"old calendarism", "same mentality", and

[Etienne]

I read Justin's response with some interest. One Greek heirarch who adheres to the Church Calendar wrote to once and warned against, "Any who would be perfect". On several visits to a Matthewite Church I actually met this. The priest was a lovely married priest, and so too were some of the congregation. However, some quizzed me in the smallest detail about when visitors were baptised, was it before this date or after that one. Asked why it was so extremely important, I was told the dates determined whether they were Orthodox or not.

A priest friend came across another group of Greeks of the Church Calendar persuasion. They had no access to a priest. He was 'doing' a funeral for them. In neighbourly spirit he offered to come and celebrate the occasional service for them. No, Father, no need. In this case he suspected that being so strict provided a perfect excuse simply not to go to services while being able to tut, tut about everyone else!

But as I have written before there is a New Calendar but no Old Calendar, only the Church Calendar born out of centuries of heroic struggle.

[Austin Doc]

Dear Etienne,

Code: Select all

  The main date that matters to the TOC of Greece/'Matthewites" is

is 1935, as that was when the TOC of Greece had bishops again, and that is when they declared the New Calendar as a schism -- falling under the Anathemas of the 16th century panOrthodox councils and the several local councils that condemned it as well. Being in the "Matthewite" jurisdiction myself, I've never seen, nor heard of baptismal validity being determined by a date, unless we're talking pre- 1935 vs. post 1935 in the State Church of Greece. Our parishes were received simply by the confession of faith of the priests.
All that aside, I do admit that there are some in the Matthewites that exhibit the "old calendarism" I wrote of, as well as some in the Kiousites, and Lamians that I know of as well. No jurisdiction has a monopoly on this. I myself have suffered from "old calendarism", and believing I was in the RTR-GOC = "Really True, Really Genuine Orthodox Church"

in Christ,

Nectarios

[Etienne]

Nectarios,

Thank you for the courtesy of your reply. As I indicated in my post there were things I really liked, including the lovely priest. Elsewhere I have made clear my belief that there are those in every quarter who are 'rigid', 'blind', or 'selectively legalistic'. My sympathies are with the Ukrainian priest who suggested all those adhereing to the Church calendar should be locked into a room and not let out until they come to an agreement.

My major concern is with those who critizise those who adhere to the Church Calendar while not having the integrity to acknowledge the disgraceful way the Gregorian calendar was introduced, and the appalling persecution of those who remained faithfull to the Church calendar. If some are perceived as 'stubborn' or 'standing apart' it might just be a good idea to try and understand why. But no, all to many of the critics appear to be able to enormous time to devote to understanding instead those who have grown further and further apart from Orthodoxy over centuries. But, heck, they are in 'canonical' jurisdictions, and it is so 'convenient' to celebrate Christmas on 25th December.

Sorry, I getting carried away................ Orthodox need to learn to love each other, because if they cannot, can we truly claim to be followers of the God-man, Jesus Christ?

Once again, Nectarios, thankyou for the courtesy of your response