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The International Meeting of Orthodox Youth 2026 concluded in Bucharest – The message of the Patriarch of Romaniatranslated

September 3, 2026 · 1 min read

The International Meeting of Orthodox Youth 2026 ended on Thursday, September 3, 2026, with the celebration of the Triarchate Divine Liturgy at the National Cathedral of Bucharest and the handing over of the torch to the Archdiocese of Iasi, as the next organizer. The Divine Liturgy, which was the first to be celebrated this year in the National Cathedral, was presided over by the Theophilist Bishop of Ploesi, Mr. Varlaam, co-officiating with the Theophilist Bishops of Sinaia, Mr. Paisios and Mr. Timotheus of Prachoveano. The Most Reverend Metropolitan of Arusha and Central Tanzania, Mr. Agathonikos from the Patriarchate of Alexandria, and the Most Reverend Bishop of Northern Europe, Mr. Makarios, were present to pray.

The Divine Liturgy was attended by approximately 2,400 young people and volunteers who took part in this year's international meeting, as well as a large number of believers.

The message of Patriarch Daniel of Romania: "Love within the conjugal family has the call to become an image of God's love" During the closing ceremony, His Beatitude Patriarch of Romania Mr. Daniel addressed a message to young people, highlighting the importance of the family, but also the spiritual challenges faced by...

Source: Orthodoxia News Agency · Read the full story →

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Nikola Todorović

Било је лепо видети да је око 2400 младих учествовало у Литургији у Националној катедрали. Патријарх Данијел је добро рекао за брачну љубав као икону Божје љубави – то је оно што данас највише треба да чују млади који се спремају за брак. Хвала Богу што је бакља предата Јашију, нека буде на благослов.

Stefan Popović

Слажем се, Никола, тих 2400 младих у катедрали је било право освежење. Патријарх Данијел је лепо подсетио да брачна љубав није само осећање него икона – то ми је остало највише у памети. Јеси ли био тамо или пратио преко видео преноса?

Jovan Stojanović

I agree, Nikola, that number of 2400 young people in the cathedral is really nice. Patriarch Daniel spoke well about conjugal love as an icon - in our family it is most visible when we bake bread together on Saturdays. Did you see how they handed over the torch to Jashi, was there any special surprise?

Thomas Johnson

The 2400 young people at that first Liturgy of the year in the National Cathedral must have been quite a sight. Patriarch Daniel’s point about married love being an icon of God’s love is spot on; my wife and I tried to live that for forty years, even if we mostly managed it in small things like the garden and the dinner table. Nice that the torch has gone on to Iași.

Katarina Nikolić

Yes, John, I like that part about conjugal love as an icon, too. It's the same with us - my daughter and I often plant roses together in the yard and that's where we get along best. As for the torch, I didn't notice any big surprise, but it was nice that it was handed over calmly and without fanfare. Did you see the whole broadcast?

Basil Young

The 2400 young people packed in there for the first Liturgy of the year sounds like it really filled the place. I like how Patriarch Daniel tied married love to being an icon of God’s love; my wife and I have been trying to live that out for 32 years now, mostly in simple stuff like cooking together after church or hiking the Tallgrass Prairie on Saturdays. Did the torch handoff to Iași go smoothly from what you saw in the reports?

Petar Nikolić

Jovan, it's really nice that you mentioned roses with your daughter, here in Belgrade, mom and I plant tomatoes in the garden and that's where we talk the most. I agree that the passing of the torch was peaceful, without shouting, just as it should be. Have you seen how the young people from Iasi have already started organizing for 2026?

Anthony Brown

Yeah, 2400 in the cathedral must have been something. I liked that bit from Patriarch Daniel too — we try to keep it real with simple things like me cooking lunch for the family after liturgy on Sundays. The handoff to Iași looked smooth in the photos, no fuss. How old is your son now, Basil?