Merry Xmas, Guys

[Ad Orientem]

Actually, "tradition" would stipulate that the calendar should be in sync with the Earth's rotation, so that the days don't drift farther and farther from reality.

The Julian ("traditional church calendar") was unilaterally created by the Roman Emperor.  The Gregorian calendar actually works, while the Julian calendar doesn't.  It's pretty silly to still use it.  When you're having Easter in the dead of winter will you change?

The Julian Calendar and particularly the Paschalion were codified and confirmed for the use of the Church by the Council of Nicea in 325.  The date for Easter is not determined by how cold it is. It is based on the position of the moon relative to the spring equinox and as such it works quite well. The Papal Calendar required the introduction of a new Paschalion in contravention of the decrees of an Ecumenical Council, which in the Orthodox Church is the highest authority in matters of doctrine and church discipline. The introduction of the new calendar among the few Orthodox jurisdictions that use it for the fixed feasts has caused liturgical havoc, especially with regards the relationship between those feasts and the movable ones based on the date for Pascha. I find nothing traditional about the new calendar. I see nothing in Christian Tradition which gives the Bishop of Rome the authority to unilaterally alter the calendar and in doing so, to further damage the unity of the Church.

This is not to say the calendar is irreformable or that it is free of any mathematical error. Any calendar is a tool devised by men and is therefore subject to problems. But changes to the calendar, which is an extremely important indicator of church unity, should not be foisted by one party on everyone else. Any such change without the approval of an ecumenical council is profoundly uncannonical and arguably schismatic.

On a side note; the calendar issue is actually on the agenda for the forthcoming Great and Holy Pan-Orthodox Synod which is to be held sometime in the next few years. Details are being worked out.

[MachineGhost]

I find nothing traditional about the new calendar. I see nothing in Christian Tradition which gives the Bishop of Rome the authority to unilaterally alter the calendar and in doing so, to further damage the unity of the Church.

I actually agree with you there.  I think we ought to just setup a calendar based on astronomy and be done with it.

And isn't the current calendar made worse by the fact that Jesus' alleged birth is actually a couple of years before/after 0 BCE due to better evidence?