2,400 Orthodox Youth Gather for Final ITO 2026 Liturgy

BUCHAREST, ROMANIA — The International Meeting of Orthodox Youth (ITO) 2026 concluded Thursday at Romania’s National Cathedral with the celebration of the Holy Liturgy and the ceremonial handover of the meeting’s torch to the Archdiocese of Iași, which will host the next gathering in 2028. Some 2,400 young participants and volunteers from Romania, the diaspora, and other Orthodox Churches took part in the final service, the first Liturgy celebrated at the National Cathedral this year.

Addressing the young people, Patr. Daniel emphasized the central place of Christian family life, describing the family as a gift from God. “The entire conjugal family, made up of man, woman, and children, is a blessing and a benefit from God for the Church, the nation, and humanity,” he said. He warned that the family is facing a spiritual crisis rooted in the loss of the sacred meaning of life and sacrificial love.

“Materialistic individualism and the pride of selfish freedom prevent both the affirmation of human life as an existence in communion and solidarity, and the affirmation of the holy vocation of the family as a medium of spiritual life and salvation,” Patr. Daniel said. He added that “the love in the conjugal family has the vocation to be in the world an icon of God's love for humanity and an icon of the eternal love of the Holy Trinity.”

The Patriarch also connected the Christian family with the life of the Church, saying that “it is necessary to reaffirm the importance of the conjugal family and its connection with the ecclesial family or the Eucharistic community, based on the communion of people with God.” He urged Orthodox families to participate actively in parish life and emphasized the importance of prayer, Christian community, and cooperation in raising children.

The closing ceremony followed a Procession of Lights held Wednesday evening, when the 2,400 young participants walked from the National Cathedral to the historic Patriarchal Cathedral carrying candles and flags. Patr. Daniel welcomed them there and offered a prayer asking Christ to bless and guide the young generation. “Direct, Lord, the youth and illuminate with Your holy light the lives of the young people in Your Holy Church,” he prayed.

He further asked God to strengthen families and those responsible for educating young people, praying, “Increase their love for their parents and their parents for them. Increase their zeal for books, their respect and gratitude for their teachers.” He concluded by asking that the young people become “faithful and wise, diligent and generous, kind and honest, merciful and courageous, to the glory of the Most Holy Trinity.”

During Thursday’s closing ceremony, the torch was handed from the Archdiocese of Bucharest to representatives of the Archdiocese of Iași. Young adults Daniel Cristian Lupu and Teodora Bratu represented the Bucharest gathering, while Andrei Pohrib and Maria Stella Pascal received the torch on behalf of Iași. Pohrib said he hoped participants would remember ITO 2026 as a moment when they “gained a new meaning, a new direction and understood that one can live beautifully, Christianly in the Church.” He invited young people to ITO Iași 2028.

The Romanian Patriarchate thanked the institutions and individuals who supported the international gathering. The event brought together Orthodox youth around prayer, fellowship, and reflection on Christian family and life, concluding with the symbolic transfer of responsibility to the Archdiocese of Iași.

Previously, the UOJ reported that the Ecumenical Patriarchate canonized six Athonite elders, including four Romanians.