The Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival, established by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Religious Education in 1983, is an incredible opportunity for our Greek Orthodox children and teenagers to think about, research, write and speak publicly about their faith. Public speaking is a valuable skill that is beneficial throughout one’s life and professional career. Through this Festival, the Church provides a supportive and nurturing environment for our young people to become confident public speakers, and simultaneously give them the opportunity to learn about their faith. The speech topics for the Junior and Senior Divisions have been announced by the Archdiocese and are available on their website.

Every community in the Metropolis of San Francisco should plan for participation in this program, and host their parish festival before March 31, 2020. District Festivals will take place throughout the Metropolis in April. The Metropolis Oratorical Festival will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2020 at Saint Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center in Squaw Valley, CA.

The Metropolis is deeply committed to providing quality religious education opportunities for our young people, and the Oratorical Festival is an outstanding component of this effort. Every community should embrace the Festival for the benefit of our youth. Information packets are available to assist communities in organizing parish festivals.

For more information, please contact Dr. Eve Tibbs, chair of the Metropolis Christian Education Ministry.