38th Russian Orthodox Youth Conference--Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

The Annual Russian Orthodox Youth Conference was held in Melbourne on 19-23 December, in which close to 160 hundred people participated. As has been the custom, the Conference began with registration and a service of supplication in the late afternoon of 19 December. It was
conducted by Father Alexander Morozov and protodeacon Basil Yakimov (both from Canberra). Each day was planned successfully--with each day beginning and ending with prayer. His Eminence Archbishop Hilarion gave the opening greeting and dwelled on the dictionary meaning of the Conference theme, especially the word "Jaded". Usually there were two lectures per day with discussions, with videos, workshops and sport activities as well.

Mrs. M. Pervushin and her handful of colleagues always prepared the best and tastiest Lenten meals that all enjoyed, and at the last meal at the Conferees all sang Many Years to all who supported and made this Conference memorable.

The Archbishop and the clergy were always available for individual discussions with any youth at the Conference, they also took the opportunity to discuss diocesan matters and get caught up with each other. The conference had a family atmosphere and all participants benefited from
being at and partaking in the Conference. All prayers and Church services conducted at the Conference were in English and Church Slavonic and youth came from almost all our parishes in Australia and New Zealand--a very representative Youth “Syezd.”

Church services--On the day of the Feast of St. Nicholas, Liturgy for Saint Nicholas was served at the Protection of the Holy Virgin Cathedral in Melbourne by Protopriests Nikolai Karipoff and Nickolai Dalinkevich, Priest Boris Ignativesky with Protodeacon Basil and Deacon Alexander Abramov. There were many communicants. St Nicholas is the patron saint of the two Father Nikolais and many of the parishioners for whom Many Years were sung and Father Boris (who began his deaconate service in this church) congratulated the two fathers and all who on this day were celebrating the feast day of their patron saint. The choir was energized by many of the youth who had also attended the Vigil the night before. At the festive lunch at the church hall, the Protodeacon on behalf of the Church Warden and all present, congratulated the two fathers with their namesdays and wished them all that is good, and spiritual and physical strength to continue their service in the Church. Presents were given by the Parish Council and Sisterhood.
Suggestions were made about how we should gather and proceed after the prayer to the venue of this year's Conference. (In the meantime his Eminence Archbishop Hilarion was in Brisbane where he served at the feast day of St. Nicholas Cathedral–the oldest church in our diocese. Vladyka came to the Conference with Father Gabriel very early in the morning of the 20thDecember.

Saturday, 21 December--After the lecture and following discussion, everyone returned to church at 5 p.m., where the prayer rule before Holy Communion was read in the Chapel while three priests heard Confession. All-vight vigil was served by Father Alexander Morozov and Protodeacon Basil Yakimov on Saturday, and the next morning His Eminence Archbishop Hilarion was met by all the gathered clergy at 8:00 a.m. Liturgy was led by Archbishop Hilarion, along with Archimandrite Alexis, Protopriests Nikolai Karipoff, Gabriel Makaroff, Alexander Morozov, Nickolai Dalinkevich, Peter Sheko and Priest Simon Kichakov and Hieromonk John McPherson, and Protodeacon Basil Yakimov.

After the reading of the Gospel, Father Hieromonk John gave a very succinct sermon, not only on the Gospel and Apostle readings, but on the theme of the Conference. Titled "Tackling our Jaded and Apathetic State," he encouraged us all to be part of the Living Church by participating as Christians fully in our parishes and always keep before us the struggle of the Holy Fathers in their lifetimes, so that they could be forever with our Lord Jesus Christ in the Heavenly Church. These saints should be our daily heroes that we should aspire to emulate, for we, too, seek the Kingdom of God.

During liturgy, almost all the worshipers partook of Holy Communion. United church prayer and the partaking of the Mysteries has always been a very important part of these Conferences, since they give the participants a living Mysterious sense of communion with the one Body of Christ. The church choir consisted of the “mighty” youth and was led by the “vitiaz” Andrei Lapteff. (In the Melbourne Cathedral, Father Boris Ignatievsky with Deacon Alexander Abramov served the Vigil and Liturgy.

Venue--Campaspe Downs Country Resort is a group accommodation facility, located on the outskirts of the Macedon Ranges (7 km. from Kyneton) and only an hour's drive (85 km) from Melbourne, and 45 minutes from Tullamarine (Melbourne) Airport. It is set on 160 acres (64 ha.) of natural secluded bushland and surrounded by fresh country air. Natural features include undulating open bushland, river frontage, and a large recreational lake (with canoes!), adjacent to farmland. During the Conference, most of our young people participated in volleyball games, played tennis, used the large swimming pool, fox rides and some of the clergy also enjoyed the fresh air by taking long walks. There was something for everyone.

