+ Archbishop and Metropolitan Vlasie Mogârzan
Starting from the year 1924, with
the schism in the Romanian Orthodox Church, due to the introduction of
innovations in matters of faith coming from the West, two major Sacraments
within the Old Calendar Orthodox Church have been contested. For this reason,
we owe a series of explanations and canonical arguments through which we refute
the unjust accusations brought against our Church.
On Ordination
From the earliest times, the
Orthodox Church has been guided by two principles—the principle of strictness (akribeia), by virtue of which the
canons have authority and become the letter of the law, and the principle of
leniency (economia), which involves a
canonical tolerance applied only in critical situations and only for a limited
time.
In the year 1955, the Old
Calendar Orthodox Church of Romania, recognized by the Ministry of Religious
Affairs' act no. 38955 of August 3, 1945, and functioning under the name of the
Traditionalist Christian Faith, in accordance with the First Canon of St. Basil
the Great and following the principle of ecclesiastical economia (leniency), accepted as valid the ordination of Bishop
Galaction Cordun, who in that year (1955) would return to the Old Calendar
Orthodox Church. During this time, another bishop from the New Calendar
Orthodox Church (B.O.R.) also expressed sympathy towards the Traditional
Church, led by Hieromonk Glicherie Tănase. This was Bishop Atanasie Dincă
Bârlădeanul, ordained in 1945 and excluded from the B.O.R. by Patriarch
Justinian Marina and his synod in 1948, for political reasons.
The return of Archbishop
Galaction to the ancestral Orthodox Church, the preserver of the ancient
traditions of the Holy Fathers, was accomplished on April 5, 1955, and was
formalized through a public declaration (confession of faith) on the same date.
His personality, marked by impeccable integrity, did not allow for any
concealment of this kind, and his firm stance on preserving Holy Tradition and
safeguarding the Holy Canons was already well known, both in high
ecclesiastical circles and among the Orthodox faithful. The declaration of his
return to the ancestral Church was a true confession of faith. Here is its
content: "I, the undersigned Archbishop Galaction Cordun, residing in
Bucharest, Nicolae Bălcescu district, Cuza Vodă Street no. 2, spiritual leader
of the Traditional Eastern Orthodox Church (Old Calendar Orthodox Church),
hereby declare, in the presence of the clergy and the people from all parishes
and monasteries within the territory of the Romanian People's Republic, that:
I, Archbishop Galaction Cordun, of my own free will and without being compelled
by anyone, have accepted the proposal and the election made by the people in my
person to be the spiritual leader of this Church, its archbishop, as I declared
to the Holy Synod in the letter I sent through the Capital Tribunal of the
Romanian People's Republic on April 5, 1955, a letter mentioned in the Romanian
Orthodox Church's magazine, the official bulletin of the Holy Synod, no. 34. I have never renounced this public
declaration. I declare before the faithful people that I am and remain the
Archbishop and Spiritual Leader of the Traditional Eastern Orthodox Church, a
confession I make once and for all."
In conclusion, through this
public declaration by Bishop Galaction Cordun on April 5, 1955, addressed both
to the Capital Tribunal of the Socialist Republic of Romania and to the Synod
of the Romanian Orthodox Church, led by Justinian Marina, he becomes the
"Spiritual Leader of the Traditionalist Eastern Orthodox Church"
(Official Bulletin, no. 3-4/1956), currently recognized under the title of the
Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Romania. His official reception as Metropolitan
of the Eastern Orthodox Church took place on May 21, 1955, but by that date,
his confession of returning to the Eastern Orthodox Church (Traditionalist
Christian Faith) had already been made.
According to the above-mentioned canon, His Grace Galaction Cordun was
received again as a bishop through the confession of apostolic faith.
It is known that in the 4th
century, the Holy Fathers of Africa, through economia, accepted the ordinations of the schismatic Donatists
(Interpretation of Can. 66, 61 of Carthage, note 346), and those ordained by
the Donatists were received into the same clerical ranks upon their return to
the Orthodox Church. Similarly, we, in agreement with those of that time and
also through the principle of ecclesiastical economia, received Bishop Galaction Cordun into the same clerical
rank. Therefore, this was done through economia and only for that time (1955).
