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It is a bright sunny morning in August. There are flowers of seemingly every imaginable color everywhere you look. A comforting and steady breeze is blowing in from the south. All throughout a picturesque landscape of white-washed cabins with bright blue shutters, there are 40 young men and women laughing, hugging, and racing to take photos together. Suddenly the activity stops and is redirected at the sound of a single chiming bell. At once everyone makes their way through the tree-lined paths to the center of the campus where they all stop and reverently cross themselves as they enter a small white chapel. There these young men and women who were just laughing and embracing each other moments ago are now still hugging each other, yet are suddenly quiet and some are even shedding heartfelt tears. These young people two months earlier were strangers but now consider themselves a family, and they have gathered one final time to offer their morning prayers as a staff at Ionian Village.
That is what the morning of August 12, 2025 looked and felt like as our amazing staff put the finishing touches on what was an incredible summer at Ionian Village! Since the arrival of our first campers on June 2nd, approximately 400 faithful Orthodox men, women and families participated in a life-changing pilgrimage of faith and fellowship. This pilgrimage not only took us to the hallowed grounds of Ionian Village itself, but also to historically significant cultural sites and inspiring spiritual locations as well. We were able to step back in time and connect with our deep Hellenic roots while visiting ancient Olympia, Castro Chlemoutsi, and the Parthenon. Our participants also had the privilege to travel to islands like Zakynthos, Kephalonia, and Aegina to venerate the relics of Saints Dionysios, Gerasimos, and Nektarios.
While the travel days were packed with unimaginable excursions, the days at camp were filled with unforgettable fun and fellowship. The campers had the chance to explore their own creativity with Arts and Crafts, challenge themselves in Athletics, immerse themselves in their surroundings with Music and Greek Culture, and discuss matters of the faith in our Orthodox Life sessions. Additionally, each day the campers and staff were treated to delicious meals of authentic homemade Greek cuisine by our on-site caterers, and no day in Greece would be complete without a little “R & R” at the water at either our beautiful olympic-sized swimming pool or our own private beach on the shores of the crystal-clear Ionian Sea. All of these days at camp were highlighted by a featured camp-wide event in the evening. Some of these evening activities were opportunities for the kids to enjoy each other’s company (like our Carnavali, Neon Party, and Glendi events), to compete against each other as cabins (like at the Olympics, Junkyard Wars, and Music Night), or simply express our gratitude for God and each other (like at our Clergy-led “Night with God” rotations, the Candlelit Devotional in the Amphitheater, or the beautiful evening Divine Liturgy celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America during his Archpastoral visit to camp on July 26).
In both cases, whether we were traveling away from camp or spending every minute of our time at Ionian Village, each day began and ended at the iconic Saint Iakovos Chapel. Located in the middle of the camp grounds, the chapel is the very heart of the IV program. It is there where the kids, staff, and clergy meet (no longer as the disconnected individuals they were when they arrived but) as a loving and intimately bonded family. Aided by our incredibly devoted Archdiocese clergy, the Chapel is where the kids are able to learn about our faith, offer confessions, and gather in worship of our good and loving God. From the moment our staff arrives at camp to begin preparations for the summer until the moment we leave at the end of De-orientation, the doors to the Chapel remain open for anyone (and everyone) 24/7. Whether it is stopping by to venerate the slippers of Saints Dionysios and Gerasimos, sit in quiet reflection or prayer during free time, work on chanting with some of our resident Holy Cross seminarians, or simply to take a comforting glimpse of the vivid iconography inside it while walking to the next event, the Chapel plays a central role in our daily life at camp.
Understanding this, it’s easy to see why that final morning prayer service on August 12th was so moving for our staff. These faithful and heroic young men and women dedicated an entire summer of their busy lives to leave the outside world behind and focus on God and to serve His children. Whatever field of study they are pursuing, or whatever profession they find themselves working in, each and every one of our staff understood that their faith was the cornerstone of their life and were passionate about sharing that same perspective and wisdom to the next generation. When the “bell” tolled during staff applications, these dedicated and courageous individuals answered the calling to serve. So when it tolled one last time on August 12th, they answered the last call the same way they answered the first call: together, with faith and love.
We are forever grateful to these staff members – all of the cabin counselors, the medical personnel, and clergy! We are also enormously thankful for the generous donors, our stateside administrative team, and on-site vendors in Greece who made this experience possible for all of our young believers. Above all, we are grateful for His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros for his unwavering prayers and support, and for all the parents who trusted our program with the well-being and spiritual development of their children.
Now having returned to the United States, our attention immediately shifts to the future. We have already begun preparations for Summer 2026, but first we have a special IV Reunion coming up this November 14-16, 2025 in Boca Raton, Florida. This reunion will (for the first time ever) bring together campers and staff from three separate years (2023, 2024, and 2025)! Space is limited and registration closes on November 1 (with early bird pricing ending on October 1), so act fast! You can find more details about the reunion and all things IV on our website www.ionianvillage.org as well as the Archdiocese’s “Engage and Equip” regular email blasts, and our various social media platforms.
The post No longer strangers: Fr. Stephen reflects on summer 2025 at Ionian Village appeared first on Orthodox Observer.
