UOC eparchies organize Orthodox camps for children

Orthodox children's camp in Dubechnе. Photo: UOC

The eparchies of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church organized summer recreation for young believers. The Synodal Information and Educational Department of the UOC reported on camps, pilgrimages, and charitable events being held for children and Orthodox young people.

In the Volyn Eparchy, the clergy opened the Orthodox children’s camp "Pokrov". With the blessing of Metropolitan Nathanael of Lutsk and Volyn, the organizers held the camp session from July 20 to 25, 2026, in a recreation area near the village of Dedovychi in the Kivertsi Deanery.

Archpriest Alexander Kondratiuk, dean of the Kivertsi district, celebrated a prayer service before the start of the session, after which the organizers held an official opening ceremony. The camp program combined daily prayer, morning exercises, spiritual talks with Archpriest Andrei Yavklyuk, and an evening procession with the icon of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The camp participants also took part in a procession to the Dormition Church of the village of Dedovychi, where they prayed at the Divine Liturgy and shared a common meal. The rector of the parish, Priest Ioann Poliukhovych, gave his blessing for lunch to be organized in the church courtyard. Before leaving, the children cleaned the grounds, dismantled the tent camp, and thanked God for the days they had spent there.

In the Volodymyr-Volyn Eparchy, the clergy organized recreational activities at two parishes. In the Krymno Deanery, about 50 children spent two days at a camp held at the church in the village of Dubечno. The organizers prepared team games, relay races, karaoke, and a colorful photo zone for them. The young pilgrims also visited the Peter and Paul Monastery in the village of Svitiaz, attended a church service, took part in a guided tour, and received a blessing from the monastery’s abbot, Archimandrite Arseny.

At St. Nicholas Parish in the village of Voloshky, the rector, Archpriest Vitaly Lashta, opened the “Rays of Kindness” children’s camp, where the children prayed, socialized, and learned to help neighbors.

In the Mukachevo Eparchy, the rector of the Dormition Church of the village of Khmilnyk, Archpriest Bohdan Babynets, organized a children’s camp dedicated to St. John of Shanghai. With the blessing of Metropolitan Feodor of Mukachevo and Uzhhorod, the priest held spiritual and educational talks as well as developmental activities. On the final day of the camp, the children went to confession, received Holy Communion during the Divine Liturgy, and were served a festive meal.

In the Khust Eparchy, the Transfiguration Monastery  in the village of Tereblia hosted children from a war-affected area for a holiday. With the blessing of Metropolitan Mark of Khust and Vynohradiv, the monastery’s abbot, Archimandrite Varlaam, created a warm spiritual atmosphere for the young guests and organized games and discussions. Their stay at the monastery helped the children take their minds off the anxieties of war and experience care and love.

In the Rivne Eparchy, the organizers held the 20th anniversary festival of Sunday schools near the Holy Anna Spring in the village of Onishkivtsi. The large-scale celebration brought together more than 700 participants. The monastery’s sisters, led by Abbess Michaela, prepared a generous feast for the guests, while the organizers presented each child with a gift.

Children from the Sunday school at the Church of Our Lady of Saint Theodore in the village of Koshary, Odesa Eparchy, also attended the festival with the blessing of Metropolitan Agafangel of Odesa and Izmail. The faithful from the Odesa Eparchy brought with them a revered shrine, the Kasperovska Icon of the Mother of God, entrusted to them by Metropolitan Agafangel.

In the Poltava Eparchy, with the blessing of Metropolitan Philip of Poltava and Myrhorod, the clergy organized the “Wave” children’s camp. The organizers held the camp session from August 3 to 9 at the Church of the Nativity of Christ in the city of Zinkiv. Each day, the children took part in sports competitions, helped improve the church grounds, and traveled to the Mhar Transfiguration Monastery for a festive service.

The young believers took part in a procession to the Annunciation Skete and went swimming in the Vorskla River in Opishnia. The organizers concluded the program with a festive charity concert and fair, where participants raised funds for the treatment of children with cancer.

As the UOJ reported, a camp for children with disabilities from 5 regions of the country opened in Starosillia.

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