First Encyclical of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church, Holy Synod in Resistance

 OLD CALENDAR ORTHODOX CHURCH HOLY SYNOD IN RESISTANCE

Prot. No. 1                                                                                        On the 5th of April 1985 (O.S.)

                                                                                                                        Holy Martyr Claudius

"On behalf of the common possession,

the paternal treasure of sound faith,

we have stood, fighting."

(St. Basil the Great, Epistle 342, §4,

PG vol. 32, col. 908C).

Beloved children in the Lord, Christ is Risen!

Through this present communication, we wish to clarify to you the meaning of our latest ecclesiastical action taken last September. We do so to dispel any misunderstanding of our actions and to provide an accurate understanding of our position within the body of those resisting the pan-heresy of Ecumenism and striving for the restoration of the ancestral liturgical order of Orthodoxy, which was disrupted in the year 1924.

In February 1979, as is well known, a new Holy Synod was convened under Metropolitan Kallistos of Corinth, which assumed responsibilities until now and denounced the Holy Synod of Archbishop Auxentios for very serious reasons of justice, also pertaining to matters of faith (e.g., the issue of Saint Nektarios).

In 1983, Metropolitan Kallistos of Corinth unexpectedly proclaimed the unsound ecclesiological opinion of the supposed loss of Divine Grace, prior to a Synodal judgment, from every Orthodox Church that had accepted the unlawful calendar innovation of 1924. Our Holy Synod expressed its opposition to this view and, being unable to persuade His Eminence, its President, to retract his erroneous ecclesiological positions, removed him and elected Metropolitan Antonios of Attica as its President.

In the summer of 1984, our Holy Synod attempted, without the participation or knowledge of us, to unite with the hierarchs around Metropolitan Gerontios, with two fundamental shortcomings. First, without establishing the proper ecclesiological foundations for unity. Second, without addressing the very serious reasons that had caused the prior separation of responsibilities with them and the formation of a new Holy Synod in 1979.

Immediately, we expressed our opposition to the actions of our Holy Synod, which, seeking to marginalize us, turned against us and acted in a manner utterly unacceptable, unlawful, uncanonical, and unbrotherly. When the Holy Synod refused to retract what it had committed against us and, on the contrary, proceeded to even worse actions, we were compelled, through a written statement, to break communion with it and to separate ourselves for reasons of Faith and Justice (September 1984).

The former Holy Synod under Metropolitan Antonios of Attica dissolved itself, ceased to exist even formally, and subsequently united with the hierarchs of Metropolitan Gerontios (October 1984) and later with those of Archbishop Auxentios (January 1985).

In light of the newly created situation, we are obliged to declare the following.

Any possible intervention by the other Synod into our episcopal and pastoral work will be unlawful, uncanonical, and therefore null and void, because:

a) We have never belonged, as hierarchs, to the Synod under Archbishop Auxentios.

b) Our former fellow bishops, who now belong to the Synod of Archbishop Auxentios, have transgressed the Orthodox Faith, the Sacred Canonical Order, and the Evangelical Law.

c) A canonical accusation has been addressed, submitted (and published) against our former fellow bishops, and as a result, they are already under judgment.

d) We have severed communion with them for reasons of Faith and Justice.

With all this, it becomes clear that it is impossible for us to unite and cooperate with any hierarch of the Patristic Calendar (Ecclesiastical Calendar) unless, first and foremost, there is a common ecclesiological mindset (reasons of Faith) and, subsequently, unless the very serious causes that led to the separation of 1979 (reasons of Justice) are addressed.

We are compelled, "not terrified in anything," to continue, with the banner of God-pleasing Orthodox Resistance unfurled, the lawful struggle against the pan-heresy of Ecumenism and the Calendar Innovation. We shall do everything our episcopal conscience dictates, taking no account whatsoever of what those bishops who have shipwrecked concerning Faith and Justice may write, say, or do against us. For all these actions, being contrary to the divine will and Orthodox Tradition, will be uncanonical, null, and void.

We invoke divine assistance and the intercessions of the Most Blessed Theotokos, the Holy and God-bearing Fathers, and all the Saints, as well as the prayers of the steadfast Orthodox Faithful, that we may remain within the good, pleasing, and perfect will of our Most Holy Triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—to whom belongs all glory, honor, and worship unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The Holy Synod

+ Kyprianos of Oropos and Fili, President

+ Giovanni of Sardinia and Italy