Assistant Secretary General of the Orthodox Youth Movement and its President in Mount Lebanon Engineer Elie Kebbe: Fasting helps youth face their problems and relieve their anxiety
As children of the Church, we stand out because we are neither broken nor defeated by Hell
Interview by: Elia Nasrallah
The forty-day fasting time is considered one of the most important seasons loaded with prayers, ecclesiastical celebrations and various spiritual meetings in which the faithful participate with commitment, especially the youth whose presence has always been characterized by positive energy, vitality and hope... They are always overjoyed to prepare for the holy week and Easter as they strive to spread hope in the hearts of many brothers.
The outbreak of the Coronavirus has turned people's lives upside down and forced them to change some customs and traditions. Are there repercussions on the church youth’s presence, especially during the forty-day fast? What about observing this fast? What are the concerns that Christian youth have today? We discussed these questions with the Assistant Secretary-General of the Orthodox Youth Movement and its President in Mount Lebanon Engineer Elie Kebbe in a special interview with the Middle East Council of Churches Communication and Public Relations department where he shed light on the importance of social work and humanitarian acts that the Orthodox Youth Movement performs, not to mention the role of Christian youth in a world dominated by hatred, spite and evil.
What is the extent of youth commitment today to the liturgical ecclesiastical rites? Is the concept of fasting clear to them?
Before the Coronavirus outbreak, the percentage of youth and children’s commitment to prayers, masses and movement meetings was very large and clear, but with the exceptional circumstances imposed by the pandemic a new problem appeared on the ecclesiastical level. The participation rate has become insignificant in many parishes, knowing that some parents avoid participating in church rituals in person fearing infection. Rather, they prefer to pray online from their homes through Facebook. Others say their children did not return to their usual activities and commitments due to fear, daily pressure, and online classes... On the other hand, according to the visits that I make to parishes, I noticed that the presence of youth is still acceptable in some churches, and that they are attending in spite of different crises facing the country and burdening them.
As for fasting and understanding its meanings, the percentage of youth who adhere to it is still large. Fasting does not conflict with the circumstances we are going through, what changed today is not being present in person. I also note that the concept of fasting is clear to most youth, for example members of the Orthodox Youth Movement do not face any problem related to understanding the meanings of this tradition, because priests and guides always address its importance and several related topics such as spiritual life and fasting as an ecclesiastical experience for reducing the amount of food and serving the poor...
What are their concerns and problems today? What about their commitment in fasting?
Young people today have severe concerns, such as the uncertain future, university studies, and the difficult circumstances the country is going through... fasting helps them face all of that, especially since prayers and meetings are many during this time and