Youth

On the morning of September 10, 2026, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America was greeted by students outside of the St. Demetrios and Greek American School of Astoria. Within the historic St. Demetrios Cathedral, as

When Dia Drossos first stepped foot into the United Nations Headquarters, she felt the gravity of the location, what it stands for, and the important work conducted on its grounds.  “Standing in the U.N. headquarters

After moving to Athens when I was 15, I found myself surrounded by graffiti on a scale I had not seen in New York, covering entire walls of neighborhoods, highways and even monuments. This made

Most Orthodox Christians in America have little experience of martyrdom. Inalienable religious freedom is a given. Almost all believers feel safe parking their cars outside of their churches, hanging crosses around their necks, and speaking

The great and auspicious occasion of America’s 250th anniversary gives us plenty of reasons to celebrate our country’s many proud accomplishments and milestones. It also invites us to honor the many global traditions, peoples, and

For 14-year-old Stephen Mueller, the 2026 junior division champion of the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival, taking gold means much. A rising high school freshman from Greeley, Colorado, Stephen is this year’s junior winner of

As the United States commemorates its 250th anniversary, Orthodox Christians have an opportunity to reflect not only on their history in this nation, but also on their responsibility to prepare future generations to carry the

Faith as a young person in 2026 is complicated: America’s religious and secular attitudes seem to flourish in a paradoxical parallel, Orthodoxy continues to gain visibility as its online popularity grows, and culture continues to

On July 30, the Archon Ecumenical Patriarchate Global Initiative (The Sprouts Program) announced the inaugural Ecumenical Patriarch Poster Contest, inviting Orthodox students ages 5–18 to create original artwork celebrating His All‑Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s 35

Lianna Gourmos, 20 years old, grew up in the exceptional town of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, where she was only around five minutes away from her Greek Orthodox church. The church has always been something

CLEVELAND, Ohio–During a joint session of the 48th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress and the 2026 National Young Adult League (YAL) Conference on July 2, National YAL leaders brought together clergy, lay leaders, and young adults for a collaborative

With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros, the Archdiocese District Summer Camping Ministry, Camp Saint Paul 2026 joyfully completed five transformative weeks of Orthodox Christian fellowship, worship, and spiritual formation under this year’s theme,

NEW YORK, NEW YORK—On Friday, July 17, 2026, ahead of the final match of the World Cup, several Girl Delegates and Girl Delegate alumni of the GOA’s UN Girl Delegate Program participated in a day-long

CLEVELAND, OHIO—With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, the 2026 National Young Adult League (YAL) Conference was held July 1–5, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio, hosted by His Eminence Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s Program for Girl Delegates to the United Nations is seeking passionate, motivated, and committed high school students ages 15 & up who are eager to engage in global diplomacy, advocate

Filled with prayer, learning, fellowship, and joyful celebration, the second full day of the 2026 National Young Adult League (YAL) Conference proved to be a truly memorable day in Cleveland, OH. The day’s schedule included

The first full day of the 2026 National Young Adult League (YAL) Conference began with an Opening Breakfast and Ceremony, featuring welcoming remarks from Conference Chairman, John Panos, and His Grace Bishop Nektarios of Diokleia,

On July 2nd, Eva Konstantakos, National Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries (Y2AM); John Panos, Chair of the 2026 National Young Adult League Conference; and Lenie Tsakonas, National Chair of the Young Adult League

During the 2026 Clergy-Laity workshop which focused on integrating and expanding youth involvement—”From Pew to Purpose: Building Pathways for our Youth to Serve, Belong and Lead”—speakers led an interactive conversation between audience members and panelists.

At the 2026 Clergy-Laity Congress, the Department of Religious Education (DRE) presented two sessions showcasing tools and resources it provides, as well as a first look at the Archdiocese’s new K-12 religious education curriculum. At

The Archon Sprout Program, which introduces Orthodox Christian children to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, is now officially bilingual, and much more is to come. The Sprouts Program Committee, which is chaired by Archons Nick Tranto and

The National Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Oratorical Festival Finals were held June 13–14, 2026, at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Northridge, California, bringing together young students from across the country for a weekend

On June 7, 2026, Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church of Orange, Connecticut enthusiastically awarded $70,000 in scholarships to thirty-nine parishioners pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees. The awards were presented during the parish’s annual Scholarship Awards

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco, the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco Young Adult League (YAL) is pleased to announce the 2026 YAL Conference, taking place over Labor Day