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YOUNG ADULTS (Cont'd from front page)
 The Conferees enjoyed several events
throughout the weekend including a Vesper Service at Holy
Trinity Church [San Francisco]; a festive catered evening
at the Steinhart Aquarium in Golden Gate Park; the
Hierarchial Divine Liturgy and Greek Festival at the host
parish of Holy Cross Church [Belmont, CA,] Grand Banquet,
and an optional bus tour of three
Sonoma Valley wineries with lunch on Monday, September
4th.
The Host Committee extends a special thank you to:
Metropolitan Anthony, Bishop Anthimos, the Diocese of San
Francisco, Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis, Rev. Peter Salmas
& Rev. Christopher Flesoras [Host Clergy,] John Buzas,
Esq., Dio Stefanopoulos [Conference Logo,] and all the
Clergy and Scholars who volunteered to serve as Workshop
Leaders.
The Host Committee was: Mike Aretakis, Melissa Bazos, Mike
Daskalopoulos, Semele Halkedis, Dena Kotsopoulos, Matia
Magoulias, Tom Mavrakakis, Maria Papajohn, and Steven
Counelis.
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Ecumenical Patriarchate Hosts First Orthodox International Youth Conference
-- By Mary Tsagaris
 his summer, I was very fortunate to have the
opportunity to visit Constantinople. I was one of ten young adults from the
Diocese of San Francisco invited to attend the International Youth
Conference at the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Four of these participants;
Justin Kyriacou, Dean Tsagaris, Dio Stefanopoulos, and myself are members of
the Annunciation Cathedral in San Francisco.
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Patriarch Bartholomew and
Conference participants. |
"The Youth in the Church of the Third Millennium" was the theme of the first international conference. A wonderful itinerary was planned for more than 500 young participants representing more than 30 countries. Liturgies, guest speakers, dinners, entertainment and tours of many historical sites and museums of our Orthodox Faith were all compliments of the Patriarchate.
The Sunday of the Pentecost was a spiritual day for my Orthodox friends and me. Hundreds of Orthodox Christians came together in worship for Divine Liturgy at St. George at the Phanar. It was a beautiful liturgy celebrated by our Ecumenical Patriarch, along with many other hierarchs, priests and deacons.
The conference began Sunday evening. In his keynote address, His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew said "... The Mother Church, the Holy and Great Church of Christ, is as new today as it was nearly twenty centuries ago. All the years that have elapsed have not weighed down her youthfulness by all the elements that time adds to the corruptible human body. Why? Because her nature is spiritual; and the provider of her youthfulness is our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ "is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hb. 13:8). Although the Ancient of Days, He is eternally new, tireless and indomitable. He works unceasingly for the salvation of a disobedient world as One whose love never fails but is ever living, active and salvific. ..."
Some of the issues that were addressed by distinguished speakers from around the world were; language in the Church today, unemployment, monasticism, ecology, war and AIDS. "The relations of the two genders" was the topic of Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis, of Holy Cross School of Theology in Boston, Massachusetts. Fr. Anastasios Bourantas, the Archdiocesan Youth Director, spoke on "The experiences of young people as members of the Orthodox Diaspora." Many of the young participants had a chance to share views and interests, as well as inquire more about the Church’s view on these topics.
Our tours included a visit to the holy and historical Orthodox sites in Nicea, a boat trip down the Bosphorus, the magnificent Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, the Monastery of Chora, the Zoodochos Peghe and the Bazaar.
Before we left, we had a chance to give our respects to our blessed Ecumenical Patriarch. His warmth and humility left an enduring impression on us.
Overall, this awesome experience has left a tremendous impact on me. I have now discovered an untrodden compassion for our "Mother Church".
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