Timeline Of When Each Local Church Full From Grace

[haralampopoulosjc]

This is just my opinion:

Greece/Constantinople (1935, when the three bishops of the GOC declared the State Church and Ecumenical Patriarchate to be schismatic and graceless)

Cyprus (1935, but arguably as late as 1948 when Bishop Spryidon of Trimythus was consecrated as the first TOC bishop of Cyprus)

Romania (1956, Council of Slatioara in Moldavia, convened and presided over by Metropolitan Galaction, and attended by 3 bishops, and several archimandrites and fathers, condemns the introduction of the new calendar, declares the new calendarists to be schismatic, and formally establishes the Holy Synod of the Genuine Orthodox Church of Romania)

Antioch (1948, Patriarch Alexander III of Antioch adopts the New Calendar and joins the WCC)

Jerusalem (1948, Patriarch Timotheos joins the WCC)

Alexandria (1928, Patriarch Meletius Metaxakis adopts the New Calendar)

Moscow Patriarchate (1927, Metropolitan Sergius makes a declaration of loyalty to the Soviet Union, falling under Patriarch Saint Tikhon's anathema against the Bolsheviks and all those who collaborate with them. He is further anathematized by the Josephites in 1928.)

Georgia (1927, Patriarch Christophorus III capitulates to the Soviet regime. Patriarch Saint Kyrion II, Patriarch Leonid, and Patriarch Saint Ambrosius were the last three canonical patriarchs of Georgia)

Bulgaria (1961, Patriarch Cyril joins the WCC. In 1968, Bulgaria adopts the New Calendar.)

Serbia (1965, Patriarch German joins the WCC. Serbia is the last local church to fall from grace, making the apostasy of World Orthodoxy complete by 1965)

[BenjaminMcCraw]

I would think Russia falling away would be the 1943 Bishops' Council when Stalin created his Soviet Church from those that promised compromise and the former members of the Living Church. Prior to that I don't think the whole synod of Russia was united with Sergius in his betrayal. More like his personal usurpation and heresy. Likewise I think Georgia would be around the same if they capitulated immediately, and Alexandria i would push to when they joined the WCC

[BenjaminMcCraw]

A few historical notes and a wrench to throw in

1918 The Soviets were anathematized and any who collaborated with them by St. Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow and the Russian Synod

1923 The Living Church hierarchy was condemned as unlawful and graceless By St. Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow and the Russian Synod

October 1, 1925 at the Second Renovationist Council the Synods of Constantinople and Alexandria entered into communion with the Living Church and both because of the direct influence of Meletius Metaxakis

When did the various Synods go into communion the Soviet Church? When did they add Sergius or Alexy I or maybe even later Soviet Patriarchs to their diptychs? It is always assumed it was immediately but the work of Subdeacon Nektarios shows it wasn't until 1945 Jerusalem and Serbia recognized Alexy I as Patriarch of Russia. Could it be possible other Synods were slow to recognize the Soviets? Did Constantinople and Alexandria remain in communion with the Living Church until the death of Alexander Vvedensky in 1946 or did they abandon the Living Church for the Soviet Church in 1943?

Dates the Synods joined the WCC
WCC established 1948
Cyprus, Greece, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem 1948
America OCA 1953
Romania, Russia, Poland 1961
Bulgaria 1961 leaves in 1998
Georgia 1963 leaves in 1997
Serbia 1965
Czechoslovakia 1966
Japan 1973
Finland 1982
Albania 1994

Dates the Synods adopted the Revised Julian New Calendar or full Gregorian

Finland 1921
Constantinople, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Russia (very briefly)1924
Alexandria, Antioch 1928
Albania 1937
Bulgaria 1968
Poland, Estonia, America OCA, Czechoslovakia, Ukraine flip flopped

Autocephalous and Autonomous dates

Rome, Alexandria, Antioch organically grew independence

Constantinople given independence by the Council of Constantinople 381

Cyprus given independence by the Council of Ephesus 431

Jerusalem given independence by the Council of Chalcedon 451

Georgia originally given independence by Antioch 1010, forcefully annexated by Russia 1818, declared independence from Russia 1917, recognized by the Soviet Church 1943

