ecclesiology of the old calendar orthodox church of romania

8/11/2019 Ecclesiology of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Romania

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Ecclesiology of the Old CalendarOrthodox Church of Romania

Since1924,withtheRomanianOrthodoxChurchschism,dueto

theintroductionofwesterninnovationsinmattersofFaith,twogreatMysteriesoftheOldCalendarOrthodoxChurchhave

beencontroversial.Thisiswhyweoweaseriesofexplanations

andcanonicalarguments,bywhichwerefuteunjustified

accusationsmadeagainstourChurch.

Aboutordination

Sinceancienttimes,theOrthodoxChurchisguidedbytwo

principles thatoftruthfulness(accuracy),inwitnesswhereofthecanonshavepowerandbecomeletterofthelaw andthat

ofdescending(dispensation),whichimpliescanonical

tolerance,appliedonlyincriticalsituationsandonlyfora

periodoftime.

In1955,theOldCalendarOrthodoxChurchofRomania,

recognizedbytheMinistryofReligiousAffairsActno.38955

ofAugust3,1945andfunctioningastheTraditionalist

ChristianDenomination,accordingtotheFirstCanonofSt.BasiltheGreat,andfollowingtheprincipleofchurch

dispensation,acceptedasvalidtheordinationofBishop

GalactionCordun,whointhatyear(1955)wouldreturntoOld

CalendarOrthodoxChurch.Atthistime,anotherbishopofthe

NewCalendarRomanianOrthodoxChurch(R.O.C.)alsoshows

sympathytowardstheTraditionalChurch,ledbyhieromonk

GlicherieTnase.ItistheBishopAtanasieDinc Brldeanul,

ordainedin1945andexcludedfromtheR.O.C.byPatriarch

JustinianMarinaanditssynod,in1948,forpoliticalreasons.

ThereturnofBishopGalactiontotheancientOrthodoxChurch,

observeroftheoldteachingoftheHolyFatherstookplaceon

April5,1955andwasmaterialisedbythepublicdeclaration

(theconfessionoffaith)onthesamedate.Hispersonality,ofan


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uprightnessbeyondreproach,didnotadmitthiskindof

concealment,anditsfirmpositionwithregardtoobservingthe

HolyTraditionandconservingtheHolyCanons,werealready

wellknown,bothbythehighrepresentativesoftheChurchand

amongtheOrthodoxpeople.ThedeclarationofreturningtotheTraditionalistChurchwasatrueconfessionoffaith.Itscontent

isasfollows: I,theundersignedBishopGalactionCordun,

residinginBucharest,districtNicolaeBlcescu,StreetCuza

Vod no.2,thespiritualleaderoftheTraditionalEastern

OrthodoxChurch(theOldCalendarOrthodoxChurchof

Romania),herebydeclare,infrontoftheclergyandthepeople

ofallparishesandmonasteriesontheterritoryofR.P.R.that:I,

BishopGalactionCordun,byfreewillandnotundercoercion,

haveacceptedtorepresenttheproposalandthechoiceofthepeople,ofbeingthespiritualleaderofthisChurch,itsBishop,

asIdeclaredtotheHolySynodintheletterthatIsentbymeans

oftheCourtoftheCapitalofR.P.R.(TheSocialistRepublicof

Romania)onApril5,1955,lettermentionedinthemagazineof

theRomanianOrthodoxChurch,theOfficialGazetteofthe

HolySynod,no.34.Ihavenevergivenuptothispublic

declaration.Ideclareinfrontoftherighteouspeople,thatIam

andwillremaintheBishopandtheSpiritualLeaderofthe

TraditionalEasternOrthodoxChurch,aconfessionthatImake

onceandforall.

