Promoted by the ecumenical Patriarchate, the Second Conference of the young Orthodox took place in Istanbul from 11 to 16 July, about "Members of the Church Citizens of the world". 900 young people from all the world’s eparchies of the ecumenical Patriarchate came to the conference, plus young people from the sister Orthodox Churches, the monastic communities, the other Christian churches and confessions, theology schools, academies, institutes and seminaries, youth organisations and associations. The first Conference had been held, also in Istanbul, in 2000: this year, the young developed a website (http://youth.ecupatriarchate.org/) where they hosted the schedule, texts, messages and pictures that enabled anyone to follow the conference even from far away. It is not by chance that, in his welcome address, the Patriarch Bartholomew exhorted the young to use the mass media. "The TV, the radio, the press and the Internet he said do not have to necessarily serve evil and sin. They can be used, and used well, as a forum for the Christian truth, as a sound-box for the Gospel of love". After all, added the Patriarch, "let’s keep in mind that the majority of men have no idea of Christ or the Gospel! It is tragic to see that the "M" of McDonalds is better known across the world that the Cross of Christ!". (continued)
