Over 300 young men and women, the youth of Orthodoxy in the Holy Diocese of Chora, Victoria, gathered at the Holy Monastery of Panagia ‘Axion Esti’ in Northcote, on Friday.

The Melbourne youth gathered to participate in the three-day Youth Conference held from August 16 to 18 under the theme: “Are We Ready for the Future?”

This year’s Youth Conference coincided with the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Orthodox Church in Australia,

The conference was inaugurated by Makarios of Australia, in the presence of Bishops Kyriakos of Melbourne and Eumenios of Chora, along with many clergy from the two dioceses of Victoria.

The event was also attended by the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Emmanuel Kakavelakis, and Federal MP Maria Vamvakinou, representing Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Archbishop Makarios’ keynote address included reflections on the challenges facing the Christian faithful of the fifth continent as they embark on the next century.

“The mission of the Church through the ages has always been to spread the eternal truth, which is Christ,” he said urging the young attendees to move forward with a spirit of unity within the Church, reminding them of St. John Chrysostom’s words: “The Church is not a wall and a roof, but faith and a way of life.”

The Archbishop offered timely and instructive advice to the youth, giving them paternal counsel for their continued spiritual growth.

He encouraged them to “replace futile worldly concerns and habits with spiritually beneficial activities”, such as reading the lives of the Saints, particularly those who have been recently canonise.

“Read about these people,” he said, “and see what made them stand out. How did they withstand the pressures of this world? How did they think and react? What advice did they give to people with problems like ours who sought them out? We are fortunate to live in a time where we have access to so much information. We can read the smallest details about these modern saints. We can see their spirit, get to know their unique personalities, and understand how they transformed their lives into lives in Christ.”