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True Orthodox church,True Orthodox Christians,[1]True Orthodoxy orGenuine Orthodoxy, often pejoratively "Zealotry",[2] are groups of traditionalistEastern Orthodox churches which since the 1920s have severedcommunion with the mainstreamEastern Orthodox churches for various reasons, such ascalendar reform, the involvement of mainstream Eastern Orthodox churches inecumenism, or the refusal to submit to the authority of mainstream Eastern Orthodox churches. The True Orthodox church in theSoviet Union was also called theCatacomb Church; the True Orthodox inRomania,Bulgaria,Greece andCyprus are usually calledOld Calendarists.[1]
Thereformed church calendar was adopted by the mainstream Eastern Orthodox churches ofGreece andRomania in 1924. At the moment of this adoption, True Orthodoxy began asOld Calendarism. True Orthodox were only laypeople and monks until 1935, when three bishops of the Church of Greece joined the movement inGreece. In 1955, one bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Church joined the movement inRomania. In theSoviet Union, the True Orthodox began in 1927-8 when some Eastern Orthodox Christians, among which some were "senior and respected bishops", severedcommunion with theMoscow Patriarchate.[3]
The True Orthodox movement remained united in Romania. However, in Greece in 1937 theGreek Old Calendarists "divided"; the reason for their division was a disagreement on whether the sacraments performed by members of churches which have adopted the reformed calendar are valid or not.[3]
In 1971, theRussian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) tried to unite the factions of Greek Old Calendarists, but failed. In 1999, the most important groups of Greek Old Calendarists were the Chrysostomites, the Matthewites, and the Cyprianites.[3]
After the ROCOR opened its first parishes in 1990 in Russia, many Christians from the Catacomb Church joined them.[3] Since 2000, the prospect of reconciliation of ROCOR with the Moscow Patriarchate aroused opposition from traditionalists opposed to union with a church tied to the Soviet and post-Soviet regimes ruling Russia. Several churches descending from factions which rejected the 2007 reunion were formed; sometimes with more churches separating from the original schismatic churches.
The True Orthodox churches are "fully [Eastern] Orthodox in dogma and ritual".[4] Ecumenism and calendar reform are frequently points of contention with the mainstreamEastern Orthodox Church.
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There is no single denomination nor organization called the "True Orthodox Church" nor is there official recognition among the "True Orthodox" as to who is properly included among them.
Denominations that are usually included in "True Orthodoxy" are:
TheRussian Orthodox Autonomous Church (ROAC) through the late MetropolitanValentine, stated informally that they no longer actively seek to join other True Orthodox churches, but would not refuse incoming dialogue.[5]
In 1999, it was estimated that "[t]here are probably over one millionOld Calendarists in Romania, somewhat fewer in Greece, and considerably fewer in Bulgaria, Cyprus, and the [Eastern Orthodox] diaspora."[6]
Those who consider themselves a part of this movement are a small minority of those who consider themselves to beEastern Orthodox Christians.
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