ACOY Victoria – ‘Let us Attend!’ Spiritual Weekend Retreat 2024
From Friday, November 29, to Sunday, December 1, 2024, ACOY Victoria held its annual Spiritual Weekend Retreat, bringing together over 100 attendees for a weekend of spiritual nourishment and fellowship. This year’s theme was “Let Us Attend! The Holy Things for the Holy People,” centred around the Divine Liturgy, exploring its meaning, history, and necessity in our pursuit of salvation.
In 2024, ACOY Victoria was honoured to welcome His Eminence Metropolitan Basilios as the keynote speaker for the retreat. His Eminence spoke to the youth about the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and emphasised the importance of maintaining reverence towards it. He encouraged attendees to prepare themselves to receive the Body and Blood of Christ, to rise when they fall, and to find hope for forgiveness and strength within the chalice. The youth also had the opportunity to ask His Eminence questions about the Divine Liturgy and other related topics.
Additionally, we were fortunate to have talks from Father Isaac Wehbe, who discussed the history of the Divine Liturgy and the priesthood, and Father Ignatius Hanna, who explained the symbolism within the service. Anthony Kharoufeh returned this year to provide a chanting lesson, which has always been a beloved activity. The retreat was filled with services, activities, and excellent opportunities for our youth to connect with others across the Archdiocese. We hope our youth can carry these lessons with them on their paths to becoming “the Holy People.”
