Julian Calendar Reform by Milutin Milankovic

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleReforma julijanskog kalendara Milutina Milankovica
3. Language term Serbian
4. lemma author Stevanovic, Aleksandra
5. lemma category Modes of interaction
6. Publication date 9-2-2017
7. lemma work Milosevic, Radomir [Author]. The Problem of Church’s Calendar in the Light of Work of Milutin Milankovic. 141−152
8. lemma manifestations The Creativity of Milutin Milankovic - Belgrade: Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (Cultural organization), 2009.
9. Keywords
   1. Milankovic, Milutin
10. Keywords Milankovic, Milutin - Julian calendar - Julian calendar reform
11. Lemma body

    1. This scientific proceeding was published in 2009 within Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU) conferences series. It was comprised of scientific papers presented at the International Scholarly Meeting “The Creativity of Milutin Milankovic” held in 2008 in Dalj, the hometown of Milankovic. The papers include diverse scholars that, from distinct standpoints – scientific, literary, theological, explore the life and work of the great scientist.

       The paper by priest-stavrophor Radomir Milosevic “The Problem of Church’s Calendar in the Light of Work of Milutin Milankovic” tackles the question of science and religion dialogue from the perspective of the calendar reform by Milankovic. According to the author, the question of the calendar is often addressed nowadays. Thereby, the paper shows and explains the contribution of Milankovic to the reform of Julian calendar, as well as his effort to include the astronomical base for the calendar calculations. The author accentuates the value of the reform and explains the reasons why this would bring benefit to the Church. The aim is to present the theological and scientific side of the issue of the Church’s calendar and momentous augmentation regarding the calendar reform by Milankovic.

       The paper then relates to the Pan-Orthodox Congress in Constantinople in 1923, when Milankovic proposed the reform of the Julian calendar which would not alter its structure but provide exactness that had never been reached before that. The suggested calendar proposed by him was superior to the existing Julian and Gregorian calendar.

       According to the Church, the calendar has to preserve the structure, number and order of the months, days in the week and Paschalia (Easter). Everything else could be scientifically calculated. The calendar by Milankovic fulfilled all the criteria. Hence, he managed to reform the calendar by eliminating its drawbacks and retaining its basis. However, the calendar has not been adopted.

       The author implies that the calendar is not a dogma; it may undergo certain changes so as to meet the needs of the Church. Canons refer solely to Paschalia. Moreover, the Julian calendar is inherited from the Roman Empire and is not suitable for the Orthodox Church. Apart from that, the design by Milankovic is already being used by the Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Bulgarian and Romanian patriarchates and the Athens and Finnish archbishoprics. Therefore, in the paper, the author advocates the reasons for the acceptance of Milankovic’s calendar reform which would bring benefit and contribute to the Orthodox Church and claims there are no arguments for the delay of the reform admission.