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{{TOCright}} '''Old Calendarists''' are groups Orthodox Christians who oppose the use of the Revised Julian liturgical calendar (a calendar with similarities to the Gregorian, combined with the Orthodox Paschalion) in the early 20th century to the extent of breaking or limiting Communion with those Orthodox Christians who are use the Revised Julian calendar. Citing the 16th-century anathemas against the Gregorian calendar issued by three Patriarchal and Pan-Orthodox Synods in Constantinople, as well as various levels condemnations by multiple local synods, they have become some of the most vocal critics not only of the new liturgical calendar, but of [[ecumenism]] in general, which is seen as the ultimate cause of the calendar revision. ==History== In 1920, the Patriarchal Locum Tenens, Dorotheus of Prusa, issued the Encyclical "resistanceUnto the Churches of Christ Everywhere" against <ref>[http://incommunion.org/?p=142]</ref>, which officially marked the mainstream entrance of Orthodox participation in the Ecumenical Movement. (See [[Ecumenism]].) The Encyclical, tied to the formation of the League of Nations and with that end in mind, gave eleven suggestions so "''that above all, love should be rekindled and strengthened among the churches, so that they should no more consider one another as strangers and foreigners, but as relatives, and as being a part of the household of Christ and “fellow heirs, members of the same body and partakers of the promise of God in Christ” (Eph. 3:6).''" (par. 6.) The first of the suggestions was "''By the acceptance of a uniform calendar for the celebration of the great Christian feasts at the same time by all the churches.''" In 1921, identified mainly a council was called in Athens, led by their insistence Metropolitan [[Germanos of Demetrias]], the Vice-President of the Holy Synod, deposing Archbishop [[Meletios_IV_(Metaxakis)_of_Constantinople|Meletios (Metaxakis)]] of Athens, who had previously known for ecumenical activity, for recognizing the revolutionary Venizelos government in Greece. Meletios was recognized as Patriarch of Constantinople on November 21, 1921, where he began his programs anew, though previously his candidacy was declined by the Holy Synod of Constantinople in 1912.  In 1923, a "Pan-Orthodox Congress" (not a normal term for any Orthodox meeting of hierarchs) was held under the presidency of Meletios composed of members, specifically six Bishops, two laymen, and an archimandrite, of a few of the local Churches (none of the members of the Pentarchy save Constantinople sent representatives). [[Anastasy (Gribanovsky) of Kishinev|Metropolitan Anastassy]] of the Russian Church Abroad attended its initial meeting, having been in the area. He declared that the Synod had given him no instructions on the matter and soon departed. In total, less than half of the local Churches were represented by anyone.<ref>http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/photii_2.aspx Bishop Photii of Triaditsa, "The 70th Anniversary of the Pan-Orthodox Congress", Orthodox Life, 1&2, 1994</ref> The purpose of the meeting was to implement the suggestions of the 1920 document, along with other proposals that were largely rejected, such as the elevation of married men to the Episcopate and the remarriage of widowed priests (sessions three and four). Representatives of the Anglican Church were present at the final meetings, specifically former Bishop Gore of Oxford. At these meetings, it was decided that nothing stood in the way of Orthodox-Anglican ecclesiastical union. In response, a five-member commission in Greece (of whom then Archimandrite, later Archbishop, Chrysostom Papadopolous of Athens) determined to study the question of the use of the New Calendar and found that "''Not a single one of them [local Orthodox Churches] can separate from the others and adopt the New Calendar without becoming schismatic in relation to the others.''"<ref>''Journal of the Government of the Greek Kingdom'', chapter 1, 24/25. 1. 