Inconclusion,throughthispublicdeclarationofBishop

GalactionCordunfromApril5,1955,addressedtoboththe

CourtoftheCapitaloftheSocialistRepublicofRomaniaand

theSynodoftheRomanianOrthodoxChurch,ledbyJustinian

Marina,hebecomesTheSpiritualLeaderoftheTraditional

EasternOrthodoxChurch (OfficialGazette,nr.34/1956),currentlyknownastheOldCalendarOrthodoxChurchof

Romania.HisofficialreceptionastheMetropolitanofthe

EasternOrthodoxChurchtookplaceonMay21,1955,butat

thatdatehehadalreadymadehisconfessionofreturningtothe

EasternOrthodoxChurch(theTraditionalistChristian

Denomination).


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Accordingtotheabovementionedcanon,HisGraceGalaction

CordunwasreceivedasBishop,byconfessingtheapostolic

faith.

Itisknownthatinthe4thcentury,theHolyFathersfrom

Africa,throughdispensation,receivedtheordinationsofthe

schismaticDonatists(InterpretationCan.66,61ofCarthage,

note346)andtheDonatistsordainedwerereceivedinthesame

clericalranks,bytheirreturntotheOrthodoxChurch.Inthe

sameway,inagreementwiththosebackthenandbythe

principleofchurchdispensationaswell,wereceivedBishop

GalactionCorduninthesameclericalrank.Thus,thiswasdone

bydispensation(descending)andonlyforthattime(1955).Today,whenthroughthemercyandwiththehelpofGod,our

Churchhasstrengtheneditshierarchy,theprincipleof

dispensationcannolongerbeapplied,butthattruthfulness

(accuracy)instead,whichgivespowertothecanonsoftheHoly

Fathers.Underthisprinciple,theordinationsofschismaticsare

nolongeracceptedasvalid.InaccordancewithSt.Basilthe

Great,who,inhisfirstcanon,receivesthebaptismandthe

ordinationofrefrainingandNovatiansschismaticsby

dispensation,althoughhecallsthemwithoutgraceandas

thosebaptizedandordainedbylaymen ,andinCan.47,the

sameSaint,byChurchtruthfulness,rejectsboththebaptism

andtheordinationoftheseschismatics,becauseatthattimethe

useofdispensationwasnolongerneeded,sodowetogether

withSt.CyprianofCarthageandhisSynod;togetherwithSt.

FirmilianofIconiumandPatriarchDositheosofJerusalem(at

Dodecavivlios,page221)wesaythatwhathasbeendoneby

dispensationatacertaintime(i.e.receivingtheordinationofBishopGalactionCordunin1955)isnotalawintheChurch.

And,becausetheOldCalendarOrthodoxChurchhaspassed

theperiodofpersecutionandlackofservants,weabandonhe

principleofdispensationandadopttheprincipleof

truthfulness,inwitnesswhereofwenolongerreceivethe

ordinationsofschismatics.


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Aboutbaptism

However,theHolySynodoftheOldCalendarOrthodox

ChurchinRomania,followingthewordsofSt.BasiltheGreatinhisfirstcanon,decidedtoreceive,bydispensation,the

baptismofschismaticsoftheRomanianOrthodoxChurch

(NewCalendar),i.e.onlythethreeimmersionsinwater

performedinthenameoftheHolyTrinity.Nevertheless,in

ordernottohinderthesalvationofmany,theSynodoftheOld

CalendarOrthodoxChurchofRomaniaappliedtheprincipleof

dispensation,asdidtheHolyFathersofthe1stSynod(Can.8)

andthe2ndSynod(Can.7),aswellasSt.Basil(Can.1).Based

onthesecanons,weonlyreceivethebaptismofschismatics(thethreeimmersionsinwater),butonlyifthisbaptismis

performedaccordingtotherulesoftheOrthodoxChurch(the

threecompleteimmersionsinwaterandinthenameofthe

HolyTrinity).AlthoughSt.Basilcallsschismatics layand

withoutgrace ,westillreceivetheirthreeimmersions,basedon

theabovementionedcanons,butalsotakingintoaccountmany

miraclesintheHolyScriptures,whentheimmersionsprovedto

bevaliddespitebeingmadeonlybylaymen.Generally,the

Churchacceptsthebaptismmadebylaymenonlywhentheone

tobebaptizedisindangerofdeath.Inthisrespect,werecall

themiraclefromthelifeofSt.Athanasius,Archbishopof

Alexandria,who,asachild,wasbaptizingforfunbychildren

ofhisageontheseashore.Lookingintothismatter,theHoly

PatriarchAlexanderandhissynod,declaredvalidtheMystery

oftheHolyBaptismperformedbychildAthanasius,according

totherulesofOrthodoxy.AndbecauseweconfesswithSt.

