With the blessing of His Grace Irenei, Bishop of London & Western Europe, a youth pilgrimage to the holy places of Fruška Gora and northern Serbia will take place from August 22-31, 2026.
Following on from last year’s successful youth pilgrimage to the southern Slavic lands, the Western European Diocese this year has organized another, once again under the auspices of the Saint Mary Magdalene Youth Group of the London Cathedral and headed by Hieromonk Theodore. The youth pilgrimage of 2026 will take participants to Fruška Gora, a region of northern Serbia known as "the Mount Athos of Serbia" for its abundance of Orthodox monasteries, and "the Jewel of Serbia" for its incomparable and untouched natural beauty. The Youth Pilgrims will visit a number of the holy monasteries in this sanctified region, monasteries associated with the great contemporary Saints Nikolaj Velimirović and Justin Popović, the birthplace of the ROCOR, as well as a full visit to Belgrade. Accompanying clergy will give spiritual talks and be available for confession and spiritual counsel throughout. The provisional daily itinerary may be viewed here.
Registration for the pilgrimage is now open, and can be completed via an online form by clicking this link. We expect the pilgrimage to fill up quickly: the registration deadline is 20 June 2026, but it is advisable to register as soon as possible, to avoid finding the event already full! Once the maximum number of registrations has been received, it will not be possible to add additional places, but a waiting list for cancellations will be maintained.
The cost of the pilgrimage, not including airfare, is £900 in Pounds Sterling, which includes meals and lodging for all 10 days/9 nights. Pilgrims must purchase their airplane tickets individually, as best suits their needs; guidance will be provided on arrival necessities, transportation to the starting point of the pilgrimage, etc. As is the case with all diocesan pilgrimages, each participant must receive the blessing of his or her parish priest in order to participate. Those who complete the online application form will be sent a form that the priest may use to submit his blessing, as well as other information that will be communicated to registered participants.
All are invited to join this spiritually unforgettable event!
