ROYA Congress 2021
November 19-21
On Friday, November 19th, Romanian Orthodox Youth from across Canada met at the annual ROYA (Romanian Orthodox Youth of the Americas) Congress. This year, due to obstacles in crossing the US-Canada border, the event was held both in Canada at the Valley of the Mother of God Christian Retreat Centre and in Michigan at Protection of the Mother of God Monastery. The 23 ROYA members present in Canada had the blessing of being joined by His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian, Father Policarp and Sister Ana. The youth spent two days full of spiritual peace and joy, deepened their understanding of Orthodoxy, attended services and bonded together.
The first part of the congress was held Saturday morning on zoom with His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, Protosincel Hrisostom Ciuciu from Putna Monastery and our US ROYA members. It consisted of the annual parish reports and discussions on the issues facing our youth today, our shortcomings as an organization and strategies towards growing and strengthening our presence in parishes.
After lunch, the Canadian and American youth once again met for the second part of the congress, to hear Fr. Hrisostom’s discussion on our identity. Our members found much needed clarity and insight on this question that we have all faced as Romanian immigrants and as Orthodox Christians living in a secular society. Fr. Hrisostom called us to remain faithful to the precious Orthodox faith we have inherited from our ancestors and to bear witness to Christ anywhere we might find ourselves. After a break and some free time outside, the third and final meeting of the congress gave participants the opportunity to ask questions to HEm Nicolae and HG Ioan Casian and Fr. Hrisostom, on the topics previously discussed and to shape a clearer vision for ROYA’s future.
Saturday evening, after a long day of conferences and discussions, the youth attended the Vesper service for the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple at Holy Cross Romanian Orthodox Monastery, and then returned to the retreat centre to end the day singing carols around the campfire. On Sunday morning, our members chanted at the Hierarchical Liturgy in the presence of HG Bishop Ioan Casian, who gave a wonderful and profound sermon on the topic of the feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God and its symbolic calling towards the youth.
The ROYA Board would like to express their gratitude for the precious time His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian and Father Hrisostom chose to spend with us at our congress and for their spiritually uplifting words of wisdom. We also wish to personally thank Mrs. Carmen Ognean for her invaluable support and advice in planning this short retreat as well as Fr. Dragoș Giulea, Fr. Viorel Țencaliuc, Fr. Emanuel Țencaliuc, Fr. Policarp, and Sister Ana for their prayerful presence.
Glory to God for all things!
(notes by Stefan Geleriu)
