Nevertheless, when, in 1974, the well-known encyclical was issued [declaring New Calendarists schismatic and sacramentally graceless, dated June 5], I humbly refused to sign the text of the encyclical, because I considered myself incompetent for so great a matter, as was my ecclesiological position regarding the Mysteries of 250,000,000 Orthodox.
I turned again to the Russian
Church and asked for its final decision. The executive synod replied to me IN
WRITING with a letter dated October 29, 1974, with reference number: 3-50-242...
- Bishop Petros of Astoria, "Open
Letter" to Metropolitans Akakios of Diavleia, Chrysostomos of
Thessaloniki (the future Archbishop of Athens), and Gabriel of the Cyclades,
dated July 16, 1985, page 4.
The first resolution of the
Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia,
September 12/25, 1974:
The Russian Orthodox Church
Outside of Russia considers the introduction of the new style as an error that
brought confusion into the life of the Church and, ultimately, as the cause of
schism. For this reason, she did not, does not, and will not accept it, and
avoids concelebrating with New Calendarists. Regarding the question of the
presence or absence of grace among the New Calendarists, the Russian Orthodox
Church Outside of Russia does not consider itself or any other Local Church to
have the authority to make a final decision, since a categorical assessment of
this matter can only be made by a duly convened, competent Ecumenical Council,
with the obligatory participation of the free Church of Russia.
+ Metropolitan [St.] Philaret
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.