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One of the most significant voices in the Romanian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Bartolomeu of Cluj, declared in the Paschal Letter that the Easter date is not an obstacle that cannot be overcome in the near future.
This year, Christians of the world celebrate the Ressurection of Christ on the same day.
In this case, what should be normal gives way to joy, an exception from the rule, means the rule itself, the regular practice, represents an abnormalty.
I don't want to analyze the historical mechanisms that lead to the separation of Christians on the calendar issue. I only want to remind that the Church has set a rule as far back as the fourth century, at the first ecumenical Council of Nicaea, that adopted unanimously that Easter must be celebrated in the first Sunday after the first full moon following the Spring equinox. Thus, the fix point was the equinox, and the calculation of this event was put on the shoulders of the Church of Alexandria, Egipt being the center of astronomy back then.
Astronomy evolved in time, the new astronomical laws have lead to new ways of calculation and in 1924 the Gregorian calendar was adopted, but only by some of the Christian countries, the rest of them still used the Julian calendar. Thus, a question is still asked: why the Churches do not rule that the Lord's Ressurection is to be celebrated by all the Christians the same day? Wouldn't be better to reach an agreement inasmuch as the date of Easter is not a dogmatic problem, but one linked to the liturgical practice?
I want to inform the public opinion that the unification on the date of Easter theme is on the agenda of WCC, that it is not an insurmontable obstacle, that a consensus can be reached, but that, as with any other problems of this nature, resolving this issue and putting it in action demand time and nature. A simple resolution comming from the center would not be enough, even if it would have been unanimous. It is absolutely necessary to be recognized by the clergy and the communities of all Churches. Let's not forget that during centuries strong traditiond, deeply rooted in the conscience and popular practices, were created and the alining them will not be an easy task. In the Eastern Churches we have the 1924 example when the calendar reform was adopted at a high level, without a proper preparation of the people, a thing that provoked the resistance of the stylits in Russia and Moldova and their organization into a disident unit that still exists today.
If, from time to time, the calendaristic coincidence offers to all Christians the joy of celebrating together the Ressurection of the Lord, the fact itself represents a warranty that what is today an exception, tomorrow may be a rule. Bu the essential thing is not when we celebrate Easter, but how we celebrate it.
(Material issue by the Press Office of the Orthodox Mitropoly of Cluj on April 5th, 2007, translated by Lucian Dragos)
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