Diocese of the West Hosts Youth Social in San Francisco
Northern California young adults gathered in San Francisco for prayer, fellowship, and renewed efforts to strengthen Orthodox community life.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Young adults from across Northern California gathered on May 2, 2026, at Holy Trinity Cathedral for Great Vespers followed by a social designed to foster fellowship and community among roughly 50 participants. The evening brought together attendees from cities including Chico, Reno, and Santa Cruz.
The gathering took place after repeated requests from participants at the Diocese’s Young Adult Summit earlier in the year for more in-person opportunities. “To look around the room and see connections being made and laughter shared brings me so much joy and anticipation for the relationships we are nurturing among this age group,” said Brittany Yeager, project manager of the Thriving Parishes Project.
Archpriest Kirill Sokolov addressed participants, encouraging feedback on how the Diocese might better support young adults, including in the context of emerging challenges such as artificial intelligence. He emphasized the importance of human dignity and faith formation, while camp leader Andrew Pickering invited attendees to support regional youth camp efforts this summer.
Previously, the UOJ reported that Orthodox Young Adults united in the nation’s capital for the 2025 Connect Conference.
