February is Syndesmos International Orthodox Youth Month

SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications]—In June 1992 at the XIV SYNDESMOS General Assembly, the proposal for a World Day of Orthodox Youth (The Meeting of the Lord - February 2/15) was made, and received the blessing of His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and the heads of the other local autocephalous Orthodox Churches. Member movements of SYNDESMOS and Orthodox youth around the world are encouraged to implement this celebration through concrete and appropriate activities in their own Church that celebrate youth as a essential part of the Church’s present and not just its future.

Indeed, the entire month of February has become dedicated to these efforts in the Church.

“Over the past ten years the Orthodox Church in America and its parishes have celebrated this month through retreats, Youth Sundays, special service projects, discussions on the ministry of youth in the Church, as well as other parish events including appreciation Sundays for parish youth workers and church school teachers,” according to Rev. Michael Anderson, Director of the Department of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministries for the Orthodox Church in America, “Each year the Department of Youth Ministry distributes resources to assist the Church’s dioceses, deaneries, and parishes with these celebrations and to encourage the faithful to pray for the Church’s young people.”

These and other resources can be found in The Hub, the Department’s electronic resource library for Orthodox youth and young adult ministries.

See the Activities Section of The Hub and especially:

• Twenty-something Ways to Celebrate International Orthodox Youth Month

• Twenty-some MORE Ways to Celebrate International Orthodox Youth Month

SYNDESMOS, the World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth, is a federation of Orthodox youth movements and theological schools around the world, working under the blessing of all the local canonical Churches, to serve the Church, Her unity, witness and renewal.

The aim of SYNDESMOS is to develop cooperation and communication among Orthodox youth movements and theological schools around the world, and to promote within them a deeper understanding and vision of their common faith.

V. Rev. John Matusiak, Communications Director for the Orthodox Church in America is a former Vice President for SYNDESMOS and representative “at-large” to SYNDESMOS for the Orthodox Church in America, “Founded in 1953, the history of SYNDESMOS has been one of dynamic initiative in the life of the Church,” according Fr Matusiak, “Since the beginning, youth and Orthodox unity have been central to its activities.”

For more information about SYNDESMOS, log onto the OCA’s website for Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministries at: “International Orthodox Youth Month”