Annual Orthodox youth festival held in Volyn Eparchy

Participants of the “Favor” festival in the Volyn eparchy. Photo: UOC Information and Educational Department

From August 25 to 29, 2025, the annual youth festival Favor took place in the Volyn eparchy, reports the UOC Information and Educational Department.

The event was hosted at the Orthodox camp Path of Kindness and gathered youth at the Holy Trinity Starosilskiy Convent. Over several days, participants listened to lectures by priests, attended workshops and communal prayers, and discussed questions of faith, spiritual life, and the role of the human being in today’s world.

The festival opened with prayer and organizational meetings. In the following days, topics included health, the Christian view of the body and Orthodox asceticism, as well as matters of soul, spirit, and human integrity. Special attention was given to emotions as a gift of God, harmony of body and spirit, and humanity’s calling to become like God.

On the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, participants took part in the solemn Divine Liturgy, made confession, and received Holy Communion. The Favor youth choir traditionally performed the liturgical hymns.

One day of the program was dedicated to the theme “The Church as a Community,” while the concluding part of the festival focused on the gift of life and human responsibility for it. The youth listened to lectures, took part in discussions, read Holy Scripture, and engaged in fellowship with clergy.

According to the organizers, the Favor festival became a place where faith was combined with living communication and practical guidance, and where spiritual reflections helped participants to deepen their understanding of the Christian calling and the value of life.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that a new academic year began in the UOC theological seminaries.

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