simon in 1931 planned him as his successor for the Shanghai faculty. Then Vladyka Simon wrote Father Leonid: " I suggest that you take a place of the rector of the Archangel Gabriel church in Shanghai - in the hope, that you will become instead of me Bishop of Shanghai" [23]. Later Vladyka Victor, becoming archbishop of Beijing and releasing the Shanghai faculty, also offered Father Leonid to become Bishop of Shanghai. The offer to become bishop in America came from archbishop Appolinariy of San Francisco [24]. However, Father Leonid, because of his modesty finding himself insufficiently prepared, resolutely rejected this high lot. Marking these facts, professor E.Sumorokov in addressing the newly consecrated Bishop Nikandr, has fairly noticed: "You did not aspire to this service, but it was unexpectedly entrusted to you which means, that it is God's will" [25.]
The church community of Manchuria has answered with unanimous support for the elevation of Father Leonid to the rank of bishop, knowing about his personal qualities and merits before Christ's Church. Welcoming Bishop Nikandr, rector of the Theological seminary of Harbin archpriest Father Simeon Novosiltsev spoke: " The diocese of Harbin is updated, receives the skilled, tested administrator who knows well the needs of parishes and perfectly aquainted with conditions of life of local areas" [26]. Echoing him, the Chairman of Eparchial council of Harbin archpriest A. Goloskevich testified: "In your person we always had a teaching pastor, modest and well meaning, full of love and diligence to Holy Church of Christ, to beauty and right services in it and lively love to the flock, to his parishioners, valuable teacher of Divine Law and administrator and excellent preacher with sincere personal qualities" [27]. It is difficult to better, than in these words, to characterize the newly consecrated bishop.
[22]Heavenly Bread. Harbin, 1946. - № 9, 10. - page 56.
[23] In the same place. - pages 49-50.
[24] In the same place.
[25] In the same place. - page 58-59.
[26] In the same place. - page 57.
[27] In the same place. - page. 58.