The Old Calendarist Lie of Codex 772

Concerning Codex 772
 

By Elder Theoklitos Dionysiatis

One lie constituted the generative origins of the Old Calendarists which, to this day, weakens the mission of Orthodoxy with the influence of these schismatics towards simple Christians.

And which lie is this?

That during 1583 and 1593, two Local Synods under Patriarch Jeremiah II - which convened in order to condemn the all-daring overthrow of the First Ecumenical Synod’s ruling concerning the Feast of Holy Pascha under Papism - also condemned the calendar change.

And how was this lie created?

From a forgery which a premature zealot, Iakovos of New Skete, made in the handwritten codex of St. Panteleimon's Monastery (Mt. Athos), contained in number 772!

The sneaky zealots applied these so-called anathemas to intimidate and frighten the simple Christians and to support their schism upon this lie - just as all schisms are born from absurdities, forgeries, and frauds which trick the simple and unlearned.

The history of the Old Calendar schism is simple.

In short: After the end of World War I, in 1919, the Orthodox Empire of the East, for secular reasons, wanted to adapt the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian, which is thirteen days ahead. And in Greece, the government of that time started fermentations with respect to the Church, which declined to part from the Julian Calendar.

But the revolutionary government "rolling pin", despite the objection of the Church, proposed through Royal Edict, the consecration of a Revised Julian Calendar by thirteen days.

Thus, with the use of the two calendars, problems were created.

When the Church, in consultation with the Patriarchate and the Orthodox Churches, accepted the Revised Julian, March 10 of 1924 was called the 23rd; Pascha remaining untouched.

This is the entire history. The following year gave rise to disorder in the consciences. However, whoever had a mind remained calm with the explanation that was given, namely, Orthodoxy was not adulterated, neither in dogma nor in its traditions.

Again, whoever was dominated by mistrust and suspicions, along with their secret self-conceit, suffered from the "you don't persuade me even if you persuade me" mentality.

These people made an uproar that the Church fell into heresy. And thus the Old Calendarists were created. On the other hand, a multitude of schisms have existed before over nothing, just as the Old Calendarists.

On the Holy Mount Athos, after the torment of the problem, 5-6000 monastics came to the conclusion that the Orthodox Faith is not affected but, for various reasons, they would maintain the Old Calendar and they would not break off ecclesiastical relations with the Local Churches (that would have made the leap of 13 days), who were considered as equally Orthodox.

A sufficient number of monks became zealots outside of the monasteries and a few priest-monks went to the cities and proclaimed that the addition of thirteen days which the Church accepted is heresy. They did this without taking into consideration that the Church would not have accepted to innovate if the State did not previously innovate and thus provoke the confusion with the two calendars.

I write these things, in relation to the issue of the Holy Monastery of Esphigmenou, for those who ask me. I have already responded in a previous article. Here once again I repeat that the Holy Community respects the freedom of conscience of the zealots and tolerates them even though they are schismatic, and according to the Constitutional Charter it should banish them from Mount Athos. The case of the Monastery of Esphigmenou is different. The zealots of Esphigmenou could stay in Mount Athos, but not within the Institutions of the Holy Community. Either they agree with all the Holy Monasteries or they disagree, so since they are schismatic, they must leave by themselves.

Yesterday I received a letter from a friend of mine, who wrote to me that in an interview the "Spiritual Father" of the Monastery of Esphigmenou, on a state channel, said: "During the time of the Patriarch Athenagoras there were the fiery articles of the Venerable Father Theoklitos Dionysiatis. Now that these events happen, he remains silent."

