“Remain in the Church. Because when one says, “I am in the Church” it means “I am in the harbour”. And when one is in the harbor, there are no shipwrecks. Therefore, whatever happens in your life, stay close to the Church. And create beautiful Christian families, because that’s what society needs and that’s what we expect from you.” This was one of the paternal exhortations addressed, with much affection and love, by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia towards the youth of the Holy Diocese of Adelaide.
His Eminence had the opportunity to communicate with the Orthodox Youth of South Australia during their Youth Conference, which took place on Saturday, 20 July 2024, in the “city of churches” and specifically at the premises of the Church of Prophet Elias in the suburb of Norwood. Also present were the newly elected Bishop of Adelaide, His Grace Bishop Silouan, and the holy Clergy who minister in South Australia.
The Youth Conference, which attracted over two hundred participants, provided a platform for interesting presentations and spiritually beneficial discussions among the youth. His Eminence provided certain stimuli for further fruitful discussion from within his keynote address, who quoted: “The Church is not a place where we simply learn about God. The Church is not a place where we believe in certain ideas or philosophies.
The Church is the place where we develop a personal relationship with that particular Person, Jesus Christ, who is our prototype, who is real to us, and we love him. We know Him and experience His existence through the Sacred Mysteries and generally through the life of the Church. This is very important to comprehend, because if we think of the Church as anything else, we will not be able to withstand the difficulties in our lives or face the many challenges that will come our way.”
At another point in His address, His Eminence urged the youth to cultivate a personal and constant relationship with Christ, assuring them that they would then find rest from His living presence in their lives. “Let us place Christ in everything we do,” he emphasised and continued: “Not only when we say a few prayers at the beginning or end of the day, or once a week when we go to Church on Sunday morning. But every day, in everything we do, in every situation we experience, in our successes and failures, in the good times and the not so good times. Remember Christ! Put Christ in your heart and mind. Make Him your priority.”
Having completed his address, Archbishop Makarios made a final request of the youth: May you continue to communicate with each other after the end of the Conference, but not only through the internet and social media, but in life and – above all other ways – through prayer. His Eminence promised them, in closing, that he himself would continue to pray for them and asked the same for them.
