Question 12

Do the Greek Old Calendarists possess Holy Chrism? How is this possible, since they do not receive it from the Œcumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople?

Yes, the Greek Old Calendarists do possess Holy Chrism. Most parishes and monasteries that separated from the Church of Greece after 1924 had in their possession Holy Chrism that had been Consecrated at the Œcumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople before the calendar innovation. What most people do not realize is that a small batch of Holy Chrism can last a very long time, as only a miniscule amount is used at the Mystery of Holy Chrismation. Thus, unless a parish has an extraordinary number of Baptisms to perform, the likelihood of urgently needing Holy Chrism is quite small. However, there naturally came a time when the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece needed to refresh its supply of this critical sacred mixture, and so on Great Thursday of 2001 and again on Great Thursday of 2019, the entire Holy Synod of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece Consecrated new batches of Holy Chrism according to the prescribed ancient rite….