Mt. Athos, not commemrating the EP.

[PFC Nektarios]

What do you think would happen if all the monasteries of Mt. Athos stoped commemorating the EP?

In Christ
Nektarios

P.S. I am praticularly intresting in what OrthodoxyorDeath would have to say.

[OrthodoxyOrDeath]

Nectarios,

You might find it interesting to know that this has happened several times in history, even a few times recently. More recent problems began in 1924 with the errant reform of the calendar for syncretist purposes. The Athonite Community, with the exception of the Monastery of Vatopaidi, collectively ceased commemorating the Ecumenical Patriarch. In 1927, however, a Patriarchal committee succeeded in negotiating a "compromise" of the faith that was accepted-as a result of much pressure-by all the Athonite Monasteries but not by all the Athonite monks.

The Patriarchal committee assured the Athonites that the calendar reform was not final in that it had not been accepted by all the Orthodox Churches. The issue, moreover, was to be reconsidered in an impending Pan-Orthodox Council that would resolve the matter accordingly. In this way, the Patriarchal committee persuaded the Athonite Community to continue observing the calendar first instituted by the First Ecumenical Council while commemorating the Ecumenical Patriarch, pending the resolution of the calendar question by a Pan-Orthodox Council. To the Athonite monks, this reassurance implied the reintroduction of the Old Calendar.

The compromise was accepted by all the Athonite monasteries but only partially by Esphigmenou as the monastery did not resume the commemoration of the Patriarch within the Monastery. It did, however, continue to receive representatives of the Patriarch and to commune with the other monasteries that commemorated. Its representatives, moreover, continued to participate and concelebrate at the Cathedral of Protatou where the name of the Patriarch was likewise commemorated.

Their patience, however, was eventually spent as not only did the promised review of the calendar reform never materialize, but the Patriarchate allied itself with unbaptized "Christians" and became a founding member of the "World Council of Churches". The Orthodox Churches thus became members of the newly established corporation of heretics following the lead of the formerly Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate. In truth, a plurality of "churches" does not exist so as to create a need to establish an institution such as the "World Council of Churches". Thus, the participation of the Orthodox Churches in this institution represented a blasphemy and a diminution of the Church of Christ, contradicting the Symbol of the faith that states: "I believe . . . in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church".

After the canonical infractions outlined above, in 1965 the Ecumenical Patriarchate "lifted" the anathemas against the illicit community headed by the Pope of Rome. This event caused upheaval across Mount Athos, as one monastery after another ceased commemorating the Patriarch. Thus, the majority of monasteries, sketes, and dependencies of Mount Athos ceased commemorating the Ecumenical Patriarchate once again.

Concerning this matter, on November 13, 1971 a special session of the Holy Assembly - the governing representative body of Mount Athos-was convened. This special session of the Holy Assembly resolved that: "On the issue of resuming the commemoration of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, each Holy Monastery, as a self-governing entity, is to remain free to choose a course of action according to its conscience."

After the death of the Patriarch Athenagoras and the subsequent election of Patriarch Demetrios-who proclaimed at his enthronement speech that he would follow the example of his predecessor Athenagoras, even promising to establish a dialogue with Islam-the Monastery of Esphigmenou resolved to remain faithful to the 1971 resolution of the Holy Assembly. The Archimandrites Andreas and Eudokimos, the Abbots of St. Paul and Xenphontos Monasteries, also remained faithful to the resolution and as a result were removed from their offices as Abbots.

In all this there was one contradiction. The monasteries that refused to commemorate the Ecumenical Patriarch continued to send representatives to concelebrate at Protatou. Tolerance and economy in the name of unity could only last for a short time. In 1972, the Monastery of Esphigmenou ceased praying with representatives of the other monasteries and was subsequently expelled from the representative bodies of the Athonite Community. Since then, Esphigmenou has not been represented in the Athonite Community, as the Community attempted to intervene in the self-governance of Esphigmenou, over-stepping its authority and violating the 1971 resolution-and this, in matters of conscience and faith that touch upon personal salvation.

Now, more to your question, what would happen if they all stopped commemorating...

Well, I recommmend you read these in order...
http://ecclesiagoc.org/index.cfm?ID=42
http://ecclesiagoc.org/index.cfm?ID=43

Popup blockers must be turned off.

What indeed would happen? All I can say is that the Latinophile Patriarch John Vekkos murder, burned, and blinded hundreds of monks in his time.

[PFC Nektarios]

Thank you for your explanation, I have visited thouse websites many times, and read about every thing on them. The Byzantine Chant is wonderfull too.

In Christ
Nektarios

[PFC Nektarios]

Is ROCOR in Communion with the Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece? Your Church OOD. I read that this was the case from the GOC of Greece website. It has that article by blessed metropolitan philoret saying they recognize their bishops, this was written back in the 60's. Is this the case? It would completly change my perspective on the GOC of Greece if this were the case.

In Christ
Nektarios

[Justin Kissel]

The GOC and ROCOR were in communion at one time. There seems to be some dispute regarding when that communion was discontinued. According to some, it happened only a few years after communion was originally (formally) established. According to the GOC, it happened in 1994/1995 when ROCOR established communion with the TOC (Cyprian), whom the GOC (Chrysostom) claims to be a deposed bishop with radical ecclesiological beliefs. At this point, the situation is mirky. One ROCOR priest that I've talked to told me that he thought that the GOC had grace. I don't know that that's the main belief within ROCOR, but I think it's worthy of note. The GOC is pretty much agnostic regarding ROCOR.

[OrthodoxyOrDeath]

Nektarios,

Pretty much what Justin said, although I would say communion clearly came to end around 1994 - I would tend to believe a significantly earlier year would be suspect.

[PFC Nektarios]

Why would the GOC have that still on there website then?

In Christ
Nektarios