At the invitation His Grace Seraphim, Bishop of Sendai, Archpriest Dionisy Pozdnyaev visited Japan, January 23-28. In the course of his visit, Fr. Dionisy visited Sendai, Tokyo and Yokohama where he became acquainted with the current life of the Japanese Orthodox Church.
On January 25th, Archpriest Dionisy was received in Tokyo by the Leader of the Japanese Church, His Eminence Daniel, Archbishop of Tokyo, Metropolitan of Japan. During their discussions, Fr. Dionisy familiarized the hierarchs of the Japanese Church with the present day situation and problems of the Chinese Autonomous Orthodox Church. The leader of the Japanese Church sent his hierarchical blessing to the people of the Orthodox Church in China, and expressed hope for the normalization of the situation of the Church in China. To assist in translation, Bishop Daniel presented to the the Brotherhood of the Holy Leaders of the Apostles Peter and Paul in Hong Kong, Japanese-language liturgical books, published in Tokyo in the early 20 th century (Oktoikh, Triodion, Book of Psalms, Book of Hours, Festive Mineon ) and a number of current publications of the Japanese Church.
On January 25, Fr. Dionisy visited the Patriarchal Representation temple in Tokyo, where he had a fraternal meeting with the Representation's clerics, priest-in-charge, Fr. Nikolai Katsyuban and Fr. Ioann Nagaya.
On January 26, His Eminence, Bishop Seraphim, was accompanied by Archpriest Dionisy on a visit to Tokyo's Yanaka Cemetery, where he venerated the relics of St. Nicholas of Japan, Equal to the Apostles, and commemorated the departed leaders of the Japanese Church.
On January 27, Fr. Dionisy took part in the Divine Liturgy served by Bishop Seraphim in the Cathedral in the city of Sendai.
Following the liturgy Bishop Seraphim introduced Fr. Dionisy to the congregation of the Sendai Diocese. After a festive meal Bishop Seraphim discussed with Fr. Dionisy a number of issues concerning church relations between Japan and China, and presented to Hong Kong's Brotherhood of SS Peter and Paul, Leaders of the Apostles, copies of archival documents which reflect the historical ties between the Orthodox Church of Japan and China. On behalf of the Sendai Diocese, Bishop Seraphim also gave to Hong Kong's temple of SS Peter and Paul, Leaders of the Apostles, an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos executed in the style of Japanese silk-making.
On January 28, Fr. Dionisy departed for Hong Kong.