Visit by His Eminence Gabriel, Archbishop of Montreal and Canada to the Orthodox youth camp “Ruskoka” and the church in the name of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God “Hodegetria”.translated

The traditional Archpastoral visit to the Orthodox youth camp “Ruskoka” (Bracebridge, Ont.) of the Ruling Bishop of the Canadian Diocese took place on August 5–6, 2026, on the day of remembrance of the holy noble prince-passion-bearers Boris and Gleb.

On August 5 and the morning of the next day, evening services and Divine Liturgy were held in the local church in honor of the holy Royal Passion-Bearer Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich.

Concelebrating with the Ruling Bishop were the clergy of the Holy Trinity Cathedral Church in Toronto, Priest Valentin Losev, who was entrusted with ministry in Ruskok during the youth camp, and the cathedral protodeacon Alexander Morin. The choir sang magnificently under the direction of the regent of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Alexander Pushchin.

The meeting between Archbishop Gabriel and the camp students, counselors and staff was especially meaningful. The conversation touched on the most basic and at the same time important issues of Christian life: what it means to be an Orthodox person, what the Sacrament of Baptism is, how a person comes to faith and how faith should manifest itself in his everyday life.

Addressing the students, Archbishop Gabriel focused on the need for spiritual...