Metropolitan Daniel of Japan visits campus of St Vladimir Seminary

His Eminence, Metropolitan Daniel of Toyko, Primate of the Autonomous Orthodox Church in Japan, visited Saint Vladimir’s Seminary campus here on Tuesday, September 10 as part of his visit to the US to participate in the Enthronement of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, newly elected Primate of the Orthodox Church in America.

Metropolitan Daniel, a 1968 graduate of Saint Vladimir’s, was welcomed by the seminary’s newly-appointed Dean, Prof. John H. Erickson, members of the faculty and administration, and the student body, after which he was led to Three Hierarchs Chapel, where a Prayer Service was held. At the conclusion of the service, Metropolitan Daniel reminisced about his years of study at the seminary. He shared with the community the overwhelming feelings he experienced as he passed through the gates of the seminary. With tears in his eyes, he remembered his departed professors and expressed words of gratitude for the education he received through them.

On behalf of the seminary’s alumni in Japan, Metropolitan Daniel presented a check for $10,000.00 to Dean Erickson as a gift for the seminary. He also expressed his best wishes to Dean Erickson upon his installation as seminary dean, which will take place September 14, 2002.

After words of welcome and deep gratitude for his visit and gift, Dean Erickson presented Metropolitan Daniel with an icon of Saint Vladimir on behalf of the seminary community. Metropolitan Daniel then joined the student body for lunch in the refectory, met with the seminary administration, and was given a tour of the school’s campus.

Born on September 5, 1938, Metropolitan Daniel converted to Orthodoxy in 1956. He attended Saint Vladimir’s after completing studies at the Orthodox Seminary in Tokyo. After his ordination to the diaconate in 1969 and to the priesthood in 1971, he served as a parish priest until 1999.

Following the death of His Emimence, Metropolitan Theodosius of Tokyo and All Japan in 1999, he was tonsured a monk in Russia and subsequently consecrated to the episcopacy as Bishop of Kyoto. In early 2000, Bishop Peter [Arihara], another Saint Vladimir alumnus, was elected Metropolitan of Japan, but prior to his enthronement and elevation to the primatial see, he resigned for reasons of health and died shortly thereafter. It was then that Bishop Daniel was elected Primate of the Japanese Church. His elevation to the rank of Metropolitan and enthronement, at which His Holiness, Patriarch Aleksy of Moscow and His Beatitude, Metropolitan Theodosius of the Orthodox Church in America, were present, took place in Tokyo in May 2000, three days after the death of Bishop Peter.

Accompanying Metropolitan Daniel were two other Saint Vladimir alumni, Protopresbyter Justin Yamaguchi (Class of 1968), Chancellor of the Japanese Church, and Archpriest John Takahashi (Class of 1972), Dean of Tokyo’s Holy Resurrection Cathedral. Also accompanying the Metropolitan was catechist, Mr. Athanasius Morita.