Patriarch John X received the participants of the General Conference of the Orthodox Youth Movement at the Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand.
Following the Vespers service, His Beatitude addressed the participants, calling on them to let Christianity be their live state of being amidst the pressures of life. He emphasized the centrality of prayer and spiritual vigilance on the journey toward self-knowledge, purification, illumination, and ultimately, sanctification.
On organizational matters, His Beatitude warned against stagnating within rigid “institutional” molds, urging them: “O members of the Movement, be true to the Movement, drawing inspiration from the flame of the early pioneers who came before you.” He concluded by affirming the unity of the ecclesial body, calling on them to reject individualism and hold fast to solidarity, attentive listening, and mutual trust.
