The 25th Orthodox Children’s Assembly, an annual gathering of students from Sunday and parish schools, teachers, clergy and parents, has opened at Cetinje Monastery in Montenegro. This year’s event is being held under the theme, “I Can Do All Things When I Learn About God,” according to the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral.

Before the assembly opened, Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral celebrated the Divine Liturgy at Cetinje Monastery. Children and teenagers from religious education schools, along with their teachers, parents and guests, took part in the service.

Addressing the participants, Metropolitan Joanikije said that holding the gathering in Cetinje had special significance. The city is home to Cetinje Monastery and the relics of St. Peter of Cetinje. Along with St. Sava and St. Basil of Ostrog, the metropolitan presented him as an example for younger generations.

“Where children gather, angels come with them,” Metropolitan Joanikije said, wishing the participants a meaningful day and pleasant memories of the event.

The Orthodox Children’s Assembly has been held annually in Montenegro since 1999, when the first gathering took place in Cetinje with just over 120 students from religious education schools. The event subsequently grew into one of the largest children’s gatherings organized by the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral.

In 2023, more than 2,000 children from different parts of Montenegro, as well as guests from North Macedonia, attended the 22nd assembly.

The main purpose of the gathering is to bring together children studying the foundations of the Orthodox faith, help them get to know one another and provide opportunities to participate in creative, sporting and community activities in addition to their religious education.

Alongside prayer and religious instruction, this year’s program includes creative workshops in literature, music, visual arts and iconography. Children can also take part in classes on calligraphy, prosphora and prayer-rope making, as well as first aid.

The program also features a quiz, an environmental initiative, photography and video competitions, and a concert by children’s choirs.

Sunday schools have also prepared exhibitions for the event. This year, the exhibitions commemorate several historical and cultural anniversaries, including the 1,200th anniversary of the birth of St. Cyril, the 170th anniversary of the birth of inventor Nikola Tesla, and the 190th anniversa