State Church seeks dialogue with the TOC

[Sean]

More info I found on xenia:

Here is some interesting official statement (in Greek).
http://www.ecclesiagoc.gr/pegasus/h005/ ... 011.peg|44

Its translation into Russian is here.
http://www.portal-credo.ru/site/index.p ... s&id=26857
Here is an English translation:

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                                                                 CHURCH OF GOC OF GREECE
                                                                           THE HOLY SYNOD
                                                                PRESS RELEASE DEPARTMENT

Responding to the publications in Press concerning a wish of the State Church of Greece to maintain a contact with the Church of GOC of Greece, H.E. Metropolitan GOC of Pireus and Salamina Gerontius as a PR representative proceeded with the following declaration for the mass media:

"In spite of at least two declarations of H.B. Archbishop GOC of Athens and all Greece kyr kyr Chrysostom II, saying that our Church is open to dialogue, the New Calendar Church has prefered to manage a contact with "jurisdiction" of former Metropolitan of Fili & Oropos kyr Cyprian, which is known by everybody as not representing even 1/20 of the Greek consciously following the Old Calendar.

Also despite the fact, that everybody knows very well, what is the Church of GOC of Greece and what are the jurisdictions, kyr Christodul has prefered the jurisdictions, which are wellknown for how they are arised, whence they originate and whom they are representing.

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         If the New Calendar Church of Greece wishes to open a seriouse, sincere, open and honest dialogue about the so called "Old Calendar Problem" she should know very well, that we have never denied it. The question certainly is how to understand the meaning of the word "dialogue".


    So on, a persisting of the Holy Synod of the New Calendar Church for undertaking contacts with the wellknown and discredited jurisdictions gives us suspicions about sincerity and firmness of its "wish for a dialogue" with the Church of GOC of Greece.

    For the conclusion we wish to accentuate to all, that the Church of GOC of Greece and her President, H.B. Archbishop GOC of Athens and all Greece kyr kyr Chrysostom II have never denied the dialogue with the State Church. On the contrary, we are seeking it to present our theological and canonical arguments, which some simply and easily believe us not to have.

    Who wishes to contact the Church of GOC of Greece knows very well who is the Archbishop and his address, and that he is always open for communion for the benefit of the Orthodoxy. If, however, one wishes - for the reasons not regarding us - simply to declare his interest for the Old Calendar Problem, he has many self-invited and self-proclamed GOC to talk with. But they are not a Church of Old Calendar!

                                                        From the Press Release Department of the Holy Synod

Translateed from: http://www.ecclesiagoc.gr/pegasus/h005/ ... 011.peg|44

[John Haluska]

An individual wrote:

…“I realise that I'll probably be in the minority here on this one, but I think this is pretty funny.”…

This was in direct reference to the evil one’s turmoil creation with respect to what was “posted” regarding this “topic”.

This is a classic case of a most unfortunate comment and perceived “gleeful” perception of a serious situation.

First of all, what is to be gained with respect to the continuance of his tawdry “pushing” of the negative with regard to this “topic”? What will laymen and laywomen “add” to, but will most assuredly subtract from, the seriousness (not to mention it is a wholly ecclesiastical matter) this “topic”?

“…funny…”?

Far from it!

Persons who have been steeped and progressed in the years within the schismatic “new” calendar venue, do not have any conception of the Orthodox Calendar simply because they don’t live it, or were taught that the “Old Calendarists” are fanatics or some other Bolshevik/Communist epithet.

1. There is but ONE Orthodox Calendar!

2. There is NO such thing as “the Old Calendar”!

What is falsely and indiscriminately “termed” as the “Old Calendar” is absolutely nothing other than a vengeful name given to a calendar used by Orthodox Christians since the beginning of the Orthodox Church. There is but ONE Orthodox Calendar!

The schismatic “new” calendar was a creation of a Pope in the early 1500s and has been at least thrice anathematized, if not more. Perhaps an Orthodox Hierarch or Clergyman could expound more perfectly on the ramifications involved in the word “anathema” and its pronouncement against individuals or churches, for that matter, and what it means.

“…funny…”?

Indeed, the evil one is overjoyed at the making light of such a serious situation. Those who pursue this vein of “funniness” have nothing to lose, as they want this dastardly vein to continue as it accomplishes nothing except drag most the glorious Orthodox Church through the proverbial mud (vis-à-vis the “comment” those who are NOT “on the net”).

