+Metropolitan Klemes of Larissa and Platamon | September 6/19, 2026
Genuine zeal according to God
is that which kindles and keeps burning in pure and guileless souls, like a
fervent flame, in order to consume the tares of error and proclaim the
confession of the true Faith whenever the times and circumstances require it.
It looks only to the glory of God, the steadfastness of the Holy Church, and
the support and edification of her members. It contains no element of
self-interest, stubborn self-satisfaction, or conceit. It does not bring about
confusion and turmoil, because its source is the “wisdom from above,”
which, according to the apostolic words of Holy Scripture, is pure, peaceable,
gentle, easily entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and
sincere. By contrast, earthly, worldly, and demonic (!) wisdom contains within
itself jealousy, contentiousness, and every kind of disorder and wickedness
(cf. Jas. 3:15–18).
True zeal according to God
undoubtedly also characterized the holy Hierarch of Christ, Chrysostomos
(Kavouridis), formerly of Florina (+ September 7, 1955), the new Confessor.
Moved by the sacred promptings of the “wisdom from above,” which had
characterized him from childhood, he struggled vigorously and resolutely
against the Calendar Innovation of 1924, especially during the final twenty
years of his arduous life, from 1935 to 1955.
He waged a titanic struggle for
the Faith, which, without divine strengthening and illumination, could neither
have been carried on nor brought to a successful conclusion. For the Calendar
Innovation was not pleasing to God, did not constitute the divine will, did
not arise from any real ecclesiastical and pastoral necessity, did not correct
anything blameworthy or dangerous, was not implemented in an ecclesiastical
manner, was not inspired by men of God possessing the “mind of Christ,” and was
not founded upon the firm Synodical, Canonical, and Patristic foundation of the
Orthodox Church. It was a rotten contrivance of darkened men who had purely
earthly interests and aims, while behind it lurked the ancient supplanter,
the all-cunning serpent, the enemy of the Church and man-slaying devil! For,
among other things, the unsettling of the Calendar Tradition was aimed at
rapprochement with the heretics within the framework of the Ecumenist
adventure.
Satan, through his
instruments—the political and ecclesiastical champions of the Innovation—waged
war against the holy Hierarch Chrysostomos on the pretext that he was
supposedly obstinate and excessive over a matter that did not merit particular
attention or emphasis. For this reason, both in his own time and later, they
devoted themselves to the effort of proving that his arguments and principles
were supposedly neither sound nor convincing and could easily be refuted. And
therefore, they claimed, separation from the New Calendar Church was
unjustified, while the demands of the times required the reunion of those
who had become divided—not, however, through the return of the Innovators
to the Church’s correct order, which had been violated, but through the retreat
and capitulation of those who had opposed the transgression!
This is not surprising. The great
and mighty of this world, if only because of the passion for pleasing men and
ambition that characterizes them (without enumerating other things), are unable
to enter into the inner precincts beyond the veil of Holy Orthodox
Tradition, which they regard as insignificant and unworthy of consideration.
The “narrow gate” of divine knowledge cannot be passed through by the “bulk” of
their worldly pseudo-wisdom and pride. Yet the “gate” is not to blame for this.
Those who honor what is dishonorable ought themselves to have become more
refined, for their conceit of wisdom deprives them of the possibility of
partaking in the “wisdom from above” and in divine and blessed zeal.
However, the holy Hierarch
Chrysostomos was also opposed from within the ranks of those who had remained
faithful to the Tradition of the Ecclesiastical Calendar. Certain laymen set
themselves against him because, in their hardness of heart, they regarded
ecclesiastical affairs as the “fiefdom” of their own authority, over which they
possessed exclusive “responsibility” and complete “management,” with no
disposition toward cooperation and submission in accordance with the
established order of the Church. Wherever the delusion of self-will,
self-interest, and contempt for the Sacred Canons enter in—and this,
unfortunately, can easily occur even among those who present themselves as
their supposed “champions”—there the divine blessing withdraws, and the grievous
consequences of “foolish zeal” make their appearance.
The same occurred on the part of
clergy of the Patristic Calendar, who did not desire canonical ecclesiastical
reference and submission to the Hierarch of God, but preferred, in the name of
the supposed genuineness of Orthodoxy, to act arbitrarily in various ways,
serving their own interests. And this, unfortunately, can very easily occur
wherever true ecclesiastical-mindedness and a spirit of self-sacrifice are
lacking.
Furthermore, even bishops and
clergy opposed him, who, in their darkened confusion, imagined that they knew
better and more precisely what obtains in the Church during periods of struggle
for the Faith and Tradition. These unfortunate men considered themselves to
constitute the indisputable “ultimate criterion” and believed that they could
substitute themselves for the authority and binding force of the Church’s
Synodical judgment. For this reason, they failed to understand and seriously
misconstrued the Confessor Father’s insistence upon the necessity of a Great
(if possible, Pan-Orthodox) Synodical decision for the definitive resolution
of the pending and disputed Calendar question. Only in this way could extremes
have been avoided; nevertheless, owing to tragic historical circumstances, they
were not avoided.
Those clergy and laypeople who
selectively invoke the authority and prestige of the holy Hierarch and
Confessor, yet nevertheless do not cease from every kind of arbitrariness and
deviation, make it abundantly clear from the results of their actions that they
are not struggling on behalf of Orthodoxy, but are tarnishing our sacred
Struggle and continually causing new problems and new wounds.
The more the ecclesiological
heresy of syncretistic Ecumenism broadens and spreads, the more urgent becomes
the need to cultivate sacred zeal on behalf of the genuine Orthodox Faith, upon
the sound foundations of the “wisdom from above.” The continuing problems
arising likewise from the destructive activity of those who tarnish our sacred
Struggle from within never cease to remind all of us that we must hold fast to
the sound principles of faith and conduct manifested by the holy Hierarch
Chrysostomos through his pure and radiant teaching and way of life. Earthly,
delusive, and exceedingly dangerous “wisdom,” together with its painful
consequences, concerns not only the Ecumenists who deviate from the Faith, but
also all those who act arbitrarily in every manner among those who resist.
Those of us who regard ourselves
as grateful spiritual children of our holy Father Chrysostomos, formerly
of Florina, earnestly beseech him to intercede before the Throne of Majesty for
our strengthening, that we may persevere to the end with patience in the
Apostolic Faith handed down by our Holy Fathers. Only by remaining faithful to
his example will we be able to endure the severity of the trials and
temptations—external, and above all internal—which continually wear us down and
afflict us.
May his holy prayers preserve us
in peace in the sacred Struggle for the Faith, that we may be deemed worthy of
divine Mercy from Christ our God and Savior. Amen!
Greek
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