Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Not Ready to Change to Gregorian Calendar

[rug]

5 September 2013, 11:11 | UGCC

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church will not change to the Gregorian calendar in the near future because there is no background or reason for this, Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk said during a web conference at RISU.

“The introduction of the calendar historically reveals that it was not the main instrument of convergence or unity of the church. It is rather a question of internal discipline, which can contribute to unity or stand in the way,” he said.

Patriarch Sviatoslav said that part of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in some countries changed to the new calendar, but it led to the division of parishes.

“Today the UGCC lives according to the Gregorian calendar in various countries according to local needs. But we witnessed very painful calendar wars in North America. The consequences of this continue even to this day. We have cases where one parish lives on different calendars. And the poor priest with one part of the community must sing ‘Christ is Risen’ and with the other lead Easter services,” said the Primate.

http://risu.org.ua/en/index/all_news/catholics/ugcc/53579/

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

1. Isaac Asimov, in an essay on the calendar

Said that those who rejected the Gregorian calendar would rather be wrong than be put right by the Pope.

The Julian calendar is simply wrong. The year is not 365.25 days long, it is closer to 365.2425 days long.

[nxylas]

2. I don't think Asimov's comment really applies to the Greek Catholics, though

I think there's an element of truth in it for the Orthodox, but it's not the whole story. I've had run-ins with members of these tiny Old Calendarist groups (as distinct from the mainstream Orthodox churches that use the Julian Calendar, like the Russian Orthodox Church), and they're our equivalent of fundies. For them, the Julian Calendar is a purity test, adhering to it makes them feel superior to members of those churches that have adopted the Gregorian calendar, or are in communion with those who have adopted it. They often have a paranoid streak too, regularly accusing mainstream Orthodox of wanting to harm or persecute them in some way.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

3. Which seems to be saying to me

That they would rather be wrong than be put right by the Pope.

[nxylas]

4. Maybe the Pope in the 17th century

Nowadays, it's more like they'd rather be wrong than be put right by other Orthodox who are not as "pure" as they are.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

5. OK, I can buy that.