On Saturday, Patriarch Daniel of Romania sent a message at the official opening of the Orthodox Youth Meeting of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, held in Ploiești on July 5-8.
The message was read by Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești.
“I urge you to keep your faith and moral values, to be living examples and true witnesses of the Gospel of Christ’s merciful love for all people through word and deed. In a society that aims to be global but is often marked by selfishness and superficiality, you can show that a life lived with God is full of meaning and beauty,” the Patriarch noted in his message to the youth.
Read below the full message of Patriarch Daniel of Romania:
The Youth of the Church – A Source of Hope and Witnesses of Joy in Christ
Most Reverend and Honourable Fathers,Esteemed Representatives of Local Authorities,
Dear Young People,
With great joy, we appreciate your presence these days in the city of Ploiești at the Orthodox Youth Meeting of the Archdiocese of Bucharest. Every such gathering of young people carries within it a search for communion and a sharing of the joy of faith in Christ.
The peace and serenity visible on your faces strengthen our conviction that you are the present and future of our Church; you are God’s gift to family and society; you are the voice that will testify to the Gospel of Christ, the mind that will meet the concrete needs of local communities, and the heart that will warm a world increasingly agitated, greedy for possession, and stuck in its own rights.
Youth is a period of searching, forming, and defining your identity. A unique identity, but which, lost and found in Christ, comes to transform the surrounding world through the shared values of faith in the Lord Christ. In this search, the Church wants to be by your side and offer you the support and guidance necessary to cultivate human dignity and a healthy life.
We are going through complex times, full of challenges that, through faith and prayer, can be transformed into opportunities. Today, probably more than ever, the Church needs young people to live and testify to the Gospel of Christ. In a world marked by rapid changes and diverse influences, increasingly devoid of ideals, peace, and joy, the Church remains a stable landmark, a place of refuge, and a discovery of God’s truth, peace, and love.
Each of you has been blessed with unique gifts, received to share with those around you. Therefore, you are called to be and to share light in the world, to cultivate and value these gifts for your own good and that of the community. You are also called to be actively involved in the life of the Church, to participate in divine services, community activities, and various social projects. Thus, you will gradually discover how deep and fulfilling life lived in communion with God, and your neighbour can be.
We urge you to maintain your faith and moral values, to be living examples and authentic witnesses of the Gospel of Christ’s merciful love for all people through word and deed. In a society that aims to be global but is often marked by selfishness and superficiality, you can show that a life lived with God is full of meaning and beauty.
Do not forget that the Church is your spiritual family, called to protect innocence, sincerity, courage, the desire for renewal, and all the values of this age blessed by God. Here, you will always find support, understanding, and love. Pray, read the Holy Scriptures, participate in the prayers of the Church, and draw near to Christ, allowing Him to guide your steps. Today, when our minds are increasingly scattered on screens, which agitate and tire us, we advise you to devote some of your time to prayer. Short and more frequent prayer is a source of spiritual strength, peace, and love.
Your participation in the volunteer activities of the Archdiocese of Bucharest is particularly valuable. Through these activities, not only do you help those in need, but you also enrich your soul and form yourselves as people of love and compassion. Volunteering allows you to put Christ’s teachings into practice, to become His outstretched hands towards our fellow humans. By continuing to be active, you will discover that true happiness is found in offering and serving.
We invite you, therefore, to remain present in the Church’s activities and to participate in the events occasioned by the declaration of 2025 in the Romanian Patriarchate as the Solemn Year of the Centennial of the Romanian Patriarchate and the Commemorative Year of Romanian Orthodox Spiritual Fathers and Confessors of the 20th Century, among which the International Orthodox Youth Meeting in Bucharest will hold a particular place.
Every act of kindness, every moment spent serving others, and every act of volunteering counts immensely. Through the youth programs organized by the Archdiocese of Bucharest – camps, pilgrimages, processions, and many social activities developed in parishes – young people have the chance to cultivate self-confidence and, in others, respect and love for people and nature, consolidating their life of communion, Christian solidarity, friendship, belonging, and respect for the Church, national identity and dignity in international dialogue.
In conclusion, we embrace you all with fatherly love and pray that Christ the Lord will enlighten your minds and hearts, guide you in all good deeds, and grant you His holy joy and peace.
We congratulate the organizers and bless all participants in the Orthodox Youth Meeting of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, wishing you all health, joy, peace, and much help from God!
With paternal blessings,
† Daniel
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church
Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro / Raluca-Emanuela Ene
Source: basilica.ro