Today, when by the mercy and help of God, our Church has strengthened its
hierarchy, the principle of economia can
no longer be applied, but rather that of strictness (akribeia), through which the canons of the Holy Fathers hold firm.
By virtue of this principle, the ordinations of schismatics are no longer
accepted as valid. In agreement with St. Basil the Great, who, in his first
canon, through economia, accepts the
baptism and ordination of the Encratite and Novatian schismatics, although he
calls them "devoid of grace and like those baptized and ordained by
laymen," and in Canon 47, the same Saint, through the strictness of the
Church, rejects both the baptism and ordination of these schismatics, because
at that time there was no longer a need to use economia, so do we, together with St. Cyprian of Carthage and his
synod; together with St. Firmilian of Iconium and Patriarch Dositheus of
Jerusalem (in Dodecavivlios, page
221) say that "what was done through economia
at a certain time (namely the acceptance of Bishop Galaction Cordun's
ordination in 1955) is not to be made a rule in the Church." And, because
the Old Calendar Orthodox Church has overcome the period of persecution and
lack of clergy, we renounce the principle of economia and adopt the principle of strictness, by virtue of which
today we no longer accept the ordinations of schismatics.
On Baptism
Nevertheless, the Holy Synod of
the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Romania, following the word of St. Basil
the Great in his first canon, has decided to accept, through economia, the baptism of schismatics
from the Romanian Orthodox Church (New Calendar), meaning only the three
immersions performed in the name of the Holy Trinity. However, in order not to
hinder the salvation of many, the Synod of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of
Romania has applied the principle of economia,
as did the Holy Fathers of the First Council (Canon 8) and the Second Council
(Canon 7), as well as St. Basil (Canon 1). Based on these canons, we accept
only the baptism of schismatics (the three immersions), but only if this
baptism is performed according to the order of the Orthodox Church (the three
complete immersions and in the name of the Holy Trinity). Although St. Basil
refers to schismatics as "laypeople and devoid of Grace," we
nonetheless accept their three immersions, both on the basis of the
above-mentioned canons and taking into account many miracles from the Holy
Scriptures, where immersions performed only by laypeople proved to be valid.
Generally, the Church accepts baptism performed by laypeople only when the one
who is to be baptized is in danger of death. We recall in this regard the
miracle from the life of St. Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, who, as a
child, was playfully baptizing children of his age on the seashore. Upon
investigating this matter, St. Patriarch Alexander and his synod declared the
sacrament of holy baptism performed by the child Athanasius valid, according to
the order of Orthodoxy. And because we confess together with St. Paul the
Apostle "One Lord, one Faith, one
Baptism," so that we do not become transgressors of God's law, we
anoint with Holy Chrism those schismatics baptized through the three immersions
and in the name of the Holy Trinity, who return to the Eastern Orthodox Church,
as St. Basil says in Canon 1, or as the Holy Fathers of the Second Council
state in Canon 7. And because through economia
the Holy Fathers accepted the baptism of schismatics and of the Novatians
(Canon 7 of the Second Council), who followed Jewish customs, celebrating
Passover and other holidays together with the Jews, but were baptized with the
true baptism, we also accept the baptism of schismatics through economia and by the authority of the
above canons.
If those who come to the true
faith do not have baptism performed through the three immersions and in the
name of the Holy Trinity—whether they are schismatics or heretics—we receive
them as unbaptized and baptize them with the true baptism of the Apostolic
Orthodox Church, after which we anoint them with Holy Chrism and communicate
them with the Holy Mysteries (Interpretation of Canons 46 and 47 of the Holy
Apostles, notes 83 and 84).
