Seraphim Tsujie

Metropolitan Seraphim (Tsujie) of All Japan ((セラフィム) 辻永昇, (Serafimu) Tsujie Noburu, born March 23, 1951) is a Japanese prelate of the Orthodox Church in Japan. He has been the primate of the Orthodox Church in Japan since 2023, by virtue of the office of the Archbishop of Tokyo.

Early life

Metropolitan Seraphim was born on March 23, 1951, in Akita. In 1969, he entered the Tokyo College of Photography, from which he graduated in 1973, after which he worked in an advertising company. In 1987, Tsujie was baptized with the name Andrew in honor of the Andrew the Apostle. In 1987, he entered the Tokyo Orthodox Seminary, from which he graduated in 1990. On November 5, 1989, Tsujie was ordained by Bishop Herman Swaiko as a celibate deacon and served in the Holy Resurrection Cathedral.

Priesthood

On August 18, 1991, Tsujie was ordained a priest by Metropolitan Feodosi. He then began working in the metropolitan office and also became an inspector of the Tokyo Theological Seminary. By August 1993, he began to serve in the Holy Resurrection Cathedral. On August 20, 1999, at the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, he was tonsured a monk with the name Seraphim in honor of Seraphim of Sarov. On September 6, 1999, at the Dormition Cathedral, Patriarch Alexy II elevated Seraphim to the rank of abbot. On December 28 of the same year, by resolution of the Holy Synod, he was appointed the Bishop of Sendai of Orthodox Church in Japan.

On January 9, 2000, Seraphim was elevated to the rank of archimandrite by Alexy II. Six days later, he was formally enthroned as Bishop of Sendai. As a representative of the Japanese Church, he visited Russia several times. With a report on the Japanese Orthodox Church, he took part in the International Scientific and Practical Conference "Christianity in the Far East", held from September 19 to 21, 2006 in Khabarovsk.

The areas within the Sendai Diocese were the hardest hit by the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, but Seraphim himself was not injured. On July 8, 2012, by decision of the Council of the Japanese Orthodox Church, he was elevated to archbishop. On April 16, 2016, by decision of the Holy Synod, Seraphim was included in the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church to participate in the Pan-Orthodox Council, but on June 13, the ROC refused to participate in the council.

Metropolitan of All Japan

On August 10, 2023, following the death of Daniel Nushiro, Seraphim was appointed Acting Primate. On September 28, at an extraordinary Council of the Japanese Orthodox Church, he was elected Archbishop of Tokyo and Metropolitan of All Japan, on the same day the election was approved by Patriarch Kirill. The enthronement took place on October 22, 2023.

References

1. Orthodox Church in Japan
2. Daniel Nushiro
3. Holy Resurrection Cathedral
4. Pan-Orthodox Council