Orthodox Youth

ITO 2026 to gather 2,400 Orthodox young people in Bucharest for prayer, dialogue and fellowship

The International Meeting of Orthodox Youth (ITO), the largest youth event organised by the Romanian Orthodox Church, will take place in Bucharest from 31 August to 3 September 2026 under the theme “Young People, the Family and Life in Christ”. With the blessing of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, this year’s gathering will bring together approximately…

Aug 26, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Youngest Romanian bishop urges young people in diaspora to ‘be bridges, not walls’

“You are the heart of the Church scattered throughout the world, like the seed of the Gospel carried to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8),” Assistant Bishop Iachint of the Pacific of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand told young Orthodox Christians on Wednesday. Marking International Youth Day, the youngest hierarch…

Aug 12, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel calls Romanian diaspora youth ambassadors of the Christian faith and national values

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church has encouraged Romanian children and young people living abroad to remain faithful ambassadors of Christianity and Romanian values, emphasising the importance of preserving their language, cultural heritage and spiritual roots through active ties with their homeland. In an official message addressed to participants in the 17th…

Jul 7, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarchal auxiliary bishop meets Orthodox scouts group, highlights youth engagement

Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești, the Holy Synod’s general secretary, met on Thursday, May 14, at the Patriarchal Palace with representatives of the International Orthodox Christian Scouts Organisation “Desmos”. The bishop highlighted the importance of involving young people in educational and community activities amid the challenges of contemporary society. “It is very important that…

May 18, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Iași hosts first gathering of Orthodox youth from ethnic minority communities

The Agora Events Centre of the Archdiocese of Iași hosted on Saturday, May 9, the first edition of the Assembly of Orthodox Youth from Ethnic Minorities, an event organised by the CRESC Association in collaboration with the Archdiocese’s Minorities Department. “Our faith unites us and helps us look upon one another with honour and love,”…

May 13, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

1,000 Greek pupils chant hymns to Virgin Mary at Thessaloniki Cathedral service (video)

Around 1,000 pupils from 37 schools at all levels of education in Thessaloniki chanted hymns to the Virgin Mary at the city’s Hagia Sophia Church. The pupils, together with the choir of the Hellenic Army Officers’ School and the Eirmos Byzantine Children’s Choir of the Metropolis of Thessaloniki, provided the liturgical responses on Friday, 13…

Mar 16, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Bishop Benedict sets out seven pillars for young people’s spiritual formation

His Grace Bishop Benedict of Sălaj proposed seven key pillars for building a spiritually robust personality, drawing on the Gospel reading at the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. The feast coincides with International Orthodox Youth Day. Reflecting on the verse “to present Him to the Lord” (Luke 2:22), the bishop underlined that “young…

Feb 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Orthodox youths are the Church’s living present, not only its future, says UK’s Romanian Archbishop

“Young people are not only the future of the Church; they are its living present,” said His Eminence Atanasie, Romanian Orthodox Archbishop of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in his message for International Orthodox Youth Day. The Archbishop expressed his gratitude to Orthodox youth, especially those living outside their home countries. Young people in the…

Feb 3, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Bucharest to host International Orthodox Youth Meeting in 2026, Patriarch announces

Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church announced during a ceremony at the Patriarchal Palace last Thursday that next year, Bucharest will host the International Orthodox Youth Meeting with participants from around the world. “The next international event will be in September next year, at the beginning of September, when for about 3–4 days the…

Nov 10, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Orthodox youth gather in Cahul to discuss family life and healthy relationships

More than 235 teenagers from the Republic of Moldova and Romania came together between 28–31 August in Cahul for the Orthodox Youth Meeting, where they were taught about family life and the importance of healthy relationships. According to eu4moldova.eu, the aim of the gathering was to encourage participation in spiritual, cultural-artistic, and educational activities. From…

Sep 11, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Bishop Benedict links International Youth Day to spiritual ‘Youth of the Heart’ in message to young people

In an exclusive message to Basilica.ro, His Grace Bishop Benedict of Sălaj placed International Youth Day in a Christian perspective, suggesting that there is also a “youth of the heart,” and that “those who feel young at heart” are “those who love the Mother of God.” The hierarch recalled that International Youth Day, marked on…

Aug 12, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu