On the Sunday of the Cross, the Metropolitan of Tokyo sent a letter to Patriarch Kirill, calling on him to do everything possible to bring about reconciliation and an end to the fratricidal war in Ukraine. His Eminence Metropolitan Daniel of Tokyo and All Japan heads the Japanese Orthodox Church—an autonomous body within the Moscow Patriarchate. “We fervently ask Your Holiness to exert Your spiritual and ecclesiastical power to the utmost, so as to work for the reconciliation and resolution of the conflict between our brothers as soon as possible, and to give us, the Orthodox faithful in Japan, unfaltering peace of mind and hope for the future,” the Metropolitan writes.

His full appeal reads:

We, the Holy Autonomous Orthodox Church in Japan under the protection of Your Holiness, are deeply saddened by the armed conflict and the horrendous bloodshed between our beloved Russian and Ukrainian brothers.

At this time of the Great Lent, remembering the holy suffering of our Lord Christ on the cross, with contrite heart and earnest supplication to our Lord Jesus Christ, God Almighty and God of Peace, we beseech for the immediate realization of reconciliation between our Orthodox brothers.

We fervently ask Your Holiness to exert Your spiritual and ecclesiastical power to the utmost, so as to work for the reconciliation and resolution of the conflict between our brothers as soon as possible, and to give us, the Orthodox faithful in Japan, unfaltering peace of mind and hope for the future.

On behalf of all the hierarchs and clergy, and the whole congregation including the Russian and Ukrainian faithful of our Church, I would like to express our sincere plea from the depth of my heart to Your Holiness.

With deep fraternal love in Christ,

Tokyo, Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross, 2022

+DANIEL Archbishop of Tokyo and Metropolitan of All Japan
Holy Autonomous Orthodox Church in Japan

The Metropolitan Council of the Church in Japan issued a similar statement earlier this month, emphasizing that the entire Japanese Church “opposes all acts of violence and destruction,” and calling for a speedy end to the conflict, which affects not only Ukraine and Russia, but the entire world. (Quelle: www.orthochristian.com, 30. März 2022)