The oldest bishop of Russian Orthodox Church died

On Tuesday, August 26, at 94 years old, died the oldest hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, vicar of Moscow diocese, Archbishop Nikolay Ramensky (Sayama).

Archbishop Nikolay (Sayama Dayroku) was born on November 22, 1914. In
1941, he graduated from the Tokyo Theological Seminary, and in 1954
entered the St. Vladimir's Theological Seminary in the United States. Here
in October 1956, he was consecrated to the diaconate, and in November he
was ordained to the priesthood.

Upon completing St. Vladimir's Seminary in 1959, he lived in Athens, and
on September 1, 1962 received monastic tonsure in the Trinity-Sergius
Laura and was named Nikolay. In 1966, elevated to the rank of
Archimandrite. In December 1967, Father Nikolay, was appointed head of the
Russian spiritual mission in Japan (together parishes, is directly
subordinated to the Russian Orthodox Church at a time when the Japanese
Orthodox Church was in the jurisdiction of the American Metropolia.
Archimandrite Nikolay's consecration to the episcopate took place at
Alexander Nevsky Laura on December 10, 1967.

In 1970, Japan became an autonomous Orthodox Church, and instead of
Russian spiritual mission in Tokyo a representation of the Moscow
Patriarchate was established. Bishop Nikolay served as rector of the
representation from 1970 to 1986.

In 1984, elevated to the rank of archbishop, and since 1996 - served as
Archbishop of Ramensk, vicar of Moscow diocese.

Since 1986, Archbishop Nikolay was at rest and lived in the Japanese
Chiba prefecture, bordering Tokyo district.

Source: Interfax religion - Translated by "Orthodoxy in China" website

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