St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary - Events

Metropolitan DANIEL, SVS Alumnus, Visits Campus
September 11, 2002

CRESTWOOD, NY - The Primate of the Orthodox Church in Japan, His Eminence, Metropolitan Daniel, visited St Vladimir’s Seminary campus today as part of his journey to the United States for the enthronement of His Beatitude Metropolitan Herman, which was celebrated Sunday, September 8, at St Nicholas Cathedral, Washington, D.C.

His Eminence was greeted by Dean John H. Erickson, members of the seminary faculty and administration, and the student body, and was led to the Three Hierarchs Chapel where a Prayer Service was held. At the conclusion of the service, Metropolitan Daniel, who graduated with a Master of Divinity degree in 1968, reminisced about his years of study here. 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 alumni in Japan, he presented a check of $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 St Vladimir on behalf of the seminary community. His Eminence then joined the student body for lunch in the refectory, met with the seminary administration, and was given a tour of the seminary campus.

Born on September 5, 1938, Metropolitan Daniel (then known as Judah Yoshihara) converted to Orthodoxy in 1956. He attended St Vladimir’s after completion of studies at the Orthodox Seminary in Tokyo. He was ordained to the diaconate in 1969, to the priesthood in 1971, and served as parish priest until 1999. Following his wife’s death, he adopted her last name (Nushiro) according to Japanese custom.

Following the death of Metropolitan Theodosius of Japan in 1999, he was tonsured a monk in Russia and there was consecrated to the episcopacy as Bishop of Kyoto. In early 2000, Bishop Peter (Arihara), another SVS alumnus, was elected Metropolitan of Japan, but prior to his enthronement and elevation to the primatial see, Bishop Peter resigned for reasons of health and died shortly thereafter.

It was then that Bishop Daniel was elected at a quickly-called council of the Japanese church. His elevation to the rank of Metropolitan and enthronement as Primate of the autonomous Japanese Orthodox Church, presided at by Patriarch Aleksy of Moscow and Metropolitan Theodosius of the Orthodox Church in America, took place in Tokyo in May 2000, three days after the death of Bishop Peter.

During his current visit to the United States, two other St Vladimir’s alumni, Protopresbyter Justin Yamaguchi (1968), Chancellor of the Japanese Church, and Archpriest John Takahashi (1972), Dean of Holy Resurrection Cathedral (popularly known as Nikolai-do) in Tokyo, accompanied Metropolitan Daniel. Also forming part of the delegation was a young catechist, Mr. Athanasius Morita.

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Historical information on Metropolitan Daniel provided by OCA Archivist, Alex Liberovsky