Patriarch of Romania honors institutions and individuals who supported Orthodox Youth Meeting 2026

Patriarch Daniel of Romania honored institutions and individuals who contributed to the organization of the 2026 International Meeting of Orthodox Youth (ITO) during a ceremony at the Patriarchal Palace on Thursday.

The Patriarch thanked all those involved in the event and highlighted the effective cooperation between public institutions and the Romanian Orthodox Church.

“We thank those who helped us, and we hope for continued cooperation whenever there is a need to organize events that are useful and full of blessing and joy for the Church and society,” Patriarch Daniel said.

He also expressed hope that a future Orthodox youth gathering in Bucharest could be hosted at the planned Saint Elijah the Tishbite Youth Center in Pantelimon, which is to be built with European funding.

“This project, supported by European funds, is very important because young people are not only the future of society and the Church; they are the bright present of today,” the Patriarch said.

“Youth is not determined by biological age, but by the enthusiasm and joy with which someone lives their life and remains active in the family, religious community, Church, society and the life of the…