2024 All European Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe Orthodox Youth Conference

Orthodox youth from across Western Europe and Great Britain concluded their conference in London. Having arrived into the UK capital on the feast-day of St Nicholas the Wonderworker, and basing their activities in London’s Cathedral of the Nativity of the Mother of God and Holy Royal Martyrs, more than 80 youth from nine countries spent five days together in worship, prayer, activities, talks and lectures, social events, masterclasses and workshops, excursions, and a host of other activities.

During the course of the conference, the youth heard spiritual talks by several members of the Church’s hierarchy and clergy, including talks by His Grace Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe, Archpriest Pavel Tsvetkoff (of the Geneva Cathedral), Archpriest Quentin de Castelbajac (Lyon Parish, France), Priest Aleksandr Groves (St Leonard’s Parish, England), and Priest Mark Tattum-Smith (Mettingham Parish, England). Contributions were also offered, including round table question-and-answer sessions, by Archpriest Vitaly Serapinas, Archpriest Yaroslav Hudymenko and Hieromonk Theodore (Stanway), all of the London Cathedral; as well as by Priest Alexander Volokhan, a guest of the Diocese and cleric of the Patriarchate in Norway.

Amongst activities and social events that included an excursion to the city’s ’Winter Wonderland’ and talent shows, the youth also participated in workshops that ranged from serving and reading in the Church, to decorating churches and making floral arrangements for icons.

At the heart of the conference were the Divine Services of the weekend, at which the Feast of the Conception of the Mother of God was prayerfully marked. Several participants served in the Altar and read from the Apostle in Slavonic, French and English (the three principal languages of the Diocese), several joined the Cathedral choir to sing, and all prayed in the Cathedral that had been beautifully decorated with flowers arranged by the youth. A special highlight came at the end of the Divine Liturgy, following a homily by Hieromonk Theodore and a greeting by Bishop Irenei, as the youth piously and joyfully sang carols for the pre-Nativity season as the faithful came to venerate the Cross.

In his closing exhortation to the conference, Vladyka Irenei congratulated the youth for their evident zeal for the Life in Christ, and encouraged them to depart homewards with hearts filled with joy, strength, and a readiness to implement new youth activities in their home parishes across Europe.

May God protect and preserve the faithful youth of His Church!