The Genuine Orthodox Christians, also referred to as Old Calendarists, Old Feasters, or True Orthodox Christians, are traditionalist groups that broke away from the Eastern Orthodox Churches following their adoption of the revised Julian calendar. Old Calendarists continue to adhere to the Julian calendar.
In the history of the Christian Church, divisions over the calendar began in 1582 when the Roman Catholic Church transitioned from the ancient Julian Calendar to the new Gregorian Calendar. By the 18th century, Protestant churches had also adopted the Gregorian Calendar, although some smaller groups held to the Julian Calendar. The Gregorian Calendar was officially introduced to Great Britain in 1752.
Debates between those who were inclined to adopt the Gregorian Calendar and those who wanted to keep the Julian Calendar were going on within the Eastern Catholic Churches, as well. These debates focused on rituals that might be affected by the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar, and various compromises were made in the process.
In 1923, the Revised Julian Calendar was devised and adopted by the Council of Constantinople. At this Council, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox Church, and several branches of the Eastern Orthodox Church adopted the Revised Julian Calendar, which they referred to as the "new Julian calendar." It corresponds to the Gregorian calendar until 2800.
This led to schisms within Eastern Orthodoxy, and the creation of several autocephalous churches of different Old Calendarist groups, which are the focus of this portion of our web guide.
Old Calendarists are not in communion with any mainstream Eastern Orthodox churches. Old Calendarists is another name for the True Orthodox movement in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, and Romania.
Strictly speaking, the designation of "Old Calendarist" is not synonymous with following the old Julian Calendar. It refers to those who have severed communion with the mainstream Eastern Orthodox Church. For example, the Russian Orthodox Church continues to follow the traditional Julian Calendar, but remains in communion with other Eastern Orthodox churches.
It is estimated that there are more than a million Old Calendarists in Romania, somewhat fewer in Greece, and considerably fewer in Bulgaria, Cyprus, and the Eastern Orthodox diaspora.
Within the Genuine Orthodox Christian churches, there are two definable movements.
One expresses resistance to what it views as unlawful innovations within Eastern Orthodoxy and walls itself off from churches using the new calendar. However, it does not condemn the rites and sacraments of New Calendarists and seeks to continue a dialogue aimed at drawing Eastern Orthodoxy. back to its traditionalist outlook. This is the majority opinion of True Orthodoxy in Cyprus.
The other position rejects all New Calendarist churches, as well as those in communion with New Calendarists, and rejects the sacraments of the New Calendarists as devoid of grace. These churches view themselves s the surviving Eastern Orthodox Church, maintaining traditions in the face of apostasy.
Old Calendarist groups include the Church of Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece (Chrysostomos, Auxientos, Lamian, Matthew, Gregorian, and Kirykos Synods), the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece of the Patristic Calendar, the Holy Synod of Milan, the Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of North and South America and the British Isles, the Autonomous Orthodox Metropolis of Ecuador and Latin America, the True Orthodox Metropolis of Germany and Europe, the Holy Orthodox Church in North America, the Orthodox Church of Greece (Holy Synod in Resistance), the Indonesian Orthodox Church, the Old Calendar Bulgarian Orthodox Church, and the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Romania.
Recommended Resources
The North American Mission of the Avlona Synod provides spiritual care for the faithful of the Holy Metropolitan Synod of the Patristic Calendar, affiliated with the Genuine Orthodox Christians and the Greek Orthodox Church. Its communities, clergy, sermons, educational topics, and Scriptural references are highlighted. Its creed and ecclesiology are defined, including archives. News, a gallery of photographs, and an online contact form are posted.
http://www.avlonasynodusa.com/
Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, The
Located on the grounds of the St. Gregory Palamas Monastery in Etna, California, affiliated with the Church Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece, CTOS was established in 1981, and has since published more than a hundred books and monographs in Orthodox history and theology. Its Center includes its administrative offices, a lecture hall, and the Metropolitan Cyprian Theological Library. Its directors, faculty, advisors, research associates, and senior research scholars are introduced.
https://www.ctosonline.org/
Church of the Genuine Orthodox Church of America, The
The Church of the GOC of America was established in the 1950s with the arrival of the Archimandrite Petros Astyfides, who later became Metropolitan of Astoria. The Church of the GOC is part of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece, and now consists of fifty-eight parishes and missions, six men's monasteries and skates, and four convents, each of which are featured here, along with its missions, news, photographs, contacts, and an online monastery store.
http://www.hotca.org/
Headquartered in Etna, California, the Diocese is one of five administrative units of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of America, an autonomous Eparchy of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece. Its jurisdiction is stated, and the ruling Hierarch is introduced, along with its headquarters, cathedral, and seminary. Its monastic communities, parishes and missions, institutions, and clergy are featured. Its ecclesiology, guidelines, and readings are included.
https://www.dep.church/
The Genuine Orthodox Church condemns the hypocrisy of Ecumenism, as represented by the World Council of Churches, and is not in communion with those who directly or indirectly have ecclesial relations with the WCC. Its site includes a timeline of the history of the Christian Church, the Catechesis of the GOC, and its parishes and missions in Eastern and Western Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, the Middle East, North America, South America, and the Caribbean.
https://www.thegenuineorthodoxchurch.com/
Holy Metropolis of Oropos and Phyle
Representing the Holy Metropolis of Oropos and Phyle of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece. Its headquarters, administrative offices, parishes, churches, monasteries, convents, and parish councils are highlighted. Its catechesis, annals, encyclicals, announcements, correspondences, periodicals, festal homilies, and interviews are defined, along with Synodal issues, theology, and archives. Printed and video publications are made available, and contacts are provided.
https://hsir.org/
How the Greek Old Calendarists Became Radicalized and What the Result Has Been
Presented by the Russian Orthodox Church Department for External Church Relations, this article by Athanasios Zoitakis, a lecturer at the Department of Church History on the History Faculty of Moscow State University discusses the schism between the Eastern Orthodox Church over its adoption of a Revised Julian Calendar, which largely corresponds to the Gregorian Calendar. The Russian Orthodox Church still uses the unrevised Julian calendar, but is not divorced from Eastern Orthodoxy.
https://mospat.ru/en/authors-analytics/87148/
The official website of the Genuine Orthodox Church of America, headquartered in Buena Vista, Colorado, features the teachings of the True Orthodox Church, the ways in which it is separated from the False Orthodox Church and others, and an overview of the Genuine Orthodox Church of America are set forth. Other resources include the life story of Archbishop Gregory, Internet broadcasts, videos, and a blog. Its online web store offers a selection of historical and theological books and icons.
https://www.trueorthodoxy.org/
