Pastoral problems of a reform of the liturgical calendar in Russia

This article by Vladimir Khoulap examines the question of liturgical calendar reform in the Russian Orthodox Church, which maintains the Julian calendar thirteen days behind the Gregorian calendar. Through a historical and pastoral study, the author traces reform attempts from 1830 to contemporary debates, analyzing the decisions of the 1917-1918 Council, the decree of Patriarch Tikhon in 1923, and the Moscow Consultation of 1948. The article identifies five major pastoral issues: the risk of schism, the absence of a culture of dialogue, gaps in the theological formation of the clergy, tensions related to bi-calendarism, and the structural problem of 2100. The author concludes that a hasty reform would be counterproductive and advocates for a conciliar, pan-Orthodox, and pedagogical approach, grounded in a living understanding of the liturgical tradition.