The Greeks had the schismatic “new” calendar FORCED, as in FORCED, on them. One must include the horrific references to tortures, murders, executions and the like along with the sad history of these events. If a “solution” is to be finalized, then a return to the Orthodox Calendar would necessarily be the final objective.

The schismatic “new” calendar in America was also FORCED, as in FORCED, on its people. America is most definitely NOT Greece, in piety or Orthodoxy! As a result, there is a huge, as in worlds apart, difference.

The best solution to this whole “lack of nothing else to do with ones time except “make fun” of a serious problem” is to just drop it.

Everyone knows that will not happen.

John

[Schultz]

America is most definitely NOT Greece, in piety or Orthodoxy!

I'd wager that there is a much higher percentage of Orthodox Christians attending church services every week in the US than there are in Greece.

[Sean]

America is most definitely NOT Greece, in piety or Orthodoxy!

I'd wager that there is a much higher percentage of Orthodox Christians attending church services every week in the US than there are in Greece.

You've brought up a very interesting point. An Old Calendar bishop once told me that although 90% of Greece's population is baptized Orthodox, only 7% attend Church regularly. About 5% of the population is Old Calendar. I think that since it isn't a very popular thing to be an Old Calendarist, that those who are would be more committed in their attendence of the Divine Services. With this in mind, it is quite possible that the majority of those who attend Church regularly in Greece are Old Calendarists. That having been said, it is true that compared to the New Calendarist Greeks in America, the State Church of Greece is very traditional.

[Mor Ephrem]

Oh geez...

An individual wrote:

…“I realise that I'll probably be in the minority here on this one, but I think this is pretty funny.”…

This was in direct reference to the evil one’s turmoil creation with respect to what was “posted” regarding this “topic”.

I'm sorry. I don't think the evil one needs to actively create turmoil in Greece when there's plenty of Orthodox over there to screw things up.

But let us assume it is the evil one. Whose side is he on? Everyone involved in the quote I cited is a traditionalist Eastern Orthodox group. These are supposed to be more correct than everyone else. Is it possible that what I thought was funny and what you think is the activity of the evil one is simply the natural consequence of their common schism from the Orthodox Church of Greece? Schism comes from the evil one too...

This is a classic case of a most unfortunate comment and perceived “gleeful” perception of a serious situation.

If that's supposed to mean that I'm happy to see all of these shenanigans going on, then your "perceived perception" is wrong.

First of all, what is to be gained with respect to the continuance...

Continuance? I posted once in this thread. You quoted me twice. Who's continuing what?

...of his tawdry “pushing” of the negative with regard to this “topic”?

The only thing that could possibly be called tawdry in anything I posted is the quote I cited. First of all, it seems awfully biased. Second, you've got one traditionalist group who is willing to enter dialogue with the New Calendarists, but only on condition that the latter stop any dealings with other Old Calendar groups because they and they alone are the only legitimate Old Calendar group in Greece, while the other firmly rejects any dialogue and twists the rhetoric around ("there is not any "Old Calendar problem" in Greece or anywhere else, but already for 80 years exists a New Calendar problem"). I understand that these are serious issues for you, but sometimes it just comes across as a lot of silliness, and I don't think you need to invoke the evil one when there's plenty of Orthodox Greeks running around with their own agendas.

Indeed, the evil one is overjoyed at the making light of such a serious situation.

The evil one is more overjoyed at those who tear away at the Body of Christ rather than abide in Him.

Those who pursue this vein of “funniness” have nothing to lose, as they want this dastardly vein to continue as it accomplishes nothing except drag most the glorious Orthodox Church through the proverbial mud (vis-à-vis the “comment” those who are NOT “on the net”).

My thinking a particular item is funny is not dragging the Eastern Orthodox Church down. What's dragging the Eastern Orthodox Church down is the schisms plaguing her, and the nursing of those schisms by those who stand to gain from schism. You don't need this Monophysite's help to drag down your Church, you guys are doing a good job of it yourselves.

The best solution to this whole “lack of nothing else to do with ones time except “make fun” of a serious problem” is to just drop it.

Everyone knows that will not happen.

Well it sure won't happen if you keep quoting me, will it?