Transition to the new calendar: what changes await the faithful of the UGCC and OCU from September 1

[ad_1]

From September 1, the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine will celebrate all fixed holidays according to the new church style. The transition for both denominations means that the dates of fixed holidays (which are celebrated on the same date every year) will change, namely, they will shift by 13 days. The dates of movable holidays, that is, Easter and those dependent on it, remain unchanged for now. “UP.Zhyttia” found out how the transition to the new calendar will take place, what changes await the faithful due to the reform, and when the movable and immovable holidays will now be celebrated in the UGCC and OCU. Church calendar. Photo: UGCC To do this, we spoke with the head of the information department of the Department of Information of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Father Taras Zheplinsky and the representative of the press service of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Archpriest Mykhailo Omelyan. New Julian or Gregorian: what styles will be used by churches from September 1. The UGCC, when it comes to the celebration of fixed holidays, will use a new style, which is sometimes called “Gregorian”. According to clerics, the Church is not completely transitioning to the Gregorian calendar, the transition concerns only immovable holidays. Previously, His Beatitude Svyatoslav explained that the combination of the Gregorian calendar for non-moving holidays and the preservation of the old Paschal is still called the “New Julian style”. However, the UGCC does not use this term. “The terminology is flawed and that’s why we don’t use it – there is no such term in our decision,” the UGCC noted. At the same time, OCU switched to the new Julian style and consider it an improved version of the Julian calendar. In addition, according to the clerics of the OCU, the New Julian calendar differs from the Gregorian calendar and is closer to astronomical events. “It “misses” 7 days per 900 years, while the Gregorian calendar has 3 days per 400 years. However, in the period from March 1, 1600 to February 28, 2800, there will be no error between the New Julian and Gregorian calendars,” says Archpriest Mykhailo . He adds that in the Julian calendar, every 128 years there is an accumulation of one-day discrepancy between the astronomical (solar) and calendar equinoxes (calculated by the formula). Prayer. Photo: OCU Transition of the UGCC to a new style: what does this mean for parishioners By the decision of the Synod of Bishops, the UGCC will switch to the Gregorian calendar for fixed holidays from September 1. As for moving parts, no official changes have been announced yet. “At the global level, work is currently underway on an updated method of calculating the date of Easter. I hope that it will be officially approved in 2025,” Father Taras Zheplinskyi explains. He also reminds believers that the calendar is not a dogma of faith. What is important is the holiday itself, not when it is celebrated. According to the father, although the decision to switch to a new calendar in the UGCC was made by the bishops, people’s calls for reform played an important role here even before and after the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation. No traditions regarding the celebration of this or that holiday will change. The UGCC understands that the transition to a new style may not be easy for believers, so they recommend doing it gradually. “You have to survive the first year, the next year – to establish yourself in this matter, and already in the third year – to get used to it. It is necessary to remember that the transition should not be abrupt”, – emphasizes the clergyman. He reminds that there is a decision of the synod that the parishes, which do not yet “feel strong” to switch to the new calendar, have a kind of transitional period of two years. “I assume that individual parishes will not want to switch immediately. In order to get permission to celebrate the holidays for a while in the old style, they must get the consent of the local bishop,” noted Father Taras Zheplinskyi. In order to prepare believers for the transition to a new style, priests in temples tell and remind about it. For example, in one of the Lviv parishes, when children are baptized, parents are given prayer books, which contain a calendar of all church holidays with current dates. Information is also distributed in summer children’s camps. Parishioners are given paper postcards with the dates of holidays according to the new calendar after the Divine Service. Transition to a new style of the OCU: what changes await believers The Orthodox Church of Ukraine has approved the transition to a new style according to the New Julian calendar. The changes will take effect on September 1, 2023. The decision was made together with the believers. According to archpriest Mykhailo, changes in the church calendar were inevitable. As a result of the discrepancy between calendar dates and astronomical events, the celebration of all non-transitional holidays is gradually shifted forward. Archpriest Mykhailo noted that after some time, for