Holy Metropolitan Synod of the Patristic Calendar of the Genuine Orthodox Church of Hellas,

[Moses Medina]

Is this part of the true Church? It has an alphabet soup which I was warned about here.

 

[Ioustinos]

Is this part of the true Church? It has an alphabet soup which I was warned about here.

I couldn't find much info on them, but based on the name alone I would say they are a schismatic, old-calendarist group.

 

[archer75]

They are in schism.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Any "Genuine Real True" Orthodox Church is always a red flag. If they are canonical, you can see who their bishop is and track it all down. If they have to tell you they are really-really-real-true Orthodox - they never are.

 

[Monk Brendan]

Is this part of the true Church? It has an alphabet soup which I was warned about here.

My observation about most OC Greeks is that they are in several groups and sub groups, and are never as happy as when they are excommunicating each other.

The big exception is the Synod of Metropolitan Cyprian, which has what our Pentecostal friends call a deliverance ministry.

This is NOT a Charism that God gives to flakes.

 

[ArmyMatt]

they don't sound legit.

curious, but why do you ask?

 

[Not David]

I would doubt one any of them except if it says "Orthodox Church 100% real no fake".

 

[Moses Medina]

they don't sound legit.

curious, but why do you ask?

Orders are possibly changing, Fort Hood might be on the plate. This is 37 min away. The next closest is 53 minuyes away which is what I travel now or if I still end up in Fort Sill. Ha ha ha.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Orders are possibly changing, Fort Hood might be on the plate. This is 37 min away. The next closest is 53 minuyes away which is what I travel now or if I still end up in Fort Sill. Ha ha ha.

ah, gotcha. well, make the longer journey if you have to. schismatics are nutty. is there an Orthodox chaplain where you might be stationed?

 

[Moses Medina]

ah, gotcha. well, make the longer journey if you have to. schismatics are nutty. is there an Orthodox chaplain where you might be stationed?

At Fort Sill, yes. At Fort Hood, going to look into it Fr.

And yes, thats why I inquired.

 

[searn77]

The synod in question is a Greek Old Calendarist synod under Metropolitan Angelos of Avlona. This synod is in communion with the Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas under Metropolitan John (this is the synod I belong to) as well as a handful of different Orthodox synods around the world. Metropolitan Angelos' synod has made an effort to promote unity among the various Orthodox synods who have made a stance against Ecumenism. These synods are often referred to in different areas and circumstances as Old Calendarists, Catacomb Orthodox, and true or genuine Orthodox. Granted, there are some "Orthodox" who take this anti-Ecumenical stance to a Pharisaical extreme and seem to revel in breaking communion with others, while promoting how "correct" they are. I would be among the first to condemn this Pharisaical attitude just as I would condemn the opposite extreme of Ecumenism. But frankly, from my limited exposure to Metropolitan Angelos' synod, I haven't witnessed this Pharisaical attitude among them.

While I can agree that someone who has this Pharisaical attitude may be considered nutty, "Internetodox" people I've encountered (whether they be Old Calendarists or not) have been more nutty and insulting than the Orthodox that I've met in real life. To make a blanket statement that "schismatics are nutty" when referring to thousands of Old Calendarists is at best ignorant and at worst malicious. The church I go to now is a tiny congregation that seeks out the poor and needy, having baptized many residents from the local poor assisted living home that the other churches in the community hardly ever visit. My bishop lives in poverty and yet when he visits our church on his annual visits, he's primarily concerned about how our priest, his matushka, and our congregation are doing; he's not concerned at all with trying to acquire funds on his visits. His spiritual father, the elder Theodore, was a holy man who would always pick up and move a great distance after God worked a miracle through him, not wanting to stick around and be praised by the people. So although this particular forum does not view Old Calendarists as Orthodox (even though Fr. Seraphim Rose and many others that your communion reveres would say otherwise), to say that "schismatics are nutty" in reference to thousands of Orthodox Christians that aren't in your communion is untrue.

Back to the original post, here are some links that provide more context into this specific Greek Old Calendarist synod. But as others have stated in one way or another, this synod is not in communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Moscow Patriarchate, etc.

Article and pictures about this synod recent union with other Orthodox synods: Statement on Communion with Sister Synods – The Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of North and South America and the British Isles

Audio sermons from this synod's vicar bishop for North America, Bp. Irineos (I'd highly recommend this if you're curious as to what spirit this synod promotes): Bp. Irineos

This synod's website for its American presence: Avlona Synod USA | True Orthodox Mission to North America

 

[ArmyMatt]

actually, just for clarity's sake because he was mentioned, in Fr Seraphim Rose's biography, Fr Seraphim warns against the Old Calendarist movement. a lot of folks who knew him when he was alive also agreed with that point.

Elder Joseph the hesychast also bitterly repented when he temporarily out of zeal joined the Old Calendarists.

