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IV Next is an Ionian Village program of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America that brings young adults together in Greece for a pilgrimage experience rooted in the life of the Church and the traditions of Hellenic heritage. Through fellowship, visits to sacred sites, and time spent at the beautiful coastal campus in the Peloponnese, participants encounter the beauty of Orthodoxy while building relationships that extend well beyond the journey itself.

Ionian Village invites you to read the following testimonial by Stelios Yamalis, who reflects on his experience and the profound impact IV Next has had on his spiritual journey.

“My name is Stelios Yamalis. I am a 24-year-old engineer from Long Island, New York, and my home parish is Saint John’s Greek Orthodox Church in Blue Point. I attended IV NEXT in June of 2025 and couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to do so. Being at IV NEXT was an experience that I will be able to cherish for the rest of my life. Not only did I gain a deepened immersion of my Orthodox faith and enrichment in my personal growth, but I also met incredible people who were there alongside with me on my spiritual journey, most of whom I still keep in contact with to this day. Every day during camp, our group would visit a different monastery or church. Each one was beautiful in their own unique way.

While my fellow IV Next participants were able to connect on a deep emotional level with some of the places we visited, at first, I did not feel the same level of connection and had started to worry I would not be able to experience what the other members were feeling throughout the trip. I even spoke with Fr. Steven Klund, and Juliana Leondis (who was the Wellness Director on staff that summer), about this troublesome situation that was continuously on my mind. They told me that ‘God grants all of us experiences at different times according to His will.’ They said my time would come eventually as well, and that I should just continue to pray and be grateful for my fellow peers’ experiences.

I took their advice and from that point on I stopped worrying about how my experience compared to those around me, and instead tried to cherish each amazing moment as it happened. From then on, my time at IV NEXT was completely different. The days were more joyful, the friendships became effortless, and my heart was lighter! But my new perspective would be tested as our trip was coming to a close.

On one of our last days, we visited the island of Aegina, the place where Saint Nektarios, a modern saint known for healing, once dwelled. We were able to go inside the house where St. Nektarios once lived, and it was so inspiring to ‘step into’ his world a little bit. In anticipation of our visit to the island, our trip leaders prepared us for all of the things we would see and do there. They shared that the common tradition is to venerate his relics and then go place your ear prayerfully against his tomb. In many instances, faithful visitors have been able to hear miraculous scratching, knocking, or even banging coming from within. As we were approaching the tomb, my mind went back to worrying about how my experience would compare to those around me. Would I be deemed worthy enough to hear something? What if I didn’t hear anything? Or worse yet, what if I don’t hear anything, and my new friends do? Would that make my entire summer experience meaningless?

As I crossed the threshold of the door to St. Nektarios’s tomb, I could see the faces of the people in front of me as they listened reverently. What were they hearing? I saw a group of girls listening next to each other with their eyes closed. They had done everything together for the past eight days. It occurred to me that this must be at least the 12th saint they had been able to venerate together as friends. Did it matter to them if one of them heard something, and not the others? Not at all! This summer at IV NEXT was something they will reminisce about together for years to come.

I watched that group of girls leave and was then next in line, close enough to reach out and touch the tomb. As I inched closer I saw one of my closest friends listening, and I started to think of how much we had experienced together at this point in the trip. We had laughed together on ferry rides, cried together in evening devotionals, shared some of the best meals we have ever eaten together, and seen amazing things that many people can only dream about. I saw the look on his face and was struck at how focused but also peaceful he appeared. Two nights earlier we had our glendi during our last evening at camp before leaving for Athens. He and I took turns leading many of the Greek dances and playing the supporting role as the other led. Whether it was him getting a cup of water, kneeling and clapping for me during the Zeibekiko, or me acting as the base who helped him do the amazing high jumps in the Cretan dances, we were always there to support each other. Now with him listening at the tomb and me next in line, I realized that my job in that moment was no different than it had been 48 hours earlier when we were dancing, jumping, and cheering with each other. This was his moment of faith, and it was my job to support him in it without worrying whether he would ‘outshine’ me when my moment came next.

As soon as that realization came to my mind, I felt my heart settle and my anxiety subside. I was still eager and curious to see what would come when I finally placed my ear against the tomb, but now I was filled with hope in God and love for my friends. What happened next was indescribable, and a blessing that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

So, did I hear anything at St. Nektarios’s tomb? I could tell you, but I can also tell you what my experience last summer taught me. IV NEXT showed me life is full of blessings and deep relationships. It proved our faith is powerful, and our Hellenic heritage is incomparably proud and rich. But most of all, IV NEXT taught me that the precious moments of grace God grants us are real and will come to us when the time is right.

The summer of 2025 was the right time for me to experience a deeper world of Hellenism and Orthodoxy at IV NEXT. I was blessed to spend it with inspiring faithful young people who have now become some of my closest friends. That is what I really needed to see, feel and hear. It was an incredible honor to be a part of such a remarkable trip and I hope that the ‘time will be right’ in 2026 for you!”

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