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Bishop Veniamin urges young people to combine knowledge, character and faith

September 7, 2026 · 1 min read

Bishop Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia issued a message at the start of the 2026–2027 school year to pupils, students, parents, and teachers, urging young people to combine the acquisition of knowledge with character formation and the cultivation of faith, while emphasising that true wisdom has its source in God.

The Bishop of Southern Bessarabia recalled that school is not merely a place where information is acquired, but also an environment where character is formed, and the value of friendship, responsibility, and respect for one’s neighbour is discovered.

Addressing children and young people, the hierarch encouraged them to study diligently and use the gifts they have received from God for good.

“Do not be afraid of hard work or of moments when the path seems more difficult. Patience, perseverance and honest work will bear fruit at the proper time,” Bishop Veniamin emphasised.

His Grace also highlighted the challenges of the digital world and encouraged young people to exercise discernment when choosing the information they consume and the values they follow.

Parents are a child’s first school In his message to parents, the Bishop of Southern Bessarabia…

Source: Basilica News Agency (English) · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (4) 🌐 Show original

Илья Зайцев

He said well about the fact that school is not only information, but also character and respect for one’s neighbor. In our parish in Yaroslavl, we also often talk about this with the guys at meetings. But about the digital world, I wonder what exactly he advised parents, the text breaks off.

Ана Илиевска

Yes, you are right about character and respect for your neighbor, that is the most important thing. Here in Skopje, at the church camp for children, we also tell them that school is not just books. I'm also curious about the digital world - what exactly did he tell parents not to allow them to watch everything or set limits?

سلمى حداد

Yes, talking about how school builds character and respect for neighbors is very important. In Latakia, we tell the children the same idea during weekly prayers, that studying without morals is useless. But I am also curious to know what exactly the bishop advises parents about the digital world. The text is cut off.

Весна Николовска

Yes, Anna, character and respect for one's neighbor are the foundation, without that even knowledge is not worth much. In our camp in Prilep last year we also had a class about the digital world, we told the children not to click on everything that shines. Interesting, what do you think, how much parents in Skopje really control their phones or give up?