Message from the Patriarch of Romania at the opening of the meeting of young Orthodox people in Ploiești

The youth of the Church – source of hope and witnesses of joy in Christ
Very Reverend and Honorable Fathers,

Dear representatives of local authorities,

Dear young people,

It is with great joy that we appreciate your presence these days in the city of Ploiești at the Meeting of Orthodox Youth of the Archdiocese of Bucharest. Every gathering of young people of this kind carries within it a search for communion and a sharing of the joy of faith in Christ.

The peace and serenity visible on your faces strengthen our conviction that you are the present and the future of our Church; you are God’s gift to the family and to society; you are the voice that will bear witness to the Gospel of Christ, the spirit that will respond to the concrete needs of local communities and the heart that will warm a world that is increasingly restless, greedy for possessions and stuck in its own rights.

Youth is a time of searching, forming and defining your identity. A unique identity, but one that, lost and found again in Christ, comes to transform the world around you through the shared values ​​of faith in Christ the Lord. In this search, the Church wants to be at your side and offer you the support and accompaniment necessary to cultivate human dignity and a healthy life.

We are living in a complex time, full of challenges that, through faith and prayer, can be transformed into opportunities. Today, perhaps more than ever, the Church needs young people to live and bear witness to the Gospel of Christ. In a world marked by rapid changes and diverse influences, increasingly devoid of ideals, peace and joy, the Church remains a stable point of reference, a place of refuge and discovery of the truth, peace and love of God.

Each of you has been given unique gifts, which you have received to share with those around you. This is why you are called to be and share light in the world, to cultivate and enhance these gifts for your own good and that of the community. You are also called to be actively involved in the life of the Church, to participate in divine services, community activities and various social projects. In this way, you will gradually discover how profound and enriching a life lived in communion with God and with your neighbor can be.

We invite you to keep faith and moral values, to be living examples and authentic witnesses of the Gospel of Christ’s merciful love for all men, by your words and deeds. In a society that wants to be global but is often marked by selfishness and superficiality, you can show that a life lived with God is full of meaning and beauty.

Remember that the Church is your spiritual family, called to protect innocence, sincerity, courage, the desire for renewal and all the values ​​of this time blessed by God. You will always find support, understanding and love there. Pray, read the Holy Scriptures, participate in the prayers of the Church and draw closer to Christ, letting yourself be guided by Him. Today, when our minds are increasingly scattered on screens that agitate and tire us, we advise you to dedicate some of your time to prayer. A brief and more frequent prayer is a source of spiritual strength, peace and love.

Your participation in the volunteer activities of the Archdiocese of Bucharest is particularly valuable. Through these activities, you not only help those in need, but you also enrich your soul and form yourself into people of love and compassion. Volunteering allows you to put into practice the teachings of Christ, to become his hands extended to our fellow men. By continuing to be active, you will discover that true happiness is found in offering and service.

We therefore invite you to remain present in the activities of the Church and to participate in the events occasioned by the declaration of 2025 in the Romanian Patriarchate as the Solemn Year of the Centenary of the Romanian Patriarchate and the Commemorative Year of the Romanian Orthodox Spiritual Fathers and Confessors of the 20th Century, among which the International Meeting of Orthodox Youth in Bucharest will occupy a special place.

Every act of kindness, every moment spent in the service of others and every act of volunteering counts enormously. Thanks to the youth programs organized by the Archdiocese of Bucharest – camps, pilgrimages, processions and numerous social activities developed in the parishes – young people have the opportunity to cultivate self-confidence and, in others, respect and love for people and nature, consolidating their life of communion, Christian solidarity, friendship, belonging and respect for the Church, national identity and dignity in international dialogue.

In conclusion, we embrace you all with fatherly love and pray that Christ the Lord may enlighten your minds and hearts, guide you in all good deeds and grant you his holy joy and peace.

We congratulate the organizers and bless all participants of the Meeting of Orthodox Youth of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, wishing you all health, joy, peace and much help from God!

With fatherly blessing,

† Daniel
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church