On the "automatic" loss of grace...

 On the “automatic” loss of grace…

Protopresbyter Nikolaos Demaras, Th.D.

The theory regarding the automatic and immediate loss of Grace in the Church due to the unfortunate introduction of the New Calendar, which certain Orthodox brethren of ours support, is devoid of any theological and dogmatic foundation.

As is known, the two Metropolitans, Germanos of Demetrias and Chrysostomos of Florina, for 11 years, that is, from 1924 until 1935, accepted the calendar change, which they co-signed and in their Metropolises performed the feasts according to the "revised Julian" calendar. But also, as presidents of the Ecclesiastical courts (of both the first and second degree), they judged and imposed penalties on Old Calendarist clergy for factionalism, tyranny, and disobedience to the decisions of the Church of the New [Calendar] regarding the Calendar.

Together with Chrysostomos of Zakynthos, they undertook the Holy Struggle of the Orthodox in 1935 and consecrated four new Metropolitans: Germanos Varykopoulos of the Cyclades (5 June 1935), Christophoros Hatzis of Megara (6 June 1935), Matthew Karpathakis of Bresthena (7 June 1935), and Polykarpos Liosis of Diavleia (7 June 1935), and formed a seven-member Holy Synod.

If the loss of Grace occurred automatically with the introduction of the New Calendar, then even the later bishop Matthew, who led our Orthodox Matthewite brothers, would not have had Divine Grace, because it would have been lost due to the eleven-year-long communion with the New Calendarists who ordained him as a bishop, as they themselves were previously New Calendarists.

Greek source: https://orthodox-voice.blogspot.com/2023/03/blog-post.html