The Catholic Church in Anatolia, a Church with and for young people

The Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia, Turkey, actively promotes youth pastoral work, organizing, among other things, summer and winter camps for the younger generation to help them overcome the scars of the terrible earthquake of 6 February 2023 that struck Turkey and Syria, causing massive material damage, more than 56,000 dead and millions displaced, with about 6.2 million children affected.  

This year's summer youth meeting involved around 50 young Catholics and Orthodox Christians and was held in Trabzon from 10 to 15 August. 

It was also an opportunity to promote ecumenical dialogue, creating unity in prayer. 

Pope Francis sent a message to the participants, encouraging them:

“H.E. Archbishop Antuan Ilgit has informed me that in the coming days you will be gathered in Trebizond and that you will pray together. I would like to convey to everyone my affectionate greetings and assure you of my spiritual closeness. It is always good to be together to pray, to get to know each other and to share. Always go forward with joy and hope, striving to build a more just, more fraternal and more beautiful world. Do not be discouraged. May the Lord bless you and may the Blessed Virgin keep you. Please pray for me.
Fraternally, Francis.”

Young people have been particularly affected by the consequences of the earthquake, they have experienced the trauma of losing their loved ones, their homes, and even family activities, and they have seen their plans wrecked. Others have been under the rubble for a long time and have had limbs amputated, and many suffer from depression. Many are still living the trauma of that night and the days that followed, also because many buildings are unsafe and are demolished daily, making the air full of dust and often unbreathable.

They are not, however, alone in their drama. In the Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia next to them is the Catholic Church presided over by the Apostolic Vicar, Monsignor Paolo Bizzeti, and by the Auxiliary Bishop, of the Apostolic Vicariate of Anatolia, Monsignor Antuan Ilgit, the first bishop of Turkish origin, to whom Pope Francis has entrusted the young Christians of Anatolia especially. 

In fact, with the help of some benefactors, a group of 40 young Christians from the earthquake-affected areas of Turkey could attend World Youth Day (WYD) 2023, in Lisbon, and there they also had the opportunity to meet the Holy Father.

In a country where the Catholic community is a minority, the Church's accompaniment of the faithful is vital, as is entering into their lives, establishing friendships, being present with them as Jesus was with his disciples.