The Calendar Question

______________________________________________________

The Calendar Question, Fr. Basil Sakkas

http://www.hotca.org/orthodoxy/orthodox-awareness/203-the-calendar-question

The new calendar, whatever it was in the past, has come to be a sign and a symbol of renovationism, freemasons, corruption and deceit.  By itself, taken out of the context of the Church, the new calendar can be defended.  But from where it comes and with what/whom it is associated can not be excused.  Today the new calendar is only found in world orthodoxy, and it has become an identifying characteristic of apostasy.  There are a few old calendar jurisdictions that are in communion with world orthodoxy, and these jurisdictions, despite their keeping of the old calendar for themselves, have not been able to protect themselves from the apostasy of world orthodoxy.  So, it is in the long run just as unwise to be "new calendar tolerant".

People in new calendar Churches do not see what the fuss is about, they don't think the calendar is important, and certainly it is less confusing for them to use the new calendar.  I believe the underlying reason for this reasoning, or attitude, is because they have lost, or never had, a connection with the Church Triumphant, the Heavenly Church – the part of our Church where are the angels and the saints.  Where there is the ceaseless sound of those who keep festival...

Time matters.  The Lord created us and established His earthly Church both within the context of time.  When the old calendar Churches are celebrating St. Nicholas on December 6/19 and the new calendar Churches are celebrating St. Boneface on December 6/19;  which one do you think is happening in Heaven?  Is Heaven serving two different liturgies to accommodate men's division?  To think that time is non-existent in Heaven, so it can't matter, is not a way around the problem.  Time is not absent or disorderly in heaven, instead it is fulfilled in Heaven, it is different, yes, but different in that in Heaven it is eternity.  Where there is the ceaseless sound of those who keep festival...

The Royal Path Churches have a firsthand experience of the Heavenly Church, the Church Triumphant in heaven.   It is not that we are stubborn in sticking to the old calendar as many new calendarists accuse us.  It is because we are very reluctant to jeopardize the one spot on earth where Heaven & Earth overlap – which is in our Divine Services.

Here is a pretty sure indication of what Heaven thinks about this matter:

The Appearance of the Cross in Athens

http://startingontheroyalpath.blogspot.com/2010/10/bottom-line-on-calendar.html

http://orthodoxmetropolisportland.org/his_1925_cross.html

The Calendar Question is available in hardcopy for $15 + $5 from SJKP.

The Calendar Question

Fr. Basil Sakkas

Out of print for more than 30 years, it is a pleasure to be able to make this brilliant work once again available. While thoroughly exploring the devastating results of tampering with the Church Calendar, the work goes far beyond to confront the issues of modernism and ecumenism which are the inevitable bed-fellows of such treason. Cleanly written, easily understood by anyone, and very persuasive. It is no less relevant (perhaps more so) today than when it was written in 1971. If demand is sufficient, we'll consider a perfect-bound edition (probably at somewhat lower cost). Print-on-demand, but a small inventory will normally be kept.

Item# 3487. (DC: D) Coil-bound. $15.00.

Subdeacon Ilarion Marr recommends this book be included in your home library and in your parish library, "It is essential for Orthodox Christians to defend the Julian Calendar, especially to not only those who are not Orthodox but to explain to those who desire to become Orthodox Christians and ask: 'Why not the Gregorian Calendar everyone else uses it?'  For we know there are Orthodox Christians that incorrectly use the Gregorian calendar.  In order to answer correctly it is necessary to fully understand the reasons to continue to use it.  It is best when one has a printed copy in hand to refer to it numerous times as it is quite detailed with answers."  

You can order from Father Gregory online at: www.SJKP.org  as well as many other publications.  Thank you in advance for your kind support of Saint John of Kronstadt Press, Liberty, Tennessee

_______________________________

related post on Remnant ROCOR blog:
http://remnantrocor.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-calendar-question.html


_______________________________

Persecutions of the Greek Old Calendarists by the Official Church During the First Years of the Calendar Innovation (1924–1928)

  by Nikolaos Mannes, GOC

 download pdf:

  https://app.box.com/s/6cesxipdcsg0j32xnrouvv9tf9n88e9c

  author's blog:

  http://krufo-sxoleio.blogspot.gr