Concerning the Rebaptism of Old Calendarists

Nikolaos Mannis | May 28, 2025

 

On the occasion of the recent statement by the Archbishop of Cyprus, Mr. Georgios, concerning the mutual recognition (by all the Local Churches) of the baptism of the heterodox when it is performed in the name of the Holy Trinity, [1] I recalled that exactly the same was taught in his university lectures by Metropolitan Gregorios of Peristeri, who had even written that the same applies also in the case of the schismatics. [2]

The above views have, of course, a basis both in the patristic teaching [3] and in the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils [4], which distinguish heretics into those who should be baptized and those who should not, based on whether they have altered the Trinitarian formula of Baptism. So far, so good.

The problem, or more precisely the inconsistency and contradiction, begins when the issue of the reception of the Old Calendarists is raised.

Specifically, the Synodal Committee on Dogmatic and Canonical Issues of the Church of Greece declared in 2006 that "the Mysteries of the Old Calendarists are considered as not having taken place and must be repeated from the beginning." [5]

Based on this decision, many Metropolises of the Church of Greece, while accepting the baptism of the heterodox because it is performed in the name of the Holy Trinity, rebaptize the Old Calendarists, despite the fact that their baptism also is performed in the name of the Holy Trinity!

But it must be one of two things: either every baptism performed in the name of the Holy Trinity is accepted (and thus neither the heterodox nor the Old Calendarists should be rebaptized), or every baptism outside the Orthodox Church, even if in the name of the Holy Trinity, must be rejected—in which case not only the Old Calendarists, but all the heterodox as well, must be rebaptized.

This absurdity, however, within the Church of Greece, becomes even greater when we know that the Patriarchate of Constantinople—that is, the Mother Church from which the Church of Greece received its Autocephaly—accepts the baptism of the Old Calendarists and has decided that they are to be received with Chrismation and not with Rebaptism! [6]

Also, as a friend of mine informed me in detail—she recently contacted a Metropolis to inquire about what must be done in order to serve as godmother in the Mystery of Marriage for a friend of hers who is an Old Calendarist and wishes to marry a Roman Catholic—several Metropolises to which she turned confirmed the aforementioned absurdity: namely, to consider the baptism of the Roman Catholic acceptable, but not that of the Old Calendarist...

Specifically:

a) the Metropolis of Kefallinia (referring to the aforementioned decision of the Synodal Committee) ruled that the bride must absolutely be baptized because she is "unbaptized," but the groom is not obliged to be baptized Orthodox, unless he so wishes...

b) the Metropolis of Piraeus (through the head of the Marriage Office, Fr. Panagiotis Sachtouris) stated that they accept the baptism of the Roman Catholic, but "for the woman, her baptism must be done from the beginning"!

c) the Metropolis of Rethymno (through Fr. Spyridon Vardidakis) stated that "the bride must be baptized by a canonical Orthodox priest."

d) the Metropolis of Arta likewise stated that "the prospective bride who 'is baptized by Old Calendarists' must be baptized by an Orthodox Priest in an Orthodox Church."

e) the Metropolis of Sidirokastro responded clearly: "we can perform a Marriage between a Roman Catholic and an Orthodox, but not between a Roman Catholic and an Old Calendarist, because our Church does not recognize the Mysteries of the Old Calendarists. The only case in which the Marriage can be performed is if the Old Calendarist is baptized anew by an Orthodox Priest."

f) The Metropolis of Kythera referred to the aforementioned decision of the Synodal Committee.

g) the Metropolis of Kassandreia emphasized that "it will be necessary for catechism and rebaptism to be performed by a Priest of the canonical Church of Greece, because the so-called G.O.C. (Old Calendarists) do not have canonical Apostolic Succession."

h) the Metropolis of Kalamaria responded: "The greatest problem in your case arises with the baptism of the young woman. The mysteries of the Old Calendarists are not recognized. Therefore, the young woman must be baptized."

i) the Metropolis of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki likewise stated: "The member who belongs to the schismatic church of the Old Calendarists must receive the mystery of baptism from the Metropolis to which they belong (where they reside permanently)."

j) the Metropolis of Kaisariani, Vyronas, and Hymettus informed that "the baptism of the prospective bride is not valid, and therefore she cannot be married in our Church. Her prospective husband, as a Roman Catholic, is permitted to receive the Mystery of Marriage."

Other Metropolises were more consistent (rejecting equally the baptism of Roman Catholics and Old Calendarists — despite the fact that they participate in common prayers with the former, but not with the latter!), while only one (the Metropolis of Limnos) agreed with the practice of the Patriarchate of Constantinople (Chrismation and not rebaptism). Many did not respond in writing at all, perhaps considering that scripta manent...

The issue is particularly serious, since in recent years in Greece we have been especially occupied with the Ukrainian Question, yet we persist in ignoring the now century-long calendar schism within the ranks of the Church of Greece. And although the Calendar Question was among the first and fundamental topics registered in the agenda of a planned Pan-Orthodox Council, such a Council was never convened, while at the Council of Crete in 2016 the topic was omitted (and rightly so, since not all the Orthodox Churches participated).

Let us hope that a truly Pan-Orthodox Council will be convened, which will rule in accordance with God, dissolving all these absurdities and divisions within Orthodoxy.

 

FOOTNOTES

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brbC1-aBnSA&t=196s

[2] "Between the schismatics who separate themselves and the Church, there do not initially exist significant differences, and these can be overcome relatively easily, for if they wish to return, it is not required that they be rebaptized. Schism does not result in a definitive rupture, provided that there was no attempt to alter the Trinitarian formula of baptism (which is called the canon of faith)" (Archim. [now Metropolitan] Gregorios Papathomas, Canonical Glossary, Athens, 2011, p. 113).

[3] Indicatively: “Those, therefore, who have been baptized into the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, having been taught one nature in three hypostases, and are again rebaptized—these crucify Christ anew” (St. John of Damascus, On the Orthodox Faith, Book IV, Chapter 66, on faith and baptism).

[4] See indicatively Canon 7 of the Second Ecumenical Council and Canon 95 of the Quinisext Council.

[5] https://www.entaksis.gr/%CF%84%CE%B1-%CE%BC%CF%85%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B1-%CF%84%CF%89%CE%BD-%CF%80%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%B1%CE%B9%CE%BF%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%BF%CE%B3%CE%B7%CF%84%CF%89%CE%BD-%CE%B8/

[6] Ecumenical Patriarchate, The return to ecclesiastical communion of a portion of those following the old (Julian) calendar, Phanarion Publications, Athens, 1999, pp. 80 and 127.

 

Below: The decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in favor of the recognition of the Baptism of the Old Calendarists, on the occasion of the reception of [Bishops] Paisios-Vikentios in 1998, which is violated by many Metropolises of the Church of Greece.

 

"c) Inasmuch as the Orthodox Church, on account of the absolutely necessary nature of Baptism for salvation, accepts as valid also the baptism performed in necessity by an Orthodox layman in the name of the Holy Trinity, rebaptism is strictly forbidden by the Holy Canons; baptisms performed by non-priests, or by those who have been defrocked or are suspended, shall be considered, under extreme condescension and economy, as valid. Those thus baptized, however, shall necessarily be chrismated with Holy Chrism by a canonical priest, with the reading of a special prayer, upon the exchange into their hands of certificates issued for such by the Ecumenical Patriarchate or by ecclesiastical authorities appointed by it."

 

Greek source: https://krufo-sxoleio.blogspot.com/2025/05/blog-post_28.html