The Great Meeting of the 4th Eastern Mediterranean Orthodox Churches, where the Orthodox youth of Antioch-Mersin came together, was held in the Arsuz St. John Church on July 14, 2018 in Antioch.
There were a total of 320 young people and nearly 80 adults from the Antioch and Mersin Churches, with the participation of the Patriarcal Vicar and the Bishop of Selefkia Mgr Afram Malouli and the blessing of the Patriarch John X. At the meeting, the presidents of the communities of Iskenderun and Arsuz Churches Can Teymur and Corc Deniz which hosted the event, Iskenderun St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Parish Priest Dimitri Yıldırım, Samandağ Parish Priest Father Dimyan Yakupoglu, Antiochian Parish Priest Father Dimitri Doğum, Mersin Greek Orthodox Parish Priest İspir Teymur were also present.
The opening speeches were held by of İskenderun and Arsuz community presidents Can Teymur and Corc Deniz. Father Dimitri Yıldırım and the Patriarcal Vicar Afram Malouli also gave speeches. Father Dimitri Doğum, the leader of the Orthodox Youth Committee and the parish priest of the Antiochian Church who made the closing speech, reminded young people of the importance of being the light of Jesus Christ.
Following the closing speech, the evening vespers was held in the presence of the Bishop of Selefkia Mgr Afram Malouli, and a music concert was held in the garden of Arsuz Saint John Church.