1923, No. 8, see also ''OEM'', 1989, Chapter 17, p. 73, as noted in [http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/photii_2.aspx]</ref> ==Greece== ====The True Orthodox Church of Greece====[[Image:1925cr1.jpg|thumb|110px|An artist's rendering of the appearance of the Sign of the Cross near Athens, 1925]] In 1924, the [[bishop]]s of the [[Church of Greece]], under Archbishop Chrysostom (Papadopoulos), implemented the calendar change discussed at the "Pan-Orthodox Congress" of 1923. In response, Metropolitan [[Germanos of Demetrias]], retired in protest. The "Old Calendarist" movement arose to oppose the adoption of the Revised Julian calendar. The movement was sustained by Athonite monks that encouraged the rejection of the calendar change, hundreds of parish clergy that refused to recognize the calendar change, as well as dozens of monasteries throughout Greece. Lay groups and [[brotherhoods]] formed to keep the use of the [[Julian calendar]] alive, despite state persecution.  In 1925, perhaps the most well-known phenomenon in the Old Calendarmovement occurred: a large cross over an secret Old Calendar Church in 1925 during the feast of the exaltation of the Holy Cross, witnessed by approximately two thousand people, including police intent on arresting the clergy of the group, many of whom converted that night.<ref>[http://www.orthodox.net/articles/cross-in-athens.html]</ref> In 1935, after more than 10 years, three Metropolitans, Germanos of Demetrias, the former Metropolitan of Florina, Chrysostom (Kavouridis) and Chrysostomos (Demetriou) of Zakynthos declared the Archbishop of Athens as schismatic and declared:  ''"Those who now administer the Church of Greece have divided the unity of Orthodoxy through the calendar innovation, and have split the Greek Orthodox People into two opposing calendar parts. They are have not only violated an Ecclesiastical Tradition which was consecrated by the Seven Ecumenical Councils and sanctioned by the age-old practice of the Eastern Orthodox Church, but have also touched the Dogma of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Therefore those who now administer the Greek Church have, by their unilateral, anticanonical and unthinking introduction of the Gregorian calendar, cut themselves off completely from the trunk of Orthodoxy, and have declared themselves to be distinguished from in essence schismatics in relation to the Orthodox Churches which stand on the foundation of the Seven Ecumenical Councils and the Orthodox laws and Traditions, the Churches of Jerusalem, Antioch, Serbia, Poland, the Holy Mountain and the God-trodden Mountain of Sinai, etc....That this is so was confirmed by the Commission made up of the best jurists and theologian-professors of the mainstream churches National University which simply follow was appointed to study the calendar question, and one of whose members happened to be his Blessedness the Archbishop of Athens in his then capacity as professor of Church History in the National University...Since his Beatitude the Archbishop of Athens has by his own signature declared himself to be a Schismatic, what need do we have of witnesses to demonstrate that he and the hierarchs who think like him have become Schismatics, in that they have split the unity of Orthodoxy through the calendar innovation and divided the Ecclesiastical and ethnic soul of the Greek Orthodox People?"''<ref>[http://www.orthodoxchristianbooks.com/downloads/92_NEW_ZION_IN_BABYLON_PART_3.pdf] Cited in Moss, ''New Zion in Babylon'', Part 3, p. 92</ref> From April 23rd to April 26th 1935 the ordination of four new bishops took place. Ordained were the Archmandrites: Germanos (Barikopoulos) as Bishop of Kyklades, Christoforos (Hatzis) as Bishop of Megaris, Polycarp (Liosis) as Bishop of Diavleia, and Bishop Matthew (Karpathakes) of Bresthena).<ref>[http://www.hotca.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71:the-change-in-the-calendar-of-the-church-of-greece&catid=23:goc-history&Itemid=71]</ref> ====The Florinite/Matthewite schism====By the 1940s, two parties had formed within the Church of Greece: the [[Florinites]] (under Metropolitan [[Chrysostom (Kavourides) of Florina]]) and the [[Julian Matthewites]] (under Bp. [[Matthew (Karpathakis) of Bresthena]]). The schism originated in Metropolitan Chrysostom's hesitation to consider the mysteries of the State Church as graceless, whereas the adherents of Bishop Matthew (the "Matthewites") maintained the rigorist position: that State Church was schismatic and therefore graceless.  