Organizers of World Ukrainian Youth Day Discuss Event Preparations
A coordination meeting was held in Rome for Ukrainian organizers preparing for World Youth Day, which will take place from July 28 to August 3, 2025, during the Jubilee Year.
The publication Dyvensvit reports on the event.
Participants included clergy and representatives of youth chaplaincy: Bishop Hryhoriy Komar, Apostolic Administrator of the Apostolic Exarchate in Italy and Rector of the Procathedral of St. Sophia in Rome; Fr. Mark Semhen, President of the religious society “St. Sophia” and Director of the Migrantes Department of the Apostolic Exarchate; Fr. Dr. Teodosio R. Hren, OSBM, protosyncellus of the Apostolic Exarchate and deputy chairman of the Committee for the Jubilee 2025; and Fr. Sviatoslav Titylak, Director of the Youth Ministry Department of the Apostolic Exarchate.
The meeting was also attended by Most Rev. Bryan Bayda, Head of the Patriarchal Commission of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church for Youth Affairs. He emphasized the spiritual dimension of the upcoming event, recalling that the central theme of the entire pilgrimage will be the message of the UGCC bishops: “The Hope to Which the Lord Calls Us.”
The meeting was moderated by Mitred Archpriest Roman Demush, Deputy Head of the Patriarchal Commission for Youth Affairs, along with members of the Commission’s coordination team.
During the gathering, participants discussed a spiritual and educational program for Ukrainian youth. Approximately 3,000 participants are expected. Outdoor events will be held at the Cathedral of Sts. Sergius and Bacchus, while indoor activities will take place at the Patriarchal Pro-Cathedral of St. Sophia, which will serve as the central meeting point for Ukrainian pilgrims. There, “those scattered abroad” will gather for divine services, catechesis, cultural events, and fellowship.
The meeting was held in an atmosphere of unity, cooperation, and shared responsibility in preparing for this Jubilee World Youth Day—a powerful impetus for spiritual renewal, a testimony of faith for young people, and a visible sign of the presence of Ukraine: a nation that continues to pray, struggle, and bear witness to the truth in the world.
The UGCC Department for Information
