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Can an Orthodox go to an Old Calendarist church? And visa versa.
Answer to Question 49.
There are two types of Old Calendarists and with one we are in full communion with and with the other we consider as schismatics and have no communion with. In the 1920s the Holy Synod of the church of Greece decided to adopt the New Calendar which all the world followed so that Greeks could celebrate Christmas with the rest of the world. After a few years the Church of Cyprus also adapted the New Calendar. The Churches of Russian and the eastern block did not take part in the decision because at that time they were under a communist regime. Mount Athos and the Church of Jerusalem decided to remain with the Old calendar. Thus with all these churches, even though we celebrate events on different calendars we are still in full communion. When Greece and Cyprus adopted the new calendar certain fanatics took offence and broke away from the church and formed their own church known as the Old Calendarist. With these churches we have no communion because they broke away from the church. You ask if you can go into their church. The answer is that they are so fanatical that if they knew that you are a member of the Greek Orthodox Church they would ask you to leave, and they would definitely not enter our churches as they consider that we are a church without the grace of the Holy Spirit. There is a lot more I can say but I would bore you with details.
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