In 1948, Bishop Matthew singlehandedly consecrated another bishop, and together they made more new bishops, furthering the rift and causing many former Matthewite clergy to join ranks with the Florintes. After the death of Bishop Matthew, however, Chrysostom of Florina reaffirmed the decision of 1935 declaring the New CalendarState Church as [[schism]] yet remain atic. The declaration had as its motivation to heal the Matthewite schism. Nonetheless, the irenic gesture went unheeded and the Matthewites proceeded to elect Archbishop Agathagelos to the rank of Primate of Athens in 1958. '''''The Florinites''''' After the death of Metropolitan Chrysostom, the Florinites had no bishops, and Metropolitan Chrysostom advised his flock to go under the protection of the Matthewite bishops. Fearing the repercussions, however, the Florinites opted to seek a new hierarchy and appealed to Bishops of the [[full communionRussian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]] to help them. In 1960, Archimandrite Akakios Pappas was made a bishop with the title of Bishop of Talantion for these communities without the official blessing of the ROCOR Synod by Archbishop [[Seraphim (Ivanov) of Chicago]]<ref>[http://www.roca.org/life_of_archbishop_seraphim.htm]</ref> and Bishop [[Theophilus (Ionescu) of Sèvres|Theophilus (Ionescu)]], an anti-communist Romanian bishop under the ROCOR, whose parishes followed the new calendar. The following year, the ROCOR elected and ordained Archimandrite Petros Astyfides as Bishop of Astoria in order to serve as archpastor of the Greek Old Calendarist immigrant communities in the United States and Canada. Later Bishop Akakios of Talantion and Archbishop [[Leontius (Filipovich) of Chile]]<ref>[http://users.sisqtel.net/williams/archbishopleonty.html]</ref> of ROCOR ordained five more bishops in Greece. Thus in 1961, Akakios of Talantion became the new First-Hierarch of the restored Florinite Synod. He died, however, in 1963. The Synod thus proceeded to elect Auxentios Pastras, Bishop of Gardikion, to be their new leader as Archbishop of Athens. The ROCOR under Metropolitan Philaret recognized the validity of the consecrations in 1969. ''Divisions within the Florinites'' The Restored Florinite Synod of the True Orthodox Church of Greece was fraught with problems by the 1970s, and two major separations occurred during the lifetime of Archbishop Auxentios. However, few doubt that Archbishop Auxentios himself was of a saintly character, albeit a poor bishop. Recently there have been attempts to rehabilitate his memory (Archbishop Auxentios died in 1994); most of his synod, barely held together by the 1980s. In 1979, two Florinite Metropolitans, Kallistos of Corinth and Antonios of Attica, unilaterally consecrated seven Archimandrites to the episcopacy in an attempt to counteract the irregularities they perceived in the administration of Archbishop Auxentios. This led to the formation of the short-lived '''Kallistite Synod''', most or all of world Orthodoxywhose members reconciled themselves with the main body of the Florinite Synod by 1985.  '''[[Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece (Florinite)|The Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece]]''': In 1986, Archbishop Auxentios was removed Many from the Archdiocese of Athens and the leadership of the Old Calendar Church of Greece. The Florinite Synod chose in 1986 a new leader in Archbishop Chrysostom (Kiousis), who demonstrated rather effectively that the True Orthodox in Greece were a force to be reckoned with. Choosing to take on the Greek legal system, court cases were held where it was demonstrated that the Old Calendarists of Greece were not schismatics. Though their public reputation had been tarnished over nearly two decades of divisions, their legal existence was, and is presently, safe. The synod of Archbishop Chrysostom of Athens represents today say the main body of the True Orthodox Church of Greece. IN 2010, Archbishop Chrysostomos fell asleep in the Lord and was succeeded by Archbishop Kallinikos (Sarantopoulos). '''The Auxentios Synod''': Archbishop Auxentios was removed in 1986 by the Florinite Synod on account of a series of controversial episcopal ordinations conducted in the early 1980s with his apparent consent. Having the support of the dissenting minority of bishops, Auxentios proceeded to form a counter Synod. He died in 1994, having failed to reconcile with the Florinite Synod under Archbishop