example, the holiday of the Nativity of Christ, would fall on the time of preparation for Great Lent and even on the fast itself. “Of course, people in society see the transition with a certain color of departure from the “Russian world”. In my opinion, it is partly so, the full-scale war accelerated these processes. Therefore, we can also talk about the spiritual de-occupation of Ukraine,” says Archpriest Mykhailo. To remind the parishioners about the transition, clergymen mention it during church services. “We constantly emphasize that we celebrate the event itself, such as, for example, the Christmas of Jesus Christ, and not the date. The calendar is not a dogma, that is, something that cannot be improved or changed,” the Archpriest adds. Orthodox church calendars. Photo: OCU He says that OCU advises to switch to a new style gradually and without coercion. In particular, church calendars have already been released in Ukraine, where the dates of holidays are indicated both according to the new and old style. “We care about the salvation of the souls of all parishioners, so we are understanding about the transition to the new calendar,” the clergyman adds. Which holidays will be missed in UGCC and OCU this year. Due to the fact that the date of all fixed holidays is shifted by 13 days, some of them will be missed in 2023. In particular, it is the Beheading of the head of John the Forerunner (the Baptist). According to the Julian calendar, it was previously celebrated on September 11 every year. His Beatitude Sviatoslav suggested the faithful of the UGCC to celebrate this holiday on a different day this year. “I know that we have many temples dedicated to this holiday. We recommend celebrating on the next Sunday before or after September 11, that is, either on Sunday, September 10, or the following Sunday, September 17,” he emphasized. The liturgy of the Beheading of John the Baptist in OCU this year was performed on August 30. This decision was adopted by the Holy Synod of the OCU. Such changes will apply only this year, in the future the dates of the holidays will simply move. As for the rest of the holidays, they are all kept, believers just need to get used to celebrating them on other days. According to Archpriest Mykhailo, if the Day of the Angel falls on the first 13 days of September for any of the faithful of the OCU, then this date can be celebrated on August 31, that is, before the start of the new calendar. “If there are certain doubts, then you can use the old style,” he adds. Taras Zheplinsky also reminded that from September 1, people who were born on their own name day will have to celebrate Angel’s Day 13 days earlier. For example, if your name is Tatyana and you were born on the day of commemoration of the great martyr with that name, January 25, then from now on this date will fall on January 12. How the calendar of the main church holidays of the OCU will change according to the new style Calendar of the main fixed church holidays of the UGCC and the OCU in 2023-2024 September September 1, Friday – the beginning of the indict, the church new year. September 8, Friday – the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. September 14, Thursday – Exaltation of the Holy Cross. September 17, Sunday – Mts. Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia. September 23, Saturday – the Nativity of John the Baptist. October October 1, Sunday – Intercession of the Holy Mother of God. October 21, Saturday – Dimitrov Memorial Saturday. Church calendar. Photo: UGCC November, November 8, Wednesday – Archangel Michael Cathedral. November 21, Tuesday – Introduction to the Church of the Holy Mother of God. November 24, Friday – Vmch. Mercury and Navy. Kateryna November 30, Thursday – Apostle Andrew the First-Called. December, December 6, Wednesday – Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. December 24, Sunday – Christmas Eve (Christmas Eve). December 25, Monday – Christmas. December 26, Tuesday – Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos. 2024 January January 1, Monday – Circumcision of the Lord and the memory of St. Basil the Great. January 6, Saturday – Baptism of the Lord. February, February 2, Friday – the Lord’s Supper. March March 25, Monday – Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. June, June 24, Monday – Christmas of Ivan the Forerunner. June 29, Saturday – Saints Peter and Paul. August, August 6, Tuesday – Transfiguration of the Lord. August 15, Thursday – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. August 29, Thursday – Beheading of Ivan the Forerunner. All other, slightly smaller holidays are also shifted by 13 days. Moving church holidays of the UGCC and OCU: when will they be celebrated in 2024 Easter in 2024 will be celebrated on May 5. Due to the fact that this is a movable holiday, its date is not connected with the transition to a new style. April 28, Sunday – The Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday). June 13, Thursday – Ascension of the Lord. June 23, Sunday – Holy Trinity Day. Pentecost Read also: “Get away from old superstitions”: the OCU told whether it is possible to embroider on holidays Tetyana Denysenko UP Life

[ad_2]

Original Source Link