I do not know him, I knew however his “predecessor” Efthymios, as I wrote in a previous article of mine in the newspaper Orthodoxos Typos. But in this case I am bound to answer to the question of the "Spiritual Father". Indeed, I used to write fiery articles which constituted a whole book about the papal statements of Athenagoras. Now what can I write? Now many ignorant people perceive the social type relationships and encounters with the papists as cooperation and co-prayers of the present Patriarch? Much has been said for Ravenna. If, despite the canons that only Orthodox should appear for Holy Communion, sometimes papists escaped attention and communed, does this mean that the Patriarch did that intentionally? We must be careful not to blame the leaders of the Church that they are Ecumenists because modern conditions lead to meetings and to some amenities and affability with the heterodox.

I would like them to see the very Orthodox Archbishop of Athens Chrysostomos II, who raised a true “war” against Athenagoras, address in the Metropolitan Church the Anglican Archbishop or to receive at the Church of the Armenians an honorable address from the Armenian clergyman. What would those people, who complain and blame Patriarch Bartholomew as an ecumenist, say? I read in Orthodoxos Typos and I also received the protest for the Monastery of Esphigmenou from five Christian unions, who are not followers of the Julian Calendar. Well, are they touched by the eventuality of being prosecuted by the Sacred Constitution (the zealots) and aren't they worried and sorry for the deception, that they are schismatic and that they expose the splendor of Orthodoxy? They want to believe that they are guardians of Orthodoxy, but then why don't they attend to the preservation of the truth from counterfeits, either deficiencies or excesses? Either the “Esphigmenites” are seduced and they must be helped so as to repent, or they are Orthodox, so those of the five unions should follow them in their morale. Would St. Mark Evgenikos and Palamas really protect them since they lacerate the Church? Do they know that Gregory Palamas recommended to the Venerable Fathers of the Monastery of Lavra not to have a common cenobitic life with Akindynos, because it showed some signs of deception? They should read, the ones of the five unions, my book "St. Gregory Palamas" and the offprint of the Archbishop of Athens Chrysostomos I "Control of Calendar Accusations”. And they should also read the doctorate dissertation of the present Archbishop of Athens [Christodoulos], in order to see that above the initial lie there were built a series of false and fraudulent ones, as Elder Gervasios Paraskevopoulos wrote to me.

I wrote it elsewhere, and I will repeat it. The predecessor of the current "Spiritual Father" Efthimios came to our Monastery, when there were the “Athenagorians” (people who agree with Athenagoras' point of view), which Kontoglou, Archbishop Chrystostomos and myself fought in 1965, and he was ordained Deacon and Priest renouncing his zealotism. Why? After five years he was once again a zealot. Why? When did he read that Athenagoras made papal statements? When he was ordained from an “Athenagorian” bishop didn't he know? And for five years he never commemorated him? This is what zealotism is all about!

The Russian Nikita Strouve, in his book Russia Today writes: “Something that Russia has nothing to feel jealous of America about is the approximately fifty sects which exist in Russian as O.O.C.!" Well, is this our sensitivity towards Orthodoxy? Instead of protesting in favor of the delusional ones, who as schismatics lose their soul, since the blood of martyrdom will not rinse the schism, it is wise to enlighten them to return to the Church of Christ abandoning their conventicles. And all this I adduced, because they ask me as being one of the elders of Mount Athos, who has seen many things.

Source: From Orthodox Typos, February 28, 2003. Translated by John Sanidopoulos

 

Old Calendarism and the Monastery of Esphigmenou (Elder Theoklitos Dionysiatis)

The Resurrection of Christ was considered and continues to be considered by many as a fable, due to a lie that was said by a small number of Jews. When the soldiers of the guard brought the incredible news of the Resurrection to the archpriests, they in turn gave them large sums of money and instructed them to say that “while we were asleep, His disciples came and stole His Body”. And the Evangelist Matthew adds: “And this claim has been perpetuated by the Jews to this day”. One major lie passed on into history. We encounter many such lies in world history.