ApostlePaulOneLord,oneFaithandoneBaptism ,inordernottobecometransgressorsofGodslaw,weanointwiththe

HolyandGreatChrismtheschismaticsbaptizedbythethree

immersionsinwaterandinthenameoftheHolyTrinity,

returningtotheEasternOrthodoxChurch,asSt.Basilsaysin

Can.1,ortheHolyFathersofthe2ndSynod,inCan.7.And

becausebydispensationtheHolyFathersreceivedthebaptism


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ofschismaticsandNabatiens(Can.7,2ndSynod)whofollowed

Jewishcustoms,celebratingEasterandtheotherholidayswith

theJews,butwerebaptizedwiththetruebaptism,weaswell

receivethebaptismofschismaticsbydispensationandbythe

poweroftheabovecanons.

Ifthosecomingtothetruefaithhavenotbeenbaptizedbythe

threeimmersionsinwaterandinthenameoftheTrinity

whetherschismaticsorhereticswereceivethemasifthey

wereunbaptizedandbaptizethemwiththetruebaptismofthe

ApostolicOrthodoxChurch,afterwhichweanointthemwith

theHolyandGreatChrismandcommunethemwiththeHoly

Mysteries(InterpretationCan.46and47oftheHolyApostles,

notes83and84).

Synodaldecisions

ThroughCan.3(2ndEcumenicalSynod);Can.7(3rd

EcumenicalSynod),Can.1(4thEcumenicalSynod);Can.1(6th

EcumenicalSynod);Can.1(7thEcumenicalSynod),theHoly

Fathersdefrockthosewhointroduceoronlyacceptallegations

inmattersoffaith (introductionoftheGregoriancalendarin

theuseoftheChurch;changingEasterdatefrom1926and1929

andcelebratingitatthesamedateastheJews;reducingoreven

cancellingthefastoftheHolyApostles;celebratethegreat

holidaysoftheChurchatthesamedateasCatholics,

ProtestantsandNeoprotestants).TothesecanonsoftheHoly

Fathers,areaddedtheanathemasofthePatriarchsofthefour

OrthodoxPatriarchates(Alexandria,Constantinople,Antioch

andJerusalem),recognizedandpublishedasSynodal

Encyclicals(PatriarchalSigillions)from1583,1756,1848,bywhichthosewhohaveintroducedoronlyacceptedinnovations

inmattersoffaith(astheexamplesabove),aredefrockedbythe

SynodsoftheOrthodoxPatriarchatesandcalledwithout

Grace.InaccordancewiththeHolyFathers,who(bytheir

canons),andwiththeSynodsoftheOrthodoxPatriarchates(by

theanathemasofSynodalEncyclicals) callthemdefrocked


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andwithoutGrace ,sodowe,theHolySynodoftheOld

CalendarOrthodoxChurchofRomaniacallallthosewhohave

receivedinnovationsinmattersoffaithdefrockedandwithout

Grace.AccordingtoCan.15oftheFirstandtheSecondSynod

ofConstantinoplein861,theHolySynodoftheOldCalendarOrthodoxChurchofRomaniasetsitsownboundariesanddoes

notaccepttheliturgicalcommunionorotherreligiousrelations

withthosewhohavereceivedthechangeofthecalendarsince

1924(inRomania).Inthisrespect,basedonthecanonsofthe

HolyFathersandsynodaldecisions(fromabove)ofthegreat

patriarchsoftheworld,theHolySynodofOldCalendar

OrthodoxChurchofRomaniadoesnotrecognizeanyofthe

mysteriesoftheChurchesinvolvedinthecalendarschism,

exceptforbaptism.WedonotrecognizeOrdination,Eucharisticsacrifice,HolyUnction,Chrismation,Marriage,

