Oratorical Festival

Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival

“Let us always guard our tongue; not that it should always be silent, but that it should speak at the proper time.” ~ Saint John Chrysostom

The St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival, organized by the Department of Religious Education, stands as one of the most impactful youth programs in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. For many years, it has provided young people with meaningful opportunities to deepen their understanding of the Greek Orthodox faith and way of life. Participants—from seventh grade through their senior year of high school—demonstrate that, with strong community support, we can cultivate a new generation of devoted and capable leaders within our Church.

Each festival season participants work diligently preparing their speeches with guidance from parents and educators. Top speakers move forward from the parish level to district and metropolis competitions, with the highest achievers becoming Archdiocesan (national) finalists. Each Metropolis is represented by two finalists, who compete for awards through the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival Awards Fund, with prizes ranging from $500 to $2,000.

This year, our parish festival was held on March 8, 2026, with three senior participants and two junior participants.  Two senior and two junior representatives were selected to represent our church at the district level which was held on April 18, 2026, with our Senior Representatives, Diana Vricos, moving onto the Metropolis level festival held in North Carolina May 1-3, 2026!