Over the weekend, the park of the Christian Orthodox Parish of Saints Minas the Great Martyr and Ephraim the New Martyr – the Miraculous, in Sedegliano, came alive with joy as the association “Comunità Rigenerativa A.P.S.” and the Foundation “La Pannocchia ETS” fulfilled their promise to spread smiles and celebrate the beauty of nature. Children, parents, and members of the community with disabilities were invited to take part in an event aimed at fostering ecological awareness and education.
Under the blessing of Metropolitan Polycarp of Italy, workshops dedicated to ecological education for children were held over two days, on Saturday, April 20, and Sunday, April 21, 2024. This initiative marks a unique program within one of the Archdioceses of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Europe. The event also saw the unveiling of the first manual of Christian-ecological education and the screening of the animated film “Creation for Children,” both valuable tools in instilling an environmental mindset from an early age. Moreover, children had the chance to engage in playful experiments focused on soil regeneration techniques to foster richer and healthier crops.
The sanctification service was performed by Bishop Athenagoras of Thermae, representing Metropolitan Polycarp, alongside parish priest Protopresbyter Petros Philippeskos and Protopresbyter Dionysios Vidich. In his address, Bishop Athenagoras emphasized the Eucharistic foundation of Creation, reminding the children that God entrusted them with the responsibility to care for the Earth. He urged them to respect and cherish nature, highlighting their role in creating a new world where God’s will is fulfilled.