Synodal Decisions
According to Can. 3 (Second
Ecumenical Council); Can. 7 (Third Ecumenical Council); Can. 1 (Fourth
Ecumenical Council); Can. 1 (Sixth Ecumenical Council); Can. 1 (Seventh
Ecumenical Council), the Holy Fathers depose those who "introduce or
merely accept innovations in matters of faith" (such as the introduction
of the Gregorian calendar into the Church’s usage; the change of the date of
Easter in 1926 and 1929 and its celebration on the same date as the Jews; the
reduction or even cancellation of the Apostles' Fast; the celebration of the
Church's major feasts on the same date as Catholics, Protestants, and
Neo-Protestants). Added to these canons of the Holy Fathers are the anathemas
of the patriarchs of the four Orthodox Patriarchates (Alexandria, Constantinople,
Antioch, and Jerusalem), recognized and published under the name of Synodal
Encyclicals (Patriarchal Sigils) from
1583, 1756, 1848, through which those who have introduced or merely accepted
innovations in matters of faith (like those mentioned above) are deposed by the
Synods of the Orthodox Patriarchates and are called "devoid of
Grace." In agreement with the Holy Fathers, who (through their canons) and
with the Synods of the Orthodox Patriarchates (through the anathemas of the
synodal encyclicals) call these individuals "deposed and devoid of
Grace," we, the Holy Synod of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Romania,
likewise name "deposed and devoid of Grace" all those who have
accepted innovations in matters of faith. According to Can. 15 of the First and
Second Council of Constantinople in the year 861, the Holy Synod of the Old
Calendar Orthodox Church of Romania isolates itself and does not accept
liturgical communion or other confessional relations with those who, since 1924
(in Romania), have accepted the calendar change. In this regard, based on the
canons of the Holy Fathers and the above synodal decisions of the great
patriarchs of the world, the Holy Synod of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of
Romania does not recognize any of the sacraments of the Churches involved in
the calendar schism, except baptism. We do not recognize ordination, the
Eucharistic sacrifice, unction, chrismation, marriage, confession, nor baptism
(if the latter is not performed according to Orthodox order). We affirm this by
the fact that the Holy Fathers of the Sixth Ecumenical Council, in the
interpretation of Canon 6—note 204, by the power of the principle of
strictness, specify that "all priests, as well as bishops who will be
deposed for manifest accusations (innovations in matters of faith—editor's
note) such as these, cannot bless, nor sanctify, nor perform any other sacred
work, nor commune anyone (...) because in all these holy works, a sharing of
blessing and holiness occurs, which they do not have." Therefore, such
persons no longer have the power to perform the Church's sacraments, sacred
rites, or any other work of sanctity. All the more so, we do not accept any
sacrament performed by Western heretics or other confessions that originated in
the schism of 1054.
But because we, together with the
Holy Fathers, call schismatics "deposed and devoid of Grace," we
therefore do not recognize any of the sacraments performed by them, except for
Orthodox baptism (the three immersions)—and this only through economia. Even more, we do not
recognize, and indeed declare null and devoid of the work of the Holy Spirit,
all actions and decisions of these schismatics regarding the Old Calendar
Orthodox Church, such as the deposition of Archbishop Galaction Cordun on April
14, 1955. We reject this deposition and call it null and without the work of
the Holy Spirit because it was not carried out according to the canons of the
Church, but rather as an act of revenge by the schismatic synod against the
archbishop who, according to Can. 15 of the First and Second Councils of
Constantinople from 861 and Apostolic Canon 31, separated himself from the
schismatic group for reasons of faith. No canon of the Orthodox Church deposes
someone for returning to the true faith, but for departing from it. The
deposition of Bishop Galaction Cordun by the Synod of the Romanian Orthodox
Church (New Calendar) was uncanonical. First of all, it must be known that at
that time Bishop Galaction Cordun was no longer part of the New Calendar Church
structure but of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church. The interference of the New
Calendar Church in the governance of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church was
uncanonical and without any authority. At that time (April 14, 1955), Bishop
Galaction Cordun was already part of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church, which
represented and continues to represent a different ecclesiastical structure.
