Information Service of GATHERING OF THE ORTHODOX YOUTH The 9th gathering of the Orthodox youth "Syndesmos" was held in Belgium from February 21 - 23, 2003. More than 70 Orthodox students from France, Romania, Russia, Germany, Holland and Great Britain participated in this gathering. The President of Syndesmos in Belgium, Bernard Peckstadt welcomed the attendants at the beginning of this meeting and wished them luck on their 40-day travel through Great Desert - as he called the Great Lent - so that at the end of that travel they would welcome with great love the most joyous Christian holiday - Resurrection. The guest of this solemn gathering was Father Gerasim, the founder of the hermitage of Saint Foccas in France, which is under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Father Gerasim continue testifying by his persona l conversion and later on monastic life. After these speeches, the participants separated in three working groups, whose goal was to provoke youth’s will to openly elaborate on their personal impression of fasting and repentance.On Sunday, February 23, 2003, father Dominique Verbeck served the Holy Liturgy and prepared the Holy Gifts for Eucharist in the centre of the Church, so that the gathered youth themselves read the names of their closest ones, both alive and dead. |
