Schismatic Solidarity: Old Calendarist "Subdeacon" Backs up Varvara Larin

May 17, 2025—In an early morning blog post, an activist of one of the many schismatic "old-calendarist" sects, seemed to side with Varvara Larin regarding her claim that she was laicized for opposing the so-called "Russian World" ideology. 

Nektarios Harrison, a some-time federal agent who styles himself "Subdeacon Nektarios, M.A" online, claims to be an authority on a range of doctrines. Like Larin, he also claims to be an authority on Canon Law—over and above the bishops of the Church. In His post, Harrison makes the claim that the Synod of Bishops "only act when their real dogmas are threatened—those of the Russian world."

 The accusation is absurd on its face—no matter whose mouth it proceeds from. Like Varvara Larin, Mr. Harrison ignores the dozen or so condemnations of the war made by ROCOR—anathema to those who follow such an ideology.

Harris goes on to say the following:

"the only thing that moved the Synod to act against Larin was a political transgression—Larin’s public support for the pseudo-bishops of the OCU."

For Harrison, then, the great sin of schism and persecution of fellow Orthodox Christians is merely a political transgression. Not surprising considering he is a schismatic himself. Though, it does show that he is perhaps not as well versed in the Holy Canons as he likes to think.

We see then a trend with schismatics:

1. They are more akin to Protestants, setting themselves up as authorities over and above the bishops.
2. Everyone is guilty of impiety but themselves.
3. They are always willing to put aside their many differences (Harrison has gleefully attacked Varvara in the past) to attack the Holy Orthodox Church.

I'll leave you with these words of our publication's patron, the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian:

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. - 1 John 2:18-19

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