ConfessionorBaptism(ifthelatterisnotmadeaccordingtothe

rulesofOrthodoxy.)ThisisreinforcedbythefactthattheHoly

FathersoftheSixthEcumenicalSynod,intheinterpretationof

Canon6 note204,bythepoweroftheprincipleof

truthfulness,statethatallPresbyters,aswellasBishopswho

willbedefrockedforprovedcharges(innovationsinmattersof

faithn.ed) suchpersonscanneitherblessnorsain,nor

performanyotherholywork,orhouselsomeone(...)because

alltheseholyworksinvolvesharingblessingandholinessthat

theydonothave.Thus,suchpersonsnolongerhavethepower

ofperformingChurchmysteries,religiousservicesforsaining

andnootherworkofholiness.Andweespeciallydonotaccept

anymysteryperformedbyWesternhereticsorotherreligions

originatingintheschismof1054.

But,becausewe,togetherwiththeHolyFathers,calltheschismaticsdefrockedandwithoutGrace ,thereforewedonot

recognizeanyofthemysteriesperformedbythem,exceptfor

theOrthodoxbaptism(thethreeimmersionsinwater) andthe

latterbydescending,especiallywedonotrecognizethemand

evencallalltheiractionsanddecisionsontheOldCalendar

OrthodoxChurchnullandvoidoftheworkoftheHolySpirit,


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suchasdefrockingBishopGalactionCordunonApril14,1955.

Werejectthisdefrockingandcallitnullandvoidoftheworkof

theHolySpirit,becauseitwasnotperformedbytheChurch

canons,butonlyasanexpressionofrevengeoftheschismatic

synodontheBishopwhich,accordingtoCan.15oftheFirstandtheSecondSynodofConstantinoplein861andCan.31

Apostolic,wasseparatedfromtheschismaticgrouponfaith

grounds.NocanonoftheOrthodoxChurchdefrocksfor

returningtothetruefaith,butforalienatingfromit.Defrocking

ofBishopGalactionCordunbytheSynodoftheRomanian

OrthodoxChurch(NewCalendar)wasuncanonical.Firstofall,

itshouldbeknownthatatthattimeBishopGalactionCordun

wasnolongerpartoftheNewCalendarChurchstructure,but

oftheOldCalendarOrthodoxChurch.TheInterferenceoftheNewCalendarChurchinthegovernanceoftheOldCalendar

OrthodoxChurchwasuncanonicalandpowerless.Atthattime

(April14,1955),BishopGalactionCordunwasalreadypartof

theOldCalendarOrthodoxChurch,whichwasandstillis

anotherchurchstructure.Hisdefrockingin1955wasdictated

bypoliticalmotives.Longbefore1955,PetruGroza(Prime

MinisterinthefirstCommunistgovernmentofRomania,

between1945and1952,andlaterPresidentofthePresidiumof

theGrandNationalAssemblyoftheRomanianPeoples

Republic)hadaskedPatriarchJustinianMarina tofinishas

quicklyaspossiblewiththeroyalistGalaction ,whichiswhy

BishopGalactionCordun,togetherwithotherbishopsofthe

R.O.C.asChesariePunescuofDunreadeJosandAtanasie

Dinc BrldeanulwereremovedfromtheR.O.C.Synodonthe

groundsofretirementondemand.Withthemovingofbishop

GalactionCorduntotheOldCalendarOrthodoxChurch,

PatriarchJustinianMarinahadonemorereasontogetridofatruepastor,alreadybecameaninconvenient forthefurther

policyoftheNewCalendarChurch,whichwastobecome,

evenunderthepastoralleadershipoftheredpatriarch ,a

propagandatoolofthecommunistregimeandanannexofthe

totalitarianstate.


