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Published by the Greek
Orthodox Archdiocese of America, August 18,
2003
Ionian Village
Completes Successful 2003 Program
GARRISON, NY -- On August 9,
2003, the final group of campers of Ionian Village
departed the village of Bartholomio, Greece, to
conclude the 2003 camping season. For the past two
months, participants of the Ionian Village
program traveled throughout the countryside of
Greece visiting religious, historical and
archeological sites, as well as islands and
noteworthy holy places. The campers departed
for their homes in the United States with a
renewed understanding of their faith and
culture, as well as a better understanding of
themselves as Orthodox Christians.
With the blessings of His Eminence Archbishop
Demetrios, this year's camp session was planned
with much detail and care by Deacon
Constantine Lazarakis, the Ionian Village
Director and Associate Director of the
Archdiocese Department of Youth and Young Adult
Ministries. With over 30 staff members from
throughout Archdiocese, the Ionian Village
program continued its great tradition of offering
faith and culture to our youth.
The first session, Summer Travel Camp (Grades
7th through 9th), completed their session on July
17 in Athens, and returned to the United States.
The second session, Byzantine Venture (Grades
10th through 12th), concluded on August 9, with
over 150 campers, staff and clergy
participating. The participants from both sessions
gave thanks to God for their many wonderful
experiences in the Ionian Village program. Deacon
Lazarakis commented with the words, "when you
bring a group of young people together for an
extended period of time at summer camp, and
most especially at a program such as Ionian
Village, you truly feel the Holy Spirit alive
and dwelling among them."
Participants were able to understand the
wonders of Ionian Village in Bartholomio, Greece,
experience the newly renovated Archdiocesan
camp-site, and participate fully in the
Orthodox faith and Hellenic culture by visiting
the relics of wonder-working Saints Nektarios,
Dionysios, Andrew, Alexios, the Righteous
Loukas, as well as the various historic and
archaeological sites of Delphi, Ancient Olympia,
Sounion, and many more.
Upon their return, comments such as
"this was the greatest experience of my life" and
"I thank God for this experience, I can't wait to
share it with my friends", echoed through the
Olympic Airline Terminal at JFK. Together, almost
200 young people experienced Ionian Village this
summer and it has proven to be one of the greatest
experiences in each of their lives.
For pictures of this summer's program, as well
as detailed information on the program, visit us
at the new web site at http://www.ionianvillage.org
. Deacon Lazarakis and his staff are already
planning for Ionian Village 2004, continuing to
make improvements to the camp-site and
program. Materials will be available this Fall.
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