The Department of Religious Education (DRE) of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, with the blessing of Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, announced that the Metropolis of New Jersey will host the 39th Annual St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival Nationals at the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Clifton, NJ, on the weekend of June 9 to 11, 2023.
This year’s Archdiocesan Chairperson is once again Katherine Orfanakos Demacopoulos. The topics for the Senior and Junior Divisions are now officially launched (see below).
The St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival is a national program of the DRE where Orthodox youth present speeches discussing the Greek Orthodox faith and the Church. Youth get to explore and deepen their faith and hone their speech writing and public speaking skills. They can also earn an award and possibly a scholarship at the Nationals. The Oratorical Festival centers around faith, education, and fellowship.
HOW IT WORKS:
The Oratorical Festival is divided into the Senior Division (grades 10-12) and Junior Division. (grades 7-9). The participants start at the parish level, proceed to the district or metropolis level, and then two finalists representing each Metropolis of the Archdiocese proceed to the national finals.
AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS:
Participants at the National Finals receive awards from the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival Scholarship Fund, ranging from $500 to $2000, the Faith Endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism Scholarships, and the Chrysostom Scholarship Program of Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.
Awards are made possible by supporters who generously donate across America. One of the Oratorical Festival’s most faithful and long-serving sponsors is the FAITH Endowment, and the DRE is truly grateful for its generosity.
TOPICS:
Check out the 2023 Senior and Junior Divisions topics:
REGISTER:
Register for the Oratorical Festival as a parish chairperson or a participant today at: www.goarch.org/-/st-john-chrysostom-oratorical-festival-forms-and-registration
MANUAL:
Instructions, materials, and other information for organizing an Oratorical Festival for your parish can be found in this manual:
SUBSCRIBE:
The “Topics, Tips and Resources” will be released in October 2022. To find out first, simply subscribe to all things Oratorical Festival at our new email subscription service: www.goarch.org/departments/religioused/lists
Have questions? Kindly contact:
Department of Religious Education
Email: oratorical@goarch.org | Toll-free: 800-566-1088
Instagram, Facebook: @goarchORATORICAL | Twitter: @SJCOF
religioused.goarch.org