It was also a lie that gave birth to Old Calendarism, which, to this day, continues to undermine the work of Orthodoxy, through the influence that these schismatics exert on naïve Christians. And what is this lie? The lie is that two Local Synods, under Patriarch Jeremiah II, in 1583 and 1593, which had been convened in order to condemn the audacious invalidation of the Oros (term) of the First Ecumenical Synod regarding the celebration of Holy Pascha, an invalidation which had been adopted by the Papacy, and also supposedly condemned the Calendar change. And how was this lie concocted?

Thanks to a forgery by an early zealot, Jacob of New Skete (Neasketiotes), to the manuscript of the code of the Holy Monastery of Saint Panteleimon, No. 772!

By using these supposed anathemas as scare tactics, the cunning zealots of the Holy Mountain were supposed to intimidate the naïve Christians. And the schism was based on this lie, in the same way that all schisms stem from absurdities, forgeries and frauds that are used to deceive those who are gullible or ignorant.

In brief, we can say that the history of the Old Calendarist schism is straightforward. After the end of World War I, ca. 1919, the Orthodox nations of the East had, for economic reasons (wishing to promote commerce), desired to adjust the Julian Calendar to the so-called Gregorian one, which preceded it by 13 days. In Greece also, we encountered such “fermentations” that were prepared by the governments of that era, which were aimed at convincing the Church accordingly. The Church however refused to abandon the Julian Calendar. But the rebellious government of Plastiras, despite the objections of the Church, proceeded by Royal Decree to establish the Julian calendar, adjusted by 13 days. Thus, the presence of two calendars caused problems. For this reason the State Church of Greece, in agreement with the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the other Orthodox Churches, accepted this Revised Julian Calendar. And thus the 10th of March 1924 was renamed as the 23rd, while the Pascha celebration dates remained unchanged.

This is the whole story. It was natural that this change would cause a disorder and confusion in the people’s conscience. Those however who had some common sense accepted the explanation that had been given and calmed down, since Orthodoxy had not become de-natured, either in its dogma or in its traditions. Those however who were overcome by a spirit of distrust and in their latent egotism suffered from the syndrome of: “even if you convince me, you will not convince me”, would kick up a fuss, claiming that the Church had supposedly fallen into heresy. Thus the phenomenon of “Old Calendarism” was created. This was nothing new for the Church; after all, we encounter plenty of other such schisms in Her history, which had been caused for trivial reasons, such as that of the “Old Paschites” (a paschal schism of the early Church), for example.

The 5,000 – 6,000 monastics of the Holy Mountain, after examining the issue in extreme detail, were led to the conclusion that the Orthodox Faith had not been hurt by the Calendar change, although for various other reasons they decided to continue to observe the Old Calendar, without however severing ecclesiastical relations with the Local Churches which had taken the leap of 13 days, acknowledging them as being equally Orthodox. A large enough number of monks, outside the environment of the monasteries, became “zealots”, while a few hieromonks left for the cities where they were to preach that the addition of 13 days that the Church had accepted was heresy; without taking into consideration the fact that the Church would not have agreed to innovate, had the State not acted in haste without consulting the Church and proceeded to innovate, with the resulting confusion of having two calendars.


I write these things in relation to the issue of the Holy Monastery of Esphigmenou, for those who ask. Already in a previous article, I have replied to these points. Here, I will repeat that the Holy Athonite Community respects the zealots’ freedom of conscience and tolerates them, even though they are schismatics and, according to the Holy Mountain’s Charter, should be expelled from the Holy Mountain.

The case of the Esphigmenou Monastery however is different. The Esphigmenite zealots may stay in the Holy Mountain. However, they are not allowed to stay inside an Establishment of the Holy Community. They must: either agree with all Holy Monasteries or disagree, in which case, as schismatics, they must leave of their own accord.

Yesterday I received a letter from a friend of mine who wrote that the Prior of the Monastery of Esphigmenou, in an interview given to a state TV station, had said: “When Athenagoras was Patriarch, we had the fiery articles of the Elder Theokletos Dionysiates. Now that these things are happening, he remains silent”.

