Warsaw, February 18, 2025
Photo: orthodox.pl
The Polish Orthodox Church hosted the World Day of Orthodox Youth again this year in Warsaw. The event, which drew young Orthodox faithful from throughout the world, was held February 14–16.
The main festivities began on February 15 with the Divine Liturgy for the feast of the Meeting of the Lord celebrated by the Polish primate, His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa, reports the Polish Orthodox Church.
The outdoor and artistic portion took place in the Mokotów Sports and Recreation Center hall. There, His Eminence Archbishop Grzegorz of Bielsk addressed the participants, emphasizing the need to return to conciliar problem-solving and the great value of international cooperation. He also spoke about how this year is the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, during which the Nicene Creed was composed.
The youth also heard from Mother Miriam (Jurczuk), a Polish nun living in Jerusalem. She spoke about the history of pilgrimage, which relates to the 40-year wandering of the Jews and the journeys of the Holy Forefathers. She noted that while Orthodoxy does not require pilgrimage to holy places, they can definitely help strengthen our faith.
Photo: orthodox.pl
There was also a presentation from Athanasios Katigas, a Greek taxi driver and author of Tears of Repentance: True Experiences in a Greek Taxi Cab. He spoke about his personal experiences, his journey from a life of comfort and entertainment to repentance and contrition, to tears brought about by a short sermon from a priest.
“The authenticity of the story was emphasized by the author’s voice breaking several times when speaking about the feelings associated with his conversion,” the report states.
The Orthodox youth also enjoyed songs and dances from various national traditions.
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