His deposition in 1955 was dictated by political reasons. Long before 1955,
Petru Groza (prime minister in the first communist government of Romania
between 1945 and 1952, and later President of the Presidium of the Great
National Assembly of the People's Republic of Romania) had asked Patriarch
Justinian Marina "to quickly deal with the royalist Galaction," which
is why Bishop Galaction Cordun, along with other hierarchs from the Romanian
Orthodox Church such as Chesarie Păunescu of Lower Danube and Atanasie Dincă
Bârlădeanul, were removed from the Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church under
the pretext of "retirement upon request." With Bishop Galaction
Cordun's transition to the Old Calendar Orthodox Church, Patriarch Justinian
Marina had even more reason to rid himself of a true pastor who had become
"inconvenient" for the future policies of the New Calendar Church, which
was to become, under the very leadership of the "Red Patriarch," an
instrument of propaganda for the communist regime and an appendage of the
totalitarian state.
During a meeting between Bishop
Gherasim Cucoșel of Rădăuți (Romanian Orthodox Church) and the current
Metropolitan of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church, Vlasie Mogârzan, His Grace
Gherasim stated that "In 1990, Patriarch Teoctist Arăpașu lifted all political
depositions," among which was the deposition of Bishop Galaction Cordun.
In the same spirit as the Holy
Fathers of the Church, we also reject heretics as enemies of the salvific
dogmas of the Orthodox faith.
We Reject the Heresy of Ecumenism
The Holy Canons of the Orthodox
Church forbid joint prayer with heretics and schismatics (through Canons 10,
11, 45, 65 of the Holy Apostles, and Canons 6, 9, 32 of Laodicea). For this
reason, we, the Holy Synod of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Romania, do
not accept any form of joint service; we do not perform any of the Seven
Sacraments of the Church—nor any sacred rites or other spiritual works—with the
adherents and representatives of contemporary ecumenism. We do not accept any
form of joint prayer with these ecumenist heretics (Papists, Monophysites,
Lutherans, Calvinists, Protestants, Neo-Protestants, etc.), sectarians, pagans,
or New Calendarist schismatics who have disregarded the decisions of the Holy
Spirit-bearing Fathers of the First Council of Nicaea, and who have been
anathematized by the Encyclicals of the Eastern Patriarchs from the years 1582,
1756, 1848. We align ourselves with the great teacher of the Church, Saint John
Chrysostom, who, in his interpretation of the Epistle to the Hebrews, word 34,
says: "If the bishop or cleric is deceitful in matters of faith, then flee
from and reject him, not only as a man but even if he were an angel from
heaven."
Contemporary ecumenism aims to
relativize, minimize, and nullify the saving truth of Orthodoxy. Whoever joins
this heresy, which undermines the foundation of the Church, is like Judas, who
betrayed Christ. Such individuals fall under the anathemas of the Holy Fathers,
directed against heretics who falsified the Church’s dogmas and dishonored the
rightful order of the Holy Canons. We confess together with Saint Mark of
Ephesus, Metropolitan of Ephesus (1444), and the sole defender of Orthodoxy at
the "unionist" council of Ferrara-Florence (1438-1439), and we say
with him: "Our faith is the true
confession of our Holy Fathers. With it, we hope to stand before the Lord and
receive the forgiveness of sins; and without it, I do not know what kind of
piety could save us from eternal torment. In matters of faith, there is no
concession. Issues of faith do not admit economia."
We also confess together with
Saint Paisius of Neamț, who says: "Are not the Romans (Roman Catholics)
with their pope heretics? I know well that you will say they are heretics. And
since they are heretics, as they truly are, then our Holy Church anathematizes
them. And those whom the Holy Church anathematizes, I, being her son,
anathematize together with the Church." ("Spiritual Words and
Letters" - vol. II, Ed. Central Typography, Chișinău, 1999, p. 49). As
sons of Christ's Church, we reject any manifestation of contemporary ecumenism,
for we have the duty to fight for the truth until our last breath, and not
against the truth. We are justified by the words of Saint John the Evangelist,
who says: "I have no greater joy
than to hear that my children walk in truth" (III John 1:4).
Romanian source: https://web.archive.org/web/20140204063527/http://www.manastirea-amd.ro:80/prezentare-AMD/eclesiologia-bisericii-ortodoxe-de-stil-vechi-din-romania.html (posted
18 August 2012)