Chrysostom. The remaining parishes of the Auxentios Synod, however, elected Archbishop Maximos of Kephalonia as president in 1995. However, after a series of questionable ordinations and maladministration by Archbishop Maximos, the Auxentios Synod dissolved in the mid 1990's. In 2006, clergy and a bishop (Metropolitan Athanasios of Larissa) from the Auxentios Synod reconciled themselves with the main body of the Old Calendar Church in Greece and were admitted into the Synod of Archbishop Chrysostom. In North America, the parishes loyal to Auxentios under the American Bishops organized around Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Boston (HOCNA), left the Synod, and elected Makarios of Toronto as locum tenens of the see of Athens. Since 2008, HOCNA has been in a cordial dialogue with the Synod of Archbishop Chrysostom in hope of establishing closer ties.  '''The [[Holy Synod in Resistance|Synod-in-Resistance]] of Metropolitan Cyprian of Fili''': The Synod in Resistance has its origins in the short-lived Kallistite Synod of 1979-1985. While its official [[ecclesiology]] is peculiar, the amount of work that Metropolitan Cyprian of Fili and his synod have done to assist the True Orthodox Church of Greece throughout the world is impressive, and must be noted. The church itself is rather small, but has been very effective in presenting intellectual arguments against the Church of Greece. It is headed by another defector from the Auxentios Synod, Cyprian (Koutsoumbas) of Fili, and holds an ecclesiology of “sick" and “healthy" churches, thus avoiding the repercussions that inevitably follow referring to the majority as subject to a schismatic body. Their ecclesiology is considered heretical by some of the more rigorist elements of the True Orthodox, although they were condemned on an ecclesiological basis by the Synod of Archbishop Chrysostom of Athens in 1986. In 2008, the Synod in Resistance and the Synod of Archbishop Chrysostom met for a number of high-profile meetings in the hope of developing closer ties.<ref>[http://www.synodinresistance.org/Administration_en/E1a4028AnakoinosisDialogoy2-08.pdf]</ref> '''[[Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece (Lamian Synod)|The Makarian (Lamian) Synod]]''': In 1995, a resistance faction of six bishops formed within the synod of Chrysostom (Kiousis) and separated itself over what they claimed to be a series of canonical infractions, headed by Metropolitan Kallinikos (Hatzis) of Lamia. The charges related to the trial of Metropolitan of Thessaloniki Euthymios (Orphanos), who had been charged with moral infractions, and the election of Bishop Vikentios (Malamatenios) of Avlona as Metropolitan of Peiraeus. By early 1997, the movement had fragmented into three groups, one of which reconciled with Archbishop Chrysostom (Kiousis). A second group, Paisios Loulourgas (Met. of America) and Vikentios Malamatenios (titular Bp. of Avlona), submitted to the Ecumenical Patiarchate. Later that their concerns about same year, Kallinikos of Lamia and Euthymios of Thessaloniki proceeded to ordain five [[ecumenismbishop|titular bishop]] s in an attempt to create a new synod. In 2003, they finally decided to elect a primate, and elected Makarios (Kavakides) of Athens. A good deal of their membership was then lost, as many who did not see themselves as separate from the Kiousis synod were forced to decide between the two. '''''The Matthewites''''' For all the negative press the Matthewites have received over the years due to the strictness of their position, their church has been strangely free from long lasting schisms. Only two separations are more significant than calendar issuesworthy of note from the main body, and while they had the potential to destroy the unity that exists within the Matthewite True Orthodox Church of Greece, they did not. The first Primate of Athens selected by the Matthewites was Agathangelos of Athens, who reposed in 1967. Andreas of Athens, one of the original three bishops made, was elected to the primacy in 1972; unitl his death in 2005 he was one of the oldest and longest-reigning of Orthodox bishops in the world.

The mainstream churches have varying positions on different Old Calendarist churches, ranging from an active desire to restore unity to a denial of ''Divisions within the Old CalendaristsMatthewites'' Orthodoxy.

