Day 2 of the 14th All Diaspora Youth Conference

Stuttgart, Germany

The day started with His Excellency Bishop Job lectured on the challenges of preserving our Orthodox identity. His Excellency emphasized that belonging to groups can provide a sense of belonging. As Christians, however, we need to be aware of the that true freedom comes from believing in Jesus Christ. Therefore, we need to maintain a balance between our Christian Orthodox identity and our cultural identity, all the while focusing on Jesus Christ.

Next, Fr. Patrick Hinds delivered a talk on his path to Orthodoxy. Fr. Patrick described his journey from Islam, to Protestantism, and eventually to Orthodoxy. Fr. Patrick emphasized that Orthodox Identity is about acquiring the Holy Spirit and striving for holiness and love. He also cautioned against falling into extreme nationalism and to not forget the universal mission of the church.

V. Reverend Father Ilya Limberger delivered the last presentation of the day. Fr. Ilya talked about his family upbringing and how it affected his life as an orthodox priest.

After dinner, the youth congratulated His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas on the 10th anniversary of his episcopal ordination via Zoom. The day ended with a grand ball featuring both modern and traditional music and dances.