www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Old Calendar Catholics?

I am told that Catholics of the Latin Rite in Russia, celebrate Christmas according to the Old Calendar, and that in Greece they celebrate Eastern according to the Eastern Paskalia.

It's said that in Bulgaria some of the Unia parishes are still using the Old Calendar for both Christmas and Eastern and they have attracted some gypsies who felt left out when the Orthodox Church adopted the new calendar.

Can you tell me what Catholic Churches of the East still hold the Old Calendar?

Dear Mexican, currently in the USA the Ukranian Catholic Church is the only Eastern Catholic church that uses the Julian Calendar and keeps the Orthodox Paschalia. In the lands of origin more Eastern Catholic churches keep the Julian Calendar and Orthodox Paschalia.

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

May I please modify Diak's statement?

The Ukrainian Catholic Metropolia in the USA and the Ukrainian Catholic Metropolia in Canada are both on the Gregorian Calendar, both for the celebration of the fixed feasts and for the determination of the Paschalia.

There are certain parishes in both the American and Canadian Ukrainian Catholic jurisdictions which keep the Julian Calendar for their fixed feasts and the more traditional determination of the Paschalia (which would be identical to that of the Eastern Orthodox in the USA & Canada): these are often called the "pomisna" parishes, such as Ss. Volodymyr & Olha Parish in Chicago.

(Prof.) J. Michael Thompson
Byzantine Catholic Seminary
Pittsburgh, PA

I have the impression that at least some Romanian Greek-Catholic parishes in the USA and Canada retain the traditional Paschalia; they certainly retain it in Romania. In the Middle East, the Greek-Catholic Exarchate in Athens follows the same calendar as the Church of Greece. The Greek-Catholic Churches in the rest of the Middle East have been gradually restoring the use of the traditional Paschalia. The Coptic Catholics (at least in Egypt - I have no information regarding diaspora Coptic Catholics) use the traditional Paschalia. I don't know what the Greek-Catholics in Belarus are doing about the Calendar. As to the few Russian Greek-Catholic communities, it varies from parish to parish. That's all the information I have. Incognitus

Dear Incog, I don't know if any Romanian Catholic parishes in the USA use the Orthodox Paschalia but Bishop John Micheal is definitely not opposed to it. Also none of the Russian Catholic parishes in the USA currently use the Orthodox Paschalia. I think it has been discussed, but not yet adopted by any single RusCath parish.

Also if I may modify Professor Thompson's modification, many more Ukrainian Catholic parishes in Canada, mostly in the Toronto Eparchy, use the Julian Calendar and Orthodox Paschalia compared to those in the USA.

The relatively large Russian Greek-Catholic parish in Paris uses the Julian Calendar. Incognitus

I'm not sure about the rest of the UGCC's Canadian Metropolia, but I believe almost all the parishes in the Eparchy of Toronto and Eastern Canada are on the Julian Calendar - and the ones who aren't, still have to do the great feasts all over again on the Julian Calendar.

Also, interestingly enough, the Latin Catholics in places like Jordan are on the Revised Julian Calendar - keeping time with their Orthodox confreres.

Herb

There are many, many, many Canadians who celebrate Christmas on the Julian Calendar. Not only in Eastern, but in all of Canada (Ukrainians, Russians, Romanians, and others). To understand how important celebrating Christmas on the Julian calendar is in Canada, read this;

From the beginning of Canadian Confederation in 1867 the Governor Generals (who are the heads of state and the Queen's / King's offical representatives)would have large new years festivities while residing at 'Rideau Hall', their official estate while serving in Ottawa (the nation's capital). Foreign diplomats, senior government ministers, and other 'bigwigs' were traditionally invited to celebrate 'in style' on New Year's day.

In the 1980's Governor-General Edward Schreiyer recognized the fact that many Canadians celebrated Christmas on the Julian calendar. He decided to pay homage to these Canadians and began the tradition of welcoming the New Year on January 7th (rather than the 1st). The Governor-General (German heritage) and his wife would don embroidered Ukrainian shirts and welcome the diplomatic elite. Traditional Ukrainian Christmas food, 'kutia' included, would be served with the best wines.

This tradition obviously continued in the 1990's with Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn who belonged to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada.

I remember attending Pascha on the Orthodox Paschalion at the Russian Catholic Church in San Francisco in the early 90's

While this comes nowhere close to Canada's recognition of the Julian Calendar Nativity, word has it that Chicago's current Mayor Daley has ordered that holiday decorations in and on City Hall and in the nieghboring Daley Plaza remain in place through at least January 7th.

Also, Prof. Thompson is mostly correct that the UGCC parishes in the 'States that use the Julian calendar are, for the most part, considered to be those that actively support "pomisnist'" i.e. self-rule. The more common adjective used is "Patriarchalist." Sts. V&O in Chicago is probably the best known, with parishes such as Pokrova in the Cleveland 'burbs and St. Michael's in the Philly 'burbs being among the others.

However, there are Julian calendar parishes that are not considered Patriarchalist. A Basilian parish near 2nd Ave. comes to mind.

Yours,

hal

Our Lady of Fatima Russian Catholic Parish has always and continues to use the Julian Calendar Pascalia, and only in the last 15 years or so switched to Gregorian for the Menaion cycle.

Justin

A holy and joyful Christmas to everyone! Incognitus

I would just like to make it clear that you don't have to be an old calandarist to be a Patriarchalist. There are many new calandarists who are Patriarchalist and I'm one of them. There are no Ukrainian Greek Catholic old calandarist parishes in Brazil just the Ukie Orthodox that by the way I was invited by Kyr Jeremias for dinner at his home after Vespers (Very good and he prepared everything himself with the help of some of his seminarians).
Lauro

Alex told me most of the churches in his part of Canada celebrate Christmas on the old calendar, and that he celebrates both!

Tammy

I think celebrating both is nice, but rather expensive (at least for me).
Lauro