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Ionian Village is a ministry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America that gathers teenagers from across the U.S. and beyond for a pilgrimage to Greece. Centered on the life of the Church and the richness of Hellenic tradition, the program offers a meaningful spiritual experience. Through community-building, visits to holy sites, and time spent at its scenic coastal campus in the Peloponnese, participants deepen their understanding of Orthodoxy while forming lasting friendships that continue long after the journey ends.
We invite you to explore the following reflections from camper Christos Schmarge and his cabin staff member, Aaron Davis. From two different perspectives within the same cabin, they share how Ionian Village shaped their faith and left a lasting impression on their spiritual lives.
“My name is Christos Schmarge, and I am from Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Wyckoff, New Jersey. The time I first learned about Ionian Village is still a vivid memory I will cherish forever. My cousin, Vassilios, was signed up to go to camp in the summer of 2023. He called my family halfway through the trip, and one thing in particular stuck out to me: he did not stop talking about the amazing time he was having at camp. In the short five minute phone call, he told me about the friends he made, his cabin, and his favorite part of the whole trip: the monasteries and churches he visited with Ionian Village. From the minute the phone call ended, to the day I met the group at the Athens International Airport, I could not wait for my turn to experience Ionian Village.
Looking back at my decision as I am writing this, I could not be happier that I took the leap of faith to go to camp. The spiritual growth, the life-long friends I made, the historical sites we visited – all of it was life-changing. I still talk to some of my cabinmates and IV friends daily. I go to church with some of them, but others I do not see often at all, but we will always be connected through our shared experiences at camp. It is a blessing to have friends I can always count on, and I made those friends at Ionian Village.
Spiritually, Ionian Village was the best thing that has ever happened to me. The excursions, the services, the visit from His Grace Archbishop Elpidophoros, Orthodox Life sessions with Father Angelo, and devotionals with our cabin every night all changed my life. The most moving experience I had spiritually at camp, though, was going to Kalavryta. Seeing the Mega Spilaion monastery, the town itself, and learning about its dark history made me truly appreciate how fortunate we are today to be able to openly practice our Orthodox Faith. I learned so much about Orthodoxy this past summer, but more importantly, I built habits that I have not let go of since returning back to the United States.
When it is all said and done, I can confidently assure anyone reading this that I have no regrets concerning Ionian Village. Every aspect of it was life-changing, and I would recommend it to anyone in a heartbeat if they were on the fence between staying at home and becoming part of the IV family.”
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“My name is Aaron Davis, and I am the Program Director for Ionian Village in 2026. I remember the moment I heard about Ionian Village: in June 2021 I was working from my college apartment and Fr. James Retelas of our parish of the Annunciation in Sacramento, CA called me. He asked, “Aaron, do you want to go to Greece next month?” The obvious answer was yes, but I had no idea what I was in for. I had never been to Greece or heard about IV, I hadn’t even been to the San Francisco Metropolis camp.
I went to IV Next that summer with three friends from Sacramento, and our faith was transformed alongside the 80 other campers on the pilgrimage. I always grew up active in the church, but there is nothing that brings you closer to Christ than walking in the path of His saints. A personal highlight for me was venerating the skull of St Andrew in Patras a the place of his martyrdom.
As part of my preparation for seminary, I have been blessed to serve as cabin staff the past two summers. The only thing that topped my first time at IV is watching hundreds of campers come through the program as they make tangible steps towards Christ. Whether we are venerating relics at monasteries or making a 200-person kalamatiano line at the final glendi, we learn the values of community and love as we get to know Christ in a new way and learn about our rich heritage and history. As a non-Greek, I’ve learned through IV what “Greek Orthodoxy” is: the True faith steeped in 2,000 years of Hellenic culture, each of which lift up the other.”
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