Metropolitan Anthony: The calendar issue is more of a political issue than an ecclesiastical one

Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary commented on the demands of the authorities to switch to a new calendar, the Orthodox Life website reports.

The manager of the affairs of the UOC told what was the purpose of introducing a new calendar in those Orthodox Churches that adhere to it. This action is associated with the name of the Patriarch of Constantinople Meletios IV (Metaxakis).

“His desire to transfer the Orthodox to a new calendar, almost identical to the Western one – the Gregorian, was motivated not so much by the desire to give the Church a more accurate chronology, but by political calculations for union with the Anglican Church,” notes the hemetropolitan.

The bishop also stressed that the calendar reform brings with it some liturgical problems. For example, when Easter is late, Peter’s fast may completely fall out of the liturgical year.

“Those who aggressively inflate this topic think least of all about the parishioners, especially now, when they literally want to ban our Church, and therefore destroy it,” said Metropolitan Anthony, “Caring for believers is our first duty. Let’s ask ourselves a simple question: does church life according to the Julian calendar currently prevent people from leading people to God? It is clear that no. Will the transition to the new calendar bring us closer to the Lord? The answer is also obvious.

“It is enough to recall all the consequences of radical church reforms in order to slow down any zeal not according to reason. It is, to put it mildly, irresponsible to tempt believers and cause yet another schism in the Church.

The secular authorities have the right, on the basis of their priorities, to introduce or cancel holidays that they consider to be state holidays. Our right is to celebrate church holidays at our own time, established by many years of tradition. And no one can take this right away from us,” the hierarch added.