Russia declared independence from Constantinople 1484, recognized 1589

Sinai given independence by Constantinople 1575

Greece declared independence from Constantinople 1833, recognized 1850

Romania declared independence from Constantinople 1865, recognized 1885

Bulgaria declared independence from Constantinople 1870, recognized 1945

Serbia given independence by Constantinople 1879

Estonia originally given independence by Russia 1920, latter annexated 1940, declared independence from the Soviet Church 1993, too messy to explain in short form

Ukraine declared independence from Russia 1921, too messy to explain in short form

Albania declared independence from Constantinople 1922, recognized 1937

Finland declared independence from Russia 1923, too messy to explain in short form

Poland declared independence from Russia 1924, recognized by the Soviet Church 1948

Czechoslovakia given independence by the Soviet Church 1951

China given independence by the Soviet Church 1957

Macedonia declared independence from Serbia 1967, recognized 2022

America OCA given independence by the Soviet Church 1970

Japan given independence by the Soviet Church 1970

Belarus given independence by the Soviet Church 1989

Moldova given independence by the Soviet Church 1991, too messy to explain in short form

[BenjaminMcCraw]

Maybe the new list would look something like

1925 Constantinople, Alexandria in communion with the condemned Living Church
1935 Greece condemned by Genuine Orthodox Synod of Greece
1943 Russia, (Possibly Georgia, Estonia, and Finland?) in communion with the condemned Soviets
1945 Jerusalem, Serbia in communion with the condemned Soviets
1948 Cyprus, Antioch joins the condemned Ecumenists at the WCC
1948 Poland in communion with the condemned Soviets
1956 Romania condemned by Genuine Orthodox Synod of Romania
1961 Bulgaria joins the condemned Ecumenists at the WCC

Cyprus, Antioch, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania and Ukraine maybe fell away earlier up to the earliest date of 1943 depending on when they synodally recognized the Soviets by choice or annexation

If we go by tangential communion based on the Living Church condemnation everyone except Russia fell away in 1925 when Constantinople and Alexandria went into communion with the condemned Living Church and everyone else remained in communion with them

If we go by tangential communion based on the Genuine Orthodox Synodal condemnation of 1935 everyone fell away except the Greek Genuine Orthodox, the Catacomb Church, and ROCOR. Because all the other synods remain in communion with Constantinople and Greece

If we go by tangential communion based on the Soviet condemnation it would be everyone fell away in 1945 except the Greek Genuine Orthodox, the Catacomb Church, and ROCOR. Because all the other synods remain in communion with Jerusalem and Serbia, or 1943 if we count the forced annexation of Georgia and everyone in communion with them

If we go by tangential communion based on the Genuine Orthodox Synodal condemnation of 1956 everyone fell away except the Greek and Romanin Genuine Orthodox, the Catacomb Church, and ROCOR. Because all the other synods remain in communion with Romania

If we go by tangential communion based on the 1983 condemnation of Ecumenism it would be everyone fell away except the Greek and Romanian Genuine Orthodox, the Catacomb Church, and ROCOR. Since by that point all the main synods were full participating members of the condemned Ecumenists at the WCC or in communion with them

Otherwise we have to go case by case with each Synod acknowledging the fog of war and the idea that synods retained grace even if they were unknowingly in tangential communion with heretics until they themselves went into communion with the Living Church, the Soviet Church, or the Ecumenists, or were condemned by name by a Genuine Orthodox Synod.

In conclusion the last State Synod fell either in the 1940's at the earliest or the 1960's at the lastest. The last Synod and the exact date is known to God and could possibly be known to us through further study.

[SavaBeljovic]

A note I wished to make on here a few days ago but it slipped my mind: For the Free Serbian Orthodox Church they would've considered the elevation of German Djorich by the Communist party of Yugoslavia in 1962 to be the point the Serbian Patriachate fell away from the Church. German was called "the Red Patriarch" and openly preached his support of Communism almost immediately after his appointment.

It's never been confirmed but his elevation allegedly came after the Sobor of the Serbian Church met to elect a new Patriarch after Pat. Vichentije II reposed (who suffered much under the Communists) and armed Communists burst into the room with machine guns; next to German was Aleksandar Rankovich -- second in command to Tito -- who told the Bishops: "This is your new Patriarch."

The story is apocryphal and many of the Free Serbs and STOC people tell me it's possibly not entirety accurate, but some elements of it may be true.

