The overall mission of the Bigorski monastery is directed towards fulfilling human soul’s desire for God, so that it can be open for God’s love and endowed with heavenly joy. Additionally, the mission among the youngest, covers a significant part of our monasteries’ activities. Our hospitable Elder, Archimandrite Partenius, firmly believed that it is necessary and of a great importance for our nation’s future to start with organizing religious education camps, for which there is a great interest from the very beginning. Year by year the number of kids is increasing. The introduction in the basic truths of our faith, various workshops, games, as well as the interesting conversations that intensify their religious experiences during divine services are just a part of the entire program of the summer camps. Particularly useful and attractive for them are the honest and educational spiritual conversations with Fr. Parthenius, through which they can take advantage of his deep spiritual experience and learn a lot about life, love, and the various virtues that adorn a human soul. The children share the positive experience gained during the camps, the joy and the good habits and they testify them to the world through their own examples at their homes, schools, among the friends.
The building of the Skete above the village of Bitushe, dedicated to the Slavic Enlighteners, St. Cyril and Methodius, the main purpose of which is providing accommodation and appropriate conditions for the annual religious education camps, is a part of the general care of our monastic family for the youngest. It is a beautiful, pictoresque place which testifies the presence of God with its existence. Here, we’ll continue with our future religious education camps, helping the little participants to enrich their experience with God, through various recreational games, cherishing friendship in the midst of the untouched nature. All of this helps to improve their health also educates their spirit.
That’s why each and every one of us, every parent, every friend of these children, which carries the responsibility for their proper spiritual growth and development and for their spiritual education, should initiate and encourage even further their interest in religion; because in that way they become strong persons who can bravely and firmly cope with difficulties and obstacles in this contemporary world. When a young man encounters Christ he finds in Him the true joy, considers Him the closest friend, Someone he can completely trust and soon becomes aware that only He, being a Good God, can establish a harmony in his spirit, can make him radiate a tremendous positive energy and give him enthusiastic power.
We, on the other hand, are endlessly grateful for being honoured to testify God in such a wonderful way to these new young generations that come to our camps; we’re grateful for having the opportunity to contribute at least a little for their inner growth. And we honestly hope that this mission of ours will attract even more the young people who want to experience the joy and beauty of the friendship with God and the neighbor; as this is the only way for them to learn that life is actually beautiful, that to live means to feel joy, to embrace the whole world, to truly love people, no matter what they are like. There is nothing better than to love, to constantly love, because love always conquers and and will defeat the evil.