Some Old Calendarist groups are styled as '''[[True OrthodoxChurch of Greece (Matthewite)|The Synod of Archbishop Nicholas]]''' or : In February, 2003, Archbishop Andreas of Athens retired, and Archbishop Nicholas of Athens, considered by many to have a progressive vision for the Matthewite church, was elected. Extremely popular with younger Matthewites, Archbishop Nicholas seems generally poised to keep the Matthewite synod united. However, it has been advanced that Archbishop Andreas retired in violation of the canons. '''[[Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece (Matthewite)|The Gregorian Synod]]''': Under the primacy of Andreas of Athens, there were virtually no divisions in the Matthewites until 1995, when Metropolitan Gregory of Messinia separated with a small majority of the synod (five versus four), ostensibly over the issue of the "God the Father" [[icon]] and the related issues of Western-style icons in general. However, with the deaths of three of their bishops, the remaining two split, one remaining completely alone from the eldest hierarch, and the with Gregorios of Messinia naming three more bishops (Abramios, Pavlos, and Nectarios). '''[[Genuine OrthodoxChurch (Matthewite)|The Synod of Metropolitan Kirykos]]''': Originally not a schism proper, Metropolitan Kirykos and two other bishops of the synod refused to recognize the retirement of Archbishop Andreas or the enthronement of the new Archbishop, but continued to remain a member of the Synod of Archbishop Nicholas. Finally, in 2005, after several attempts, the Synod of Abp Nicholas endeavored to depose Metropolitan Kirykos, who has since added five Bishops to his Synod in a number of countries.<ref>[http://genuineorthodoxchurch.com/ The Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece under the Omophorion of Metropolitan Kirykos of Mesogaias and Lavreotikis].</ref> ==Romania======[[Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Romania|The True Orthodox Church of Romania]]====In 1924, Metropolitan Miron of the Church of Romania introduced the New Calendar for use in the Church. Although most Romanians accepted the change, the skete of the Protection of the Theotokos in northern Moldavia rejected it. In 1925, led by Hieromonk Glicherie, some of the brethren left the skete to start an Old Calendarist group. When, in 1926 and 1929, Metropolitan Miron ordered Pascha to be celebrated according to the Gregorian Paschalion, a large number of faithful, including Russian émigrés, left the Church of Romania and joined the Old Calendarists. By 1936, the Old Calendarists numbered about 40 parishes. Beginning in 1935, at the order of Metropolitan Miron, the Old Calendarists were under persecution. By 1940, ten Old Calendarist priests had died in prison, and all of the Old Calendar churches had been shut down. Hieromonk Glicherie was imprisoned, but, at the beginning of World War II, released. By 1950, with the release of Hmk Glicherie and other priests from prison, many of the churches were rebuilt. In 1955, Metropolitan Galaktion left the Church of Romania to serve the Old Calendarists, and immediately ordained new priests and deacons. However, he was soon arrested, and placed under house arrest in Bucharest. While under house arrest, Metropolitan Galaktion consecrated three other bishops, including Hmk Glicherie, who, in 1957, became the Metropolitan of the True Orthodox Church of Romania. Since 1980, the Synod has been in full communion with the Synod of the True Orthodox Church of Greece presided by Metropolitan Kallistos of Corinth, then with the Holy Synod in Resistance presided by Metropolitan Cyprian of Fili. The Synod also maintains communion with the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria, headed by Bishop Photii. From 1994 to 2007 there was full communion with the Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia (ROCOR), but with the rapprochement between the ROCOR and the Moscow Patriarchate, communion with the ROCOR was severed. ==Bulgaria== The majority of the faithful are in communion with the Synod in Resistance (see "Metropolitan Cyprian of Fili" above) and the Romanian Old Calendar Orthodox Church, but are an autonomous Church - The Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria - and comprise a few dozen parishes under Bishop Photii of Triaditsa. =Ecclesiastical status=The ecclesiastical and canonical status of the various Old Calendarist jurisdictions is complex. Some regard themselves as being the only true Orthodox Christians and thus view the mainstream Orthodox Church as being in [[apostasy]]. As such, they do not share either communion or concelebration with the mainstream churches. Other Old Calendarists (typically those "in resistance") have suspended