[BenjaminMcCraw]

You know I was really wrestling with whether or not in bring up the Free Serbians of Europe, America, and Australia under Bishop Dionisije Milivojević and I think a successor who rejected the Communists from 1962-1992. I've heard that when some people in this time period in Rocor said they were in communion with Serbia they meant these guys but honestly I'm not sure, I haven't found a great deal of info on them. I would say that 1962 could be when this group repented but they did recognize Patriarch Alexy I of the Soviet Church in 1945 til 1962. I don't think its fair to say the Serbian State Synod gets a pass when they were ok with the Soviets in Russia but found a heart for God when it was in there own backyard. To be fair to the Serbs though that is how most people behave because we are all fallen, it's fine until it affects me. If you have anymore info on this or anything about True Serbian Orthodox from 1925-1992 I would love to know more.

Speaking of fringe cases. I'm also confused on the Jerusalem Patriarchate, I've heard mention of at least two if not three Patriarchs since 1945 that seemed to treat Old Calendarists with respect and at least one seemed almost like he would join true orthodoxy. I know Father Joseph Suaidan would know more about this, do you know which Patriarchs I'm referring to Father? Can you expand a little on this situation?

[SavaBeljovic]

You know I was really wrestling with whether or not in bring up the Free Serbians of Europe, America, and Australia under Bishop Dionisije Milivojević and I think a successor who rejected the Communists from 1962-1992. I've heard that when some people in this time period in Rocor said they were in communion with Serbia they meant these guys but honestly I'm not sure, I haven't found a great deal of info on them. I would say that 1962 could be when this group repented but they did recognize Patriarch Alexy I of the Soviet Church in 1945 til 1962. I don't think its fair to say the Serbian State Synod gets a pass when they were ok with the Soviets in Russia but found a heart for God when it was in there own backyard. To be fair to the Serbs though that is how most people behave because we are all fallen, it's fine until it affects me. If you have anymore info on this or anything about True Serbian Orthodox from 1925-1992 I would love to know more.

Speaking of fringe cases. I'm also confused on the Jerusalem Patriarchate, I've heard mention of at least two if not three Patriarchs since 1945 that seemed to treat Old Calendarists with respect and at least one seemed almost like he would join true orthodoxy. I know Father Joseph Suaidan would know more about this, do you know which Patriarchs I'm referring to Father? Can you expand a little on this situation?

Met. Nicholas (Iuhosh) of Cinnicinati told me the ROCOR in Australia would commune both the Free Serbs under Bishop (St.) Petar (Bankerovich) of Canberra, who was recently glorified by the FSOC and the Serbian Patriarchate people in Australia. In America the ROCOR Bishops had a rather low opinion of the FSOC (especially Abp. Alypy) as they had gotten their consecrations after the repose of Vladyka Dionisije from the UAOC under Met. Grigori (Ohychuk) and had close relations with the GOC after the ROCOR broke communion with them in 1978. Another post on this forum goes over this in much greater detail.

The Serbian Patriarchate in 1945 was in a... odd position. Patriarch Gavrilo V was forced by the Communist government to recognize the MP for political reasons (this was also done at the behest of Met. Josif of Skopje, who collaborated with the Communists in an attempt to resolve the "Macedonian schism"). Many people -- including in the ROCOR and GOC -- thought the Soviets did legitimately end the persecutions against the Orthodox and Pat. Alexey I in 1945 did condemn Ecumenism and offered some resistance to Communist ideologies.

This didn't last long as the MP and Soviet state returned to their "old ways", but the Tito-Stalin split made the union with the MP not politically viable for Tito's Communists. Pat. Gavrilo V and his successor Pat. Vichentije II both stayed in good terms with the ROCOR -- and the ROCOR never broke with the SP as they thought it would be impolite after what the Serbian Church had done for the ROCOR -- the only evidence that the SP broke communion with the ROCOR was Met. Josif's request to do so in 1945 which was rejected.

I would say it wasn't acceptable in any case the Serbian Church went into communion with the MP, but we know how that worked out in the long run as the SP would eventually completely capitulate to the Communist government (which even Bp. Artemije of Prizhen noted in the 1990s, though he subscribed to bizarre and non-Orthodox ecclesiology) and joined the WCC in 1965.

post scriptum: Met. Nicholas knew St. Petar of Canberra and his succesor, I believe that was Vladyka Vasilije(?) though he might've been the Bishop of Western Europe, both of whom visited the ROCOR parishes in Australia and were quite well received.