Autocephalous synods. At 4.30am when I couldn't sleep, in part because I remembered this new year I missed, I enjoyed thinking how this phrase sounds like a strange, probably unwanted, bodily growth. Which it's not. It's a fairly frequently used term (certainly on wikipedia) to describe the leadership structure of the Eastern Orthodox Church - globally the second largest of the Christian churches, after Roman Catholicism. It means self-led council and refers to the fact that there is no head of the church with any more significance than any other - aside from Jesus. Which is all well and good but doesn't stop squabbles on occasion. Why mention squabbles? Well, what do you know, it turns out the calendar is the main source of troubles between different synods - with ''modernisation" between Julian based or Gregorian based calendars seen by some as good, and others as bad, hence the arguments / wars. Squabbles aside (and there haven't been that many), the Eastern Orthodox Liturgical calendar begins on September 1st, the beginning of a fixed cycle of feasts - i.e. ones happening on the same day each year. (I'm a few days late posting for some reasons.) The Moveable Feasts cycle begins at different times through the year, decided as part of a complex calculation known as Computus that you can read about in great detail here, should you wish. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computus There isn't an official celebration or event to mark the beginning of this calendar. Except belatedly this year, by me :) Happy New Year. #easternorthodox #liturgical #autocephaloussynod #computus #happynewyear #theyearofyears
