Why the Celtic Orthodox Church Is Neither Old Calendar nor New Calendar

“Do you follow the Old Calendar or the New Calendar?”

It is one of the most common questions we receive.

Ironically, it is also a question that does not really apply to the historic Celtic Orthodox Church.

The modern “Old Calendar” versus “New Calendar” controversy is primarily an Eastern Orthodox discussion. While we greatly respect the historic Churches of the East and their rich theological heritage, the ancient Western Church developed its own liturgical customs long before the modern calendar controversy arose.

As the Orthodox Church of the Culdees, we preserve that historic Western Orthodox tradition.

A Western Orthodox Reckoning

For ordinary civil life, we simply use the English (Gregorian/Roman) calendar, just as nearly everyone in the English-speaking world does today.

However, when it comes to the biblical holy days, we follow the Hebrew ecclesiastical reckoning.

In particular, we take great care in determining the proper date of Passover (called Easter in the English Church), because it marks the beginning of the biblical ecclesiastical year and is central to the Christian proclamation of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This concern is reflected in the Apostolic Didascalia (Didascalia Apostolorum) and later in the Apostolic Constitutions, where the faithful are instructed to ascertain the proper Passover reckoning so that the Church does not mistakenly celebrate two Passovers within a single year through an incorrect calculation.

For this reason, we continue to give special attention to the biblical calendar in observing the Seven High Holy Days.

Biblical Feasts and Church Traditions

The Church has always distinguished between the feasts commanded in Holy Scripture and those established by pious Christian tradition.

The appointed biblical feasts deserve careful attention because they are rooted in the revelation of God.

At the same time, the Church has long celebrated many traditional feast days commemorating important events in the life of Christ, the Virgin Mary, the Apostles, and the Saints.

These traditions are valuable and edifying.

They are also local in many respects.

Throughout Christian history, different regions have observed different local saints, different commemorations, and sometimes different customs surrounding particular feast days.

This diversity has existed for centuries without destroying the unity of the Church.

What About Christmas?

One question that arose during a recent discussion was whether we celebrate Christ’s Nativity on December 25 or January 7.

Our answer is straightforward.

We gladly commemorate the Nativity of our Lord.

However, we also recognize that Christmas is a traditional Christian feast rather than one of the biblical appointed feasts.

Historically, there is no surviving ecumenical council that established December 25 as the universal date of Christ’s Nativity.

The First Council of Nicaea (AD 325), often cited in modern discussions, addressed the Arian controversy, the calculation of Pascha (Passover/Easter), and matters of church discipline. It did not issue a canon establishing December 25 as Christmas.

By the middle of the fourth century, December 25 had become the established custom in Rome, and over time it spread throughout much of Christendom.

Recognizing this historical development allows us to appreciate the feast without mistakenly treating it as though it were one of the commandments of Scripture.

Our Position

As a Western Orthodox Church, we therefore do not identify ourselves as either “Old Calendar” or “New Calendar.”

Those labels belong to a particular historical controversy within Eastern Christianity.

Our concern is not to win calendar debates.

Our concern is to preserve the Apostolic Faith.

We honor the Holy Scriptures.

We preserve the historic Orthodox traditions of the ancient Western Church.

We observe the biblical holy days according to the Hebrew ecclesiastical reckoning.

We cherish the ancient Christian feasts that have nourished believers for centuries.

And we recognize that throughout the history of the Church there has always been legitimate diversity in local customs and commemorations.

Charity Before Controversy

One of the unfortunate tendencies of our age is to treat every difference in custom as though it were a difference in doctrine.

Too often, Christians ask first, “Which calendar do you follow?” before asking whether another church confesses the apostolic faith.

Such questions can quickly become barriers to fellowship rather than opportunities for understanding.

The history of Christianity teaches a different lesson.

Long before the modern calendar controversy, both East and West produced holy bishops, faithful monks, courageous missionaries, learned theologians, and countless saints whose lives testified to the grace of God.

The Celtic Church was among those ancient witnesses.

Its monasteries evangelized nations, preserved learning, sent missionaries throughout Europe, and produced a remarkable heritage of sanctity.

Our own calendar contains well over a thousand saints from the ancient Western Church, many of whom lived centuries before later calendar disputes divided portions of Christendom.

Holding Fast to the Ancient Faith

At St. Andrew’s Orthodox Church of the Culdees, we seek to preserve the ancient Western Orthodox tradition with humility, historical integrity, and fidelity to Christ.

We are neither “Old Calendar” nor “New Calendar.”

We are simply striving to remain faithful to the apostolic faith once delivered to the saints, honoring both the biblical appointments established by God and the holy traditions faithfully handed down by the ancient Church.

Our prayer is that Christians will become less concerned with labels and jurisdictional disputes, and more concerned with the things that unite us: faith in Jesus Christ, obedience to His commandments, reverence for the Holy Scriptures, love for His Church, and lives transformed by His grace.