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in North America DEFENSE OF THE FAITH |
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the Calendar Change |
In 1583, the Pope of Rome, Gregory XIII, who changed the Julian
calendar,
repeatedly pressured the Patriarch of Constantinople, Jeremias II, who
was called the Illustrious, to follow him in the calendar innovation.
The
Patriarch repeatedly refused with letters, and finally in the same year
he convened a council in Constantinople at which, besides himself, were
present the Patriarch of Alexandria, Sylvester; the Patriarch of
Jerusalem,
Sophronios, and many other Bishops. This council issued a Sigillion
which
was sent to all the regional Orthodox Churches and which enumerates the
principal heresies of the Papacy and anathematizes (that is, proclaims
as being out of the Church) all those who profess them. Here is an
extract
concerning the calendar change from the text of the Sigillion:
To all the genuine Christian children of the Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of Christ of the East in Trigovyst and in all places, be grace and peace and mercy from Almighty God. Not a little distress took possession of that Ark of Old, when storm-tossed, it was borne upon the waters; and if the Lord God, remembering Noah, had not in His good will calmed the water, there would have been no hop of salvation in it. In a like manner with the new Ark of our Church, the heretics have raised up a relentless war against us, and we have deemed it well to leave behind the present tome against them so that with the things written in it, you may be able more surely to defend your Orthodoxy. But in order that the document may not be burdensome to simpler people, we have decided to set forth the entire subject to you in simple speech as follows: |
The
1,583rd
year from the birth of the God-man, |