On Friday evening, December 22, young people from across the Eastern American & Canadian Dioceses began arriving for the 44th annual St. Herman Youth Conference, held this year at Protection of the Mother of God Church in Rochester, NY. The youth spent the evening embracing one another and learning what new things have transpired since the summertime or the last conference. A wonderful way to meet new faces was met with an exciting game of Orthodox Jeopardy, where the young people tested their knowledge on various church topics. Those who sing in the choir spent some time rehearsing the repertoire for the divine services on the upcoming weekend. This year, 150 youths are attending the conference.

The St. Herman Conferences began in 1973 when, three years after the glorification of Venerable Herman of Alaska by the Russian Church Abroad, the first youth forum was held with the blessing of Bishop Laurus of Syracuse & Holy Trinity. At first, these youth gatherings were not conferences, but rather pilgrimages to Jordanville, NY – to Holy Trinity Monastery. Their first organizers were Hieromonk Ioanniky and Archpriest (then seminarian) Gregory Naumenko. In the late 1970s-early 1980s, pilgrimages were also held in the holy places along the East and West Coasts. In the mid-1980s, with the blessing of the hierarchy, various parishes of the Church Abroad began hosting conferences. In 1975, the first parish after Jordanville to welcome the delegates of St. Herman Conference was Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY.

Early Saturday morning, attendees gathered in the ballroom of the hotel for morning prayers, after which conference executive committee director Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada greeted the youth and provided them with words of edification, underlining that beyond the social aspect, the most important part of the conference is the participation in the divine services.

The day’s keynote address was delivered by Matushka Dr. Helen Strapko, a well-known dermatologist in the Rochester area for over 20 years, entitled "Medical Ethics through an Orthodox Lens."

After an invigorating lecture, the youth separated into various workshops. Matushka Katherine Kallaur delivered a workshop for the young women of the conference related to social media; while the clergy and youth representatives held sessions ranging from liturgics and church singing to navigating Christ-centered relationships. Before lunch, the youths were able to get hands-on and interact with each other building gingerbread houses and preparing flower arrangements for the church.

After lunch, Communion Rule was read, and conference-goers departed for Holy Protection Church for the All-Night Vigil, where they greeted the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God,  brought by His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York. The First Hierarch officiated Vigil, concelebrated by Archbishop Gabriel.

A sumptuous dinner was served in the parish hall, after which all retired to their rooms in preparation for the Divine Liturgy the next morning.