concelebrations with mainstream clergy, but will still commune the faithful of mainstream jurisdictions. They thus see themselves as a reform movement within the Orthodox Church. The question of canonicity follows much the same sort of patterns. Views from the mainstream Orthodox on the Old Calendarists range from trying to heal the various breaks in communion or concelebration to outright declarations that such groups are themselves apostates, that is, no longer Orthodox. ===Alternative Hierarchies===These churches refrain from both terms [[concelebration]] and [[full communion|communion]] with the mainstream Orthodox churches, regarding the hierarchies of the official churches to have apostasized and placed themselves outside Orthodoxy. In response, they have fully developed Synods in contrast to the official Church: for example, as there is an Archbishop of Athens, a rival Archbishop of Athens is elected to the see. With few exceptions, the Russian groups have not done the same due to the political climate, although the Rus-OC under Metropolitan Damascene of Moscow claims jurisdiction over the territory of the Patriarch of Moscow.  Such a claim is usually accompanied by the position that the corresponding official body is completely [[schism]]atic. ===Churches "in resistance" or "walled off"===These churches refrain from [[concelebration]] with the mainstream Orthodox churches, but do not consider themselves schismatic, nor have they formally declared the mainstream churches without grace. In general, they set up alternative hierarchies that use the names of sees that are not used by the state Church in this articlequestion<ref>[http://www.synodinresistance.org/Theology_en/Resistance.html]</ref>.{{TOCright}}It is said that they would also communicate the faithful of those churches after confession. A notable exception is the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Romania, who receive members of the New Calendar Churches by Chrismation. =Churches listed by Country or Jurisdiction=

In 1924, the *[[bishopFlorinites]]s **[[Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece (Florinite)| Synod of Archbishop Kallinikos of the Athens]]**[[Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece| Makarian/Lamian Synod]] implemented the calendar change discussed at the pan-Orthodox congress. Afterwards, the former ** [[Holy Synod in Resistance| Cyprianite Synod)]]''*[[PrimateMatthewites]] **[[True Orthodox Church of Greece (Matthewite)| Synod of the Archbishop Nicholas]]**[[Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece, (Matthewite)| Synod of Metropolitan Gregory of Messinia]] ===Romania===*[[Germanos Old Calendar Orthodox Church of DemetriasRomania]], retired in protest. Lay groups and '' ===Bulgaria===*[[brotherhoodsOld Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria]] formed to keep '' ===North America===These are the use dioceses of the larger Synods in North America:*[[Julian calendarGenuine Greek Orthodox Church of America]] , Metropolitan Diocese of America (or the "Orthodox calendar," as they prefer it to be calledSynod of Archbishop Chrysostom) alive, despite state persecution (Greece was an *[http://ctosonline.org The Center For Traditionalist Orthodox country, Studies:] Spiritual and monastic center for the Church enjoyed certain privileges from Synod in Resistance in the state) and finally, U.S.*[http://www.orthodox-christianity.net/ Matthewite Parishes in America under Abp Nicholas of Athens]*[http://www.genuineorthodoxchurch.net/america.html Matthewite Parishes in 1935, three bishops, certain that waiting for a reversal America under Metr Kirykos of the calendar change was irresponsible to Mesogaia] ===Groups claiming "Autonomous" status within America===These are bodies which claimed independence from their flocksparent churches. *[[Genuine Orthodox Church of America]], immediately declared their separation from the official Church and declared that the calendar change was a schismatic act.under Archbishop Gregory of Denver

==References==The Florinite<references/Matthewite Schism====By the 1940s, two parties had formed within the Church of Greece: the [[Florinites]] (under Metropolitan [[Chrysostom of Florina]]) and the [[Matthewites]] (under Bp. [[Matthew of Bresthena]]). The issue had been the former's vacillation on whether the mysteries of the State Church were still grace-filled. Both sides had their respective justifications for their positions, and both were violently persecuted by the state. The Matthewites were holding a more consistently applied position. That they labelled the Florinites as a whole as opportunists who were trying to ingratiate themselves with the state was unfortunate, and not altogether true for the followers of Metropolitan Chrysostom, and so the parties became psychologically distinct.>