I do not know the present Prior. I did know, however his predecessor Euthymios, as I also wrote in a previous article in the newspaper “Orthodox Press”. In this case, however, it is my duty to reply to the Prior’s puzzlement. It is true that I used to write fiery articles (all of them together being the size of a large book) against the Pro-Papist statements of Athenagoras. Today what can I write about? That many people out of ignorance interpret the various social relations and meetings of the current Patriarch with the Papists as co-officiating and common prayer? There was a lot of talk about Ravenna. If, despite the explicit warning that had been given that only Orthodox should come forward for Holy Communion, certain Papists did not take heed and despite this warning, proceeded to receive Communion, does this mean that the Patriarch did this on purpose? We must be very careful before we accuse our ecclesiastical leaders that they are supposedly ecumenists just because present-day conditions may lead them to meet with, be amiable towards, or courteous to the heterodox.

I wish they had been there to see the extremely Orthodox Archbishop Chrysostom II, who had truly waged a war against Athenagoras, address the Anglican Archbishop inside the Metropolitan Temple or accept an honourable salutation by an Armenian cleric. What would those who protest and condemn Patriarch Bartholomew as an ecumenist say then? I also read in the “Orthodox Press”, but also received this statement in person, of a protest regarding Esphigmenou, signed by five Christian associations who are not Old Calendarist. So, are these people moved by the possibility that the Esphigmenite zealots might be removed from the Holy Establishment, but are not concerned with or feel sad about their fallacy, with the fact that they are schismatics or with the fact that they are exposing Orthodoxy’s radiance? They want to believe that they are guardians of Orthodoxy; but in that case, why don’t they take care to preserve its truth from alterations which stem from irresponsibility or exaggeration? Either the Esphigmenites are deceived and must be helped, so that they can come to their senses, or they are Orthodox, in which case the members of these five associations should follow them in their beliefs. Do they believe that St. Mark of Ephesus or Gregory Palamas would protect them, now that the Esphigmenites are cutting asunder (schism) the Church? Do they know that Gregory Palamas had suggested to the Elders of the Holy Monastery of Lavra not to coenobise Akindynus, simply because he showed some indications of holding on to some fallacious beliefs? Let those of the five associations read my book “St. Gregory Palamas” and the reprint of the Archbishop of Athens Chrysostom I, entitled “Examination of the Calendarist Accusations”. Let them also read the doctorate thesis of the present Archbishop of Athens, in order to see in what way a series of lies and frauds had been built from that original lie, as the devout Gervasios Paraskevopoulos had written to me.

I wrote this elsewhere and I will repeat it here as well. Back in 1965, when Kontoglou, Archbishop Chrysostom and I, were all of us fighting Athenagorism, the Prior who preceded the present one, called Euthemios, came to our Monastery and was ordained a Deacon and then a Priest, acquiring his zealotist mindset. Why? Five years later, he turned once again into a zealot. Why? Perhaps because he read that Athenagoras had made Pro-Papist statements in public? When he was being ordained by the hands of a pro-Athenagoras bishop, did he not know this? Had he not commemorated Athenagoras for five whole years? This is what zealotry is!

The Russian Nicetas Struve, in his book, “Russia Today” writes: “Something for which Russia has no reason to be jealous of America, is the presence of approximately fifty heresies in Russia going under the name of G.O.C. [Genuine Orthodox Christians]!” So, is this our sensitivity towards Orthodoxy? Instead of protesting in favour of the deceived ones who, as schismatics, are losing their soul, since not even the blood of martyrdom can wash out schism, the correct action would be for us to enlighten them so they can return to the Church of Christ, abandoning their para-churches. I say these things, because many people ask for my opinion, being one of the older Hagiorites who has seen many things.

With the love of Christ,
Theoklitos Dionysiatis, monk
Holy Mountain

Source: Newspaper “Orthodox Press”, 28 February 2003