Patriarch Daniel at the opening of ITO 2026: Being young in the Church means having the courage to confess Christian valuestranslated

"Being young in the Church means above all having the desire and the courage to testify to eternal Christian values in a world fascinated by ephemeral models and values," said His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel on Tuesday, at the opening of the International Meeting of Orthodox Youth (ITO) 2026 in Bucharest.

His Beatitude emphasized that "the young Orthodox lover of God and his fellow men discovers and confesses that the crucified and risen Christ gives people His humble and merciful love, liberating from selfishness and giving peace and joy in the family, in friendship and in the community".

Full text:

We welcome you with joy to the city of joy! The International Meeting of Orthodox Youth, organized in Bucharest, between August 31 and September 3, 2026, brings together participants from different countries and represents an event of communion and Christian joy, of witnessing Orthodox brotherhood, but also a concrete opportunity to intensify the mission of young people in life of the Church today.

The theme of the meeting is Youth, family and life in Christ, the event being organized in the context of the Year of Homage to the Family Pastorate...