In the end, a real physical division was formed, whereas a real doctrinal division ended==Sources==*[http: Bishop Matthew singlehandedly consecrated another bishop, and together they made more new bishops//www.orthodoxchristianbooks.com/downloads/234_NEW_ZION_IN_BABYLON_PART_2. After the death of Bishop Matthewpdf| Vladimir Moss, however, Chrysostom ''New Zion in Babylon: A History of Florina reaffirmed the decision of 1935 declaring Orthodox Church throughout the World in the New Calendar State Church as Twentieth Century'' (2010), Part II]*[[schism]]atichttp://www.orthodoxchristianbooks. (The reasons for this are unclear, and speculations give various answerscom/downloads/217_NEW_ZION_IN_BABYLON_PART_3.) In any casepdf| Vladimir Moss, ''New Zion in Babylon: A History of the Matthewites proceeded to elect Archbishop Agathagelos to Orthodox Church throughout the rank of Primate of Athens World in 1958.the Twentieth Century'' (2010), Part III]

====Divisions within the Florinites=General Information===After the death of Metropolitan Chrysostom, the Florinites had no bishops, * [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/orthodox-tradition/ Paradosis: The Original Internet E-mail Forum for Traditionalists]* [http://www.euphrosynoscafe.com/ The Euphrosynos Café: A Portal and Metropolitan Chrysostom advised his flock to go under the protection of the Matthewite bishopsForum for all Old Calendar Orthodox Churches]**[http://euphrosynoscafe. Fearing the repercussions, however, the Florinites opted to seek a new hierarchy and appealed to Bishops com/map/ Map of some Old Calendarist parishes in the West]* {{el icon}} [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside RussiaChristodoulos (Paraskevaides) of Athens]]. ''"[http://www.myriobiblos.gr/books/book1/kef5_per2_meros2.htm ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΠΕΜΠΤΟΝ. - ΙΙ. ΠΕΡΙΟΔΟΣ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΑ 1935-1947: Η ανταρσία των τριών Μητροπολιτών και αι μακροπρόθεσμοι συνέπειαι αυτής] to help them. "'' In 1960, Archimandrite Akakios Pappas was made a bishop with the title of Bishop of Diavlia for these communities without the official blessing of the ROCOR Synod by Archbishop Leonty of Chile and Bp: ΙΣΤΟΡΙΚΗ ΚΑΙ ΚΑΝΟΝΙΚΗ ΘΕΩΡΗΣΙΣ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΛΑΙΟΗΜΕΡΟΛΟΓΙΤΙΚΟΥ ΖΗΤΗΜΑΤΟΣ ΚΑΤΑ ΤΕ ΤΗΝ ΓΕΝΕΣΙΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΝ ΕΞΕΛΙΞΙΝ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΕΝ ΕΛΛΑΔΙ. Myriobiblos.gr. Theophilos Ionescu, a Romanian New Calendar Bishop under the ROCORRetrieved: 2013-08-14. The following year, the ROCOR ordained the Archimandrite Petros Astyfides as Bishop of Astoria in order to serve as archpastor ::(Discussion of the Greek Old Calendarist immigrant communities three bishops who in 1935 declared their separation from the United States and Canada. Later Bp. Akakios official Church of Diavlia and Bp. Theophilos made 5 more bishops in Greece: Metr. Thus in 1961, Akakios Germanos (Mavrommatis) of Diavlia became the new First-Hierarch Demetrias (1907–1935); Metr. Chrysostom (Kavourides) of the restored Florinite Synod. He diedFlorina (1926–1932), however, in 1963a retired bishop; and Metr. The Synod thus proceeded to elect Auxentios Pastras, Bishop [[Chrysostomos of Gardikion, to be their new leader as Archbishop Zakynthos|Chrysostomos (Demetriou) of Athens. The ROCOR under Metropolitan Philaret eventually recognized the validity of the secret consecrations in 1969.Zakynthos]])

All ===Relevant Articles===*[http://www.hotca.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=203%3Athe-calendar-question&catid=50%3Aorthodox-awareness&Itemid=62| The Calendar Question], by Fr. Basil Sakkas*[http://www.synodinresistance.org/pdfs/2013/12/30/20131230aTheOldCalendarGreekOrthodoxChurch-ABriefHistory.pdf The Old Calendar Greek Orthodox Church: A Brief History], by Bishop Ambrose of Methone*[https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzJKrDVZPwcvWlZialAwa1d0UWM/edit?pli=1 1973-2003: Thirty Years of Ecclesiastical Developments], by Bishop Makarios of Petra*[http://www.synodinresistance.org/Theology_en/E3a3a001EkklesiologikaiTheseis.pdf An Ecclesiological Position Paper for Orthodox Opposed to the Panheresy of Ecumenism], by Metropolitan Cyprian of Oropos and Phyle*[http://bulgarian-orthodox-church.org/ch-life/official/EcclesiologicalPosition-en.pdf The Ecclesiological Position of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria], by Bishop Photii of Triaditsa*[http://hotca.org/pdf/TrueOrthodoxOppositionEcumenism.pdf The True Orthodox Church in Opposition to the Heresy of Ecumenism: Dogmatic and Canonical Issues], a text drawn up by the True Orthodox Churches of Greece and Romania, and the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad*[http://www.hotca.