Jūkanroku: Sōga

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Mizushima, Kōyō (Isaiah) [edited by].

Tōkyō : Seikyō Honkai Henshūjo, Meiji 39 [1906]. First edition.

A document printed to commemorate a celebration by the congregation of the Japanese Orthodox Church for the 25th anniversary of Bishop Nikolai Kasatkin (1836–1912) and his elevation to Archbishop of All Japan by the Russian Orthodox Holy Synod. Kasatkin was ordained auxiliary bishop of Revel (Tallinn) in 1880 despite never having visited the city, and it is assumed that this is the occasion to which the “25 years” refers. Kasatkin arrived as a young Russian Hieromonk in Hakodate, Japan, in 1861, and attemped to spread Orthodox Christianity throughout the city. He moved to Tokyo in 1872, leaving behind a few Japanese converts. After being consecrated auxiliary bishop, Kasatkin travelled across Russia collecting funds for the construction of the Tokyo Resurrection Cathedral. The Cathedral, also called the “Holy Resurrection Cathedral”, was inaugurated in Kanda in 1891 and is now more commonly known as “Nikorai-dō”. Construction of the cathedral was overseen by English architect Josiah Conder from 1884 to 1891. In 1906 Kasatkin was elevated to the rank of Archbishop of All Japan, and this event was celebrated together with his twenty-fifth anniversary as bishop by his congregation in Tokyo. In 1970, long after his death, he was canonised as “Equal-to-the-Apostles, Archbishop of Japan, St Nicholas”. Jūkanroku: Sōga is split into four parts. The first records congratulatory messages from local churches, churches in Tokyo, and other groups, the second records messages from priests, and the third records messages from “believers”. A list of people who sent congratulatory telegrams to the church is included in the fourth part.

The book is highly illustrated with photographic images and has a chromolithograph frontispiece depicting a palitza. Other illustrations feature Orthodox Church vestments, the exterior and interior of the Holy Resurrection Cathedral, Archbishop Nikolai himself (at the ceremony, working on a piece of translation work at night, etc.), the celebration, seminaries in Japan, and so on. The pictures of the celebration, taken with Kasatkin and his congregation, are of particular interest. Several short sections of the text are in Russian. No copies of the first printing have been located in Japanese library databases or OCLC (and only one 1907 reprint, which appears different to the first edition, has been located in the National Diet Library). A scarce illustrated record of the Tokyo celebration of Nikolai of Japan's elevation to the rank of Archbishop.  

Original wrappers, a little soiled, with a few creases and marks, chipping to extremities. Ex-ownership note in brush and ink to lower wrapper. Discolouration around binding staples, which have rusted. Minor browning and occasional small marks to pages. Overall very good. 1 v., complete. 86 p. + 1 chromolithograph frontispiece + 12 plates of black and white illustrations. 25.7 x 18.7 cm. Text in Japanese. 

Jūkanroku: Sōga
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