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As the calendar turns from February to March, we Orthodox Christians find ourselves in Lent. For thousands of years the Church has used this season as a fresh start for the faithful, and a time to disconnect from distractions and reprioritize our relationship with God. This can be a spiritually challenging experience for us, but ultimately also a beautifully fulfilling one as well. Now that we have begun to cleanse our souls by distancing ourselves from the temptations, appetites, and routines that separate us from God, we can focus our efforts on spiritual renewal and transformation. This makes Lent an invaluable and irreplaceable annual experience for us as Orthodox Christians.
Yet, there is another experience available to our youth and young adults each year that possesses similar characteristics and benefits to Great and Holy Lent. Each summer hundreds of young people flock to Ionian Village looking for “the best summer ever,” and return home with far more. For 55 years that has been the experience for tens of thousands of campers at “IV.” Despite the short time they are there, anyone who has attended Ionian Village as a camper, staff member, or clergy can attest to this undeniable shift in the hearts and disposition of everyone who becomes immersed in this program. Our campers, our staff, and our clergy live out a kind of experiential fast. While there, they shed distractions they face in their everyday lives. For these precious weeks there are no phones, no TVs, no social media, no noise. Instead, their lives are filled with tangible, beautiful, and holy things. Attendance of our morning and evening prayer services become the norm, interactions with the saints are made readily available, and deep discussions of the faith and struggles of life happen in a sacred setting with fellow campers and clergy. Our campers lean into this new way of being truly present and little by little they become newly connected to their faith in the most powerful and unexpected ways. Just as fasting helps create new habits and discipline in our spiritual lives, what the campers learn and experience at Ionian Village becomes part of their daily lives back home. They come back with a new sense of confidence in their faith and practical ways to infuse it daily into their busy schedules. Those blessed enough to witness and be a part of these transformations are left awe-stricken and inspired when they depart Ionian Village for the final time at the end of the summer.
Ionian Village is the national camping ministry the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and offers two programs every summer. The first is our 20-day youth summer camp for all rising 9th graders through graduated 12th graders (there are two identical session of this 20-day program to choose from). The second is our 10-day “IV Next” travel program for young adults ages 18-25 who have completed at least one year of college or vocational school. Included in both our youth and young adult programs are daily worship services, camp days filled with exciting activities, pool and beach time, and travel days to beautiful islands, historic sites, villages, monasteries and churches. Ionian Village is located in the Peloponnese region of Greece along the Ionian Sea and offers a beautiful coastal campus. Campers live in comfortable cabins and gather daily at our iconic chapel for prayer. The campus features an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a private beach, amphitheater, basketball and volleyball courts, athletic fields, and welcoming outdoor spaces for fellowship and recreation. Meals are shared together in the “Trapezaria” strengthening the familial bonds that define life at Ionian Village. Whether attending as a camper or young adult, participants will have the adventure of lifetime and will be transformed by a truly unforgettable experience!
Dates and Registration Details:
- Session 1 – June 16 – July 5
- IV Next – July 5 – July 15
- Session 2 – July 15 – August 3
Register for the Best Summer Ever!
Please contact us at IonianVillage@goarch.org with any questions or for additional information.
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