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=78%3Athe-problem-of-conservative-new-calendarism&catid=50%3Aorthodox-awareness&Itemid=62| The Problem of Conservative New Calendarism], by Hieromonk Maximos (Maretta)*[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/eldergabriel_calendar.aspx Abbot Gabriel of Dionysiou Monastery on Mount Athos, Greece], on the calendar issue and the Old Calendarists*[http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/anti-patristic-stance-old-calendarist-zealots.aspx Anti-Patristic: The Stance of the Zealot Old Calendarists], by Monk Basil of the Holy Monastery of Saint Gregory (Grigoriou), Mount Athos*Old Calendarist Responses to the above link: **[http://www.hotca.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=236%3Awhy-the current divisions -true-orthodox-are-truly-orthodox&catid=50%3Aorthodox-awareness&Itemid=62| A Rejoinder to Fr. Basil Gregoriates and an Apology for Breaking Communion with Ecumenist Bishops]. by Hieromonk Maximos (Maretta)**[http://www.synodinresistance.org/Annals_en/E2d029barnes.pdf The Deficient Scholarship of Monk Basil’s Comments on the Florinites come from one Allegedly Anti-Patristic Stand of the groups belowSo-Called Old Calendarist Zealots], by Hieromonk Patapios (Barker)*A Response to the above article by Hieromonk Patapios:**[http://www.saintjonah.org/articles/patapios_rejoinder.html A Rejoinder to Hieromonk Patapios’ essay: “The Deficient Scholarship of Monk Basil’s Comments on the Allegedly Anti-Patristic Stand of the So-Called“Old Calendarist Zealots”], by Fr. John Whiteford

'''The Auxentios Synod'''===Official Websites===* [http: The First Florinite Synod of the True Orthodox Church of Greece was fraught with problems by the 1970s, and two major separations occurred during the lifetime of Archbishop Auxentios//www. However, few doubt that Archbishop Auxentios himself was of a saintly character, albeit a poor bishopecclesiagoc. Recently there have been attempts to rehabilitate his memory (Archbishop Auxentios died in 1994); most of his synod, barely held together by the 1980s, dissolved after his death into the three jurisdictions listed below. In 1986, Auxentios was removed from the Archdiocese of Athens and the leadership of the Old Calendar gr/ Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece by a majority the Florinite bishops on account | Official website of a series of controversial episcopal ordinations conducted in the early 1980s with his apparent censent. Having the support of the dissenting minority of bishops, Auxentios proceeded to re-form his Synod. He died in 1994, having failed to reconcile with the rest of the Florinite Synod, under Archbishop Chrysostom Kiousis. The remaining parishes of the Auxentios Synod, however, elected Archbishop Maximos of Kephalonia to the throne of Athens on January 7, 1995]* [http://www.synodinresistance. In North America and Europe, the parishes loyal to Auxentios under org/ Official website of the American Bishops organized around Holy Transfiguration Monastery Synod in Boston (see HOCNA), left the Synod, and elected Makarios of Toronto as locum tenens of the see of Athens. Resistance]

'''[[Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece (Florinite)|The Chrysostomite SynodCategory:Featured Articles]][[Category:Jurisdictions]][[Category: Schisms]]'''[[Category: Amidst charges of maladministration, the majority of the Florinite synod chose in 1986 a new leader in Archbishop Chrysostom (Kiousis), who demonstrated rather effectively that the True Orthodox in Greece were a force to be reckoned with. Choosing to take on the Greek legal system, court cases were held where it was demonstrated that the Old Calendarists of Greece were not schismatics. Though their public reputation had been tarnished over decades, their legal existence was, and is presently, safe. The synod of Chrysostom of Athens is today the largest synod of the True Orthodox Church of Greece.Calendarist Jurisdictions|*]]

'''The [[Holy Synod in Resistance|Synod-infr:Orthodoxes vieux-Resistancecalendaristes]] of Metropolitan Cyprian of Fili''': While this church's official [[ecclesiologyro:Vechi calendariști]] is peculiar, the amount of work that Metropolitan Cyprian of Fili and his synod have done to assist True Orthodox throughout the world is impressive, and must be noted. The church itself is rather small, but has been very effective in presenting intellectual arguments against the New Calendar State Church. It is headed by another defector from the Auxentios Synod, Cyprian (Koutsoumbas) of Fili, and holds a unique ecclesiology of “sick