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About the Orthodox Youth Movement

The sole identity of the Orthodox Youth Movement (OYM) is the life in Christ; its sole constitution is life by the Gospel. OYM is a vocational movement animated by the Holy Spirit that dwells in Christ. Its founding members were George Khodr, Albert Laham, Dimitri Qassa, Edward Laham, Michel Khoury, Marcel Morcos, Gabriel Saadeh, Gabriel Debs, and others. They were first high school schoolmates and later studied law at Saint Joseph University of Beirut. George Khodr, Gabriel Saadeh and Gabriel Debs were commissioned to draft the constitution of OYM. It was adopted and made public during a meeting held on the 16th of March, 1942. The attendees of that meeting elected George Khodr as the OYM General Secretary.

The founders wanted the identity of OYM to to be a fellowship of a group of people who consecrate themselves to God and to Him alone. This group embraces those that experience His love and feel His presence in His Holy Gospel, in the Eucharist, in individual and collective prayers, in the common life they lead, and in serving humanity inside the Church and everywhere in the world.

The movement’s institutions represent tools for the witness to the poor and needy, regardless of their religious affiliation. Their views regarding money stem from St Paul: "We seem to have nothing yet we really possess everything". All the Church's belongings are at the service of the poor. The Movement is committed to the human cause in a spirit of justice and righteousness, because it believes that the Kingdom of Heaven begins here. This social commitment is not only a basic component of the spiritual life but also a prerequisite.

OYM Website (Arabic)