Lectures: Archbishop Hilarion presented a very interesting lecture titled “A Defense of Icons,” on the reasons we have icons and how to address other religions that don't reverence Icons. Vladyka had obviously read quite a lot of literature about the sects of today that blaspheme
against the Mother of God and the Saints as depicted on icons, through which we reverence them.

Fr. Gabriel Makaroff talked about making faith relevant in every aspect of our day-to-day lives and how to live a practical Orthodox life in a lecture titled “Orthodox Life in Practice.” Father gave very good examples of how our day should begin, how we as Christians should act: in restaurants, school or the workplace. Father also gave an account of a life of an exceptional pastor, Rev. Fr. Rostilav Gan, who indeed had a very a great spiritual influence not only in Cabramatta, but in many places in China and throughout the Diaspora. Indeed, Father Rostislav was an ascetic, learned priest who today through his spiritual children--some of our present-day priests like Fathers Gabriel and Nicholas Karipoff--continues to influence and enrich spiritually all of us in our Church in Australia.

What can we learn from the history of our Archdiocese? Fr Michael Protopopov examined the past to try and see what the future may hold for our Archdiocese. Father Michael examined how the various migration of Russians assimilated within existing Russian communities--what interaction and difficulties each of the migration waves experienced, and what we all should do, ideally, in welcoming new arrivals to our existing communities.
Fr. Alexis Rosentool discussed in some detail the 21st century information overload and its effects on our spirituality. An experienced monastic and spiritual father who presented the situation from the perspective of one that is not an active member of the world but one nonetheless who is knowledgeable about aspects of our history beginning with the great Greek philosophers of antiquity to the present “IT overload.” He spoke of how we should differentiate between information that is positive and welcome to our growth as intelligent servants of the Almighty, and the nonsense that is sometimes presented indeed in very astute and colorful way.

Monk Sergius (Shatrov) gave a detailed history of monasticism and how we should understand monasticism from the perspective of contemporary society.

“Salvation Today,” was a discussion of the inner workings of salvation and what is needed for salvation presented by Fr. Peter Sheko, previously the pastor of Cabramatta, and now one of the clerics of the Holy Protection Cathedral in Melbourne. This lecture was “to the point,” and Father presented quite a number of quotes from the Holy Fathers to illustrate the points that he emphasized. It is hoped that the youth of today could digest spiritually what is indeed needed for our salvation.

“A History of Russian Youth in Australia,” was read by Fr Nicholas Karipoff. The rector of the Holy Protection Cathedral presented a lively and relevant history of youth, including the path youth conferences have taken in the last 38 years. (In most previous conferences, the young people themselves prepared and gave lectures on various topics; some still participate in present-day conferences. Father Alexis suggested that future lectures be prepared and given by the younger participants themselves and not only those belonging to the priesthood.

Very interesting workshops were also presented to smaller groups. These included the following topics: Orthodox Chanting, Why is there Suffering?, The Meaning and Rubrics of Vespers, The Sacrament of Confession. One that I found to be very beneficial was the art of prosphora-making
as demonstrated successfully by Father Serge.

The last Day of the Conference: On the last day after the lecture by Father Gabriel (by which time everyone was prepared to leave) we had our lunch, during which it was announced that the next Conference will be held in Sydney and after that, for the first time, the 40th Conference will be held in Canberra. This announcement was greeted with much appreciation that, finally, Canberra will attempt. Some said their goodbyes and went home, most of the youth participated in a Car Rally. The Archbishop accompanied by some clergy went to Daniel Kocyan's home where he and others assisted with preparing food for the Lenten BBQ. Vladika Hilarion, with the accompanying clergy, also inspected the progress that had been made on the site of the new Cathedral in Brunswick. The iconastis is being completed with icons; most of the hand-carving work is done, the fence around the church is complete and the community center has now an eye-pleasing shape.

The closing service of supplication was served by Father Nicholas Karipoff (the Rector of the Cathedral) with Protodeacon Basil Yakimov, at the end of which he gave a short explanation of the work around the place being completed, and it is hoped that soon church life can commence fully in the new cathedral.

The BBQ followed, again with many goodbyes. In closing I would like to state that indeed, as the brochure (and the website) says: "this year's conference is the 38th Youth Conference of the ROCOR in Australia. It has been 10 years since the last time that the parish of The Protection of the Holy Virgin, Melbourne, has held a youth conference--the last one being the 1986 Youth Conference in Healesville. However, following the great success of 1999's Choral Conference, hosted by our parish, this year's Youth Conference likewise promises to be the biggest and most exciting ever," it was not the biggest but it was well-organized. No bushfires and no other real problems--all went marvelously well and the committee is to be congratulated.

Protodeacon Basil Yakimov