 

[searn77]

That's not quite correct. Fr. Seraphim rightly preached against the Pharisaism he witnessed among some of the ROCOR and the Old Calendarists, but he didn't preach against the Old Calendarist movement in general. In fact, he promoted different Old Calendarist figures and monasteries in his magazine, The Orthodox Word. Here's a quote in its original wording from his book Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future. This quote was distorted in later versions of the book.

"Unknown to the fevered Orthodox 'revivalists,' the Lord has reserved in the world, even as in the days of Elijah the Prophet, seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal [Rom. 11:4] -- an unknown number of true Orthodox Christians who are neither spiritually dead, as the Orthodox 'charismatics' complain that their flocks have been, nor the pompously 'spirit-filled,' as these same flocks become under 'charismatic' suggestion. They are not carried away by the movement of apostasy nor by any false 'awakening,' but continue rooted in the holy and saving Faith of Holy Orthodoxy in the tradition the Holy Fathers have handed down to them, watching the signs of the times and traveling the narrow path to salvation. Many of them follow the bishops of the few Orthodox jurisdicitions that have strong stands against the apostasy of our times: the Catacomb Church of Russia, the Russian Church Outside of Russia, the True Orthodox Christians [Old Calendarists] of Greece. But there are some left in other jurisdictions also, grieving over the ever more evident apostasy of their hierarchs and striving somehow to keep their own Orthodoxy intact; and there are still others outside of the Orthodox Church who by God's grace, their hearts being open to His call, will undoubtedly yet be joined to genuine Holy Orthodoxy. These 'seven thousand' are the foundation of the future and only Orthodoxy of the latter times."

 

[ArmyMatt]

yeah, and Fr Seraphim was also not as staunch later in his life as he was in the beginning. again, from his bio and those still with us who knew him. while he might not have had issues with every Old Calendarist he ran into, he was not as favorable toward them. he even encouraged one of his spiritual daughters to marry OCA, because he felt the schism would end.

and I should add, he was definitely for the Old Calendar and against the New, as are a lot of us.

 

[searn77]

His writings against Ecumenism and Pharisaism speak for themselves. Anyone can read the writings that he wrote later in his life to see for themselves. I've read his biography, letters, and some of his magazines too. All I'm saying is that he didn't completely equate his stance against Pharisaism with being against most Old Calendarists. Neither did he completely equate his stance against Ecumenism with being a stance against all those in your communion. Fr. Seraphim wasn't trying to side with the Old Calendarists or the mainline Orthodox. He stood for Orthodoxy, and promoted the faith where he saw it, in your communion as well as in the Old Calendarists.

But this thread is getting off-topic. I'm not trying or wanting to debate whether Fr. Seraphim sided moreso with the Old Calendarists or with your communion. I brought up his name to bring attention to the fact on how he never, and would never, brush Old Calendarists off as being nutty schismatics.

 

[ArmyMatt]

well, no, Fr Seraphim was too smart to just brush off an entire group. in fact, that was one of his main criticisms of HOCNA. I just wanted to point out that he did become critical of the movement later in his life, particularly around certain groups (but not all, which I should have made more clear).

 

[searn77]

Well then yes, I agree that he was critical of the Pharisaism he saw among certain Old Calendarists, as well as the Pharisaism of a large grouping of Greeks who were in ROCOR at that time. These Greeks eventually left ROCOR and become HOCNA. Fr. Seraphim spent too much of his early years rightly preaching against modernism and Ecumenism but not noticing until later in his life that a certain Pharisaical element of people thought he was on their side. When he took notice of this, he began to rightly preach against it as well. The danger with Pharisaism is that it's always rooted in pride, and it's difficult to show a prideful person the error of their ways. That's why Fr. Seraphim spoke about the royal path, not leaning too far to the left and embracing Ecumenism, and not leaning too far to the right and embracing Pharisaism.

 

[Irineos Plac]

Is this part of the true Church? It has an alphabet soup which I was warned about here.

Dario,

I am the rector of the Old Calendar parish you mention near Ft. Hood. As Searn77 points out, we are a Greek Old Calendar jurisdiction, and not in communion with the patriarchates. You have probably located the other nearby parishes that are in communion with Constantinople or Moscow. You may be interested to know that one of the Antiochian parishes is doing some outreach in Killeen, where Fort Hood is located. If you send me a PM, I have the email of the man who is sort of leading that.

 

[Moses Medina]

Dario,

I am the rector of the Old Calendar parish you mention near Ft. Hood. As Searn77 points out, we are a Greek Old Calendar jurisdiction, and not in communion with the patriarchates. You have probably located the other nearby parishes that are in communion with Constantinople or Moscow. You may be interested to know that one of the Antiochian parishes is doing some outreach in Killeen, where Fort Hood is located. If you send me a PM, I have the email of the man who is sort of leading that.

Thank you fo the reply! That would have ben great but the Army likes to Army and I have new orders taking me elsewhere. Thankfully there is an OCA parish 20 minutes away from the new post!