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DuringameetingbetweenBishopGerasimCucoelofRdui

(R.O.C.)andthecurrentMetropolitanoftheOldCalendar

OrthodoxChurch,VlasieMogrzan,HisGraceGerasimsaid

that In1990,PatriarchTeoctistArpauremovedallpolitical

defrocking ,amongwhichthedefrockingofBishopGalactionCordun.

ObservingthethoughtsoftheHolyFathersoftheChurch,we

aswellrejecthereticsassomeenemiesofthesavingdogmasof

theOrthodoxfaith.

Werejecttheheresyofecumenism

TheHolyCanonsoftheOrthodoxChurchforbidthejointprayerwithhereticsandschismatics(throughcan.10,11,45,65

oftheHolyApostles,can.6,9,32fromLaodicea).Therefore,

neitherdowe,theHolySynodoftheOldCalendarOrthodox

ChurchofRomania,receiveanykindofjointministration;we

donotperformanyoftheSevenMysteriesoftheChurch or

religiousserviceforsainingoranyotherspiritualwork,with

thesupportersandrepresentativesofcontemporary

ecumenism.Wedonotacceptanykindofjointprayerwith

theseecumenistheretics(Catholics,Monophysites,Lutherans,

Calvinists,Protestants,Neoprotestants,etc.),sectarians,pagans

ornewcalendaristschismatics,whooverruledthedecisionsof

theHolyFathers,carriersofGrace,oftheFirstSynodofNice,

beinganathematizedthroughtheEncyclicalsofEastern

Patriarchsfrom1582,1756,1848.Wejointhegreatgospellerof

theChurch,St.JohnChrysostom,who,intheinterpretationof

theEpistletotheHebrew,word34,says: Ifthebishoporcleric

isastuteinmattersoffaith,thenyoushallrunandabandonhim,notonlyasaman,butevenifheisanangelfromheaven.

Contemporaryecumenismaimsatrelativizing,minimizingand

cancellingthetruthofthesavingOrthodoxy.Whoeverjoins

thisheresyseparatedfromthefoundationoftheChurch,sucha

personisasJudas,whobetrayedChrist.Suchpersonsfall


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undertheanathemasoftheHolyFathersagainsthereticswho

forgedthedogmasoftheChurchanddisrespectedtheright

orderoftheHolyCanons.WeconfesswithSt.MarkofEphesus,

MetropolitanofEphesus(1444),andtheonlydefenderof

Orthodoxyattheunionist SynodofFerraraFlorence(14381439),andsaywithhim:Ourfaithistherightconfessionofour

HolyFathers.Withit,wehopetopresentourselvesbeforeGod

andreceiveforgivenessofsins;andwithoutit,Idonotknow

whatkindofpiousnesscouldsaveusfromtheeternaltorment.

Thereisnoconcessioninmattersoffaith.Issuesoffaithdonot

admitdispensation.

WealsoconfesswithSt.PaisiusofNeamt,whosays:Butarent

theRomanCatholicshereticsthemselveswiththeirPope?Iknowforsureyouwillsaytheyareheretics.Andsincetheyare

heretics,andtheytrulyare,thenourHolyChurch

anathematizesthem.AndthoseanathematizedbytheHoly

Church,areanathematizedbymeaswell,togetherwiththe

Church,asherson.(Wordsandspiritualletters (Cuvintei

scrisoriduhovniceti) vol.II,Tipogr.Central Publishing

house,Chiinu,1999,p.49).AssonsoftheChurchofChrist,

werejectallmanifestationsofthecurrentecumenism,because

wehaveadutytofightfortruth,untilthelastbreath,andnot

againstthetruth.WefindjustificationinthewordsofSt.John

theEvangelistaswell,whosays:Ihavenogreaterjoythanto

hearthatmychildrenwalkintruth.(3John,1,4).

ArchbishopandMetropolitanVLASIEMOGRZAN

ecclesiology of the old calendar orthodox church of romania

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