UOC holds Western European youth forum in Greece

Orthodox youth in Greece. Photo: Facebook of the UOC Western European Vicariate

The fourth gathering of Ukrainian Orthodox youth from Western Europe took place in Greece from August 31 to September 3, 2026. The event was held with the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, according to the Facebook page of the Western European Vicariate.

Young people from Ukrainian Orthodox Church parishes abroad attended the forum. At the opening of the gathering, a message of greeting from the UOC Primate was read to the participants. Metropolitan Onuphry told the young Orthodox Ukrainians that each of them is a faithful child of the Ukrainian Church and a representative of the Ukrainian people. He urged them not to forget their brothers and sisters who remain in Ukraine and to pray for an end to the bloodshed and the coming of peace.

As part of the forum, the young people visited Thessaloniki, where they venerated the relics of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki; the Monastery of St. John the Theologian in Souroti, where they prayed at the grave of St. Paisios of Mount Athos; and the Elpida Orthodox lay brotherhood. Participants also attended lectures and joined priests in discussions about the challenges facing young people today.

As the UOJ reported, an Orthodox youth forum attended by 2,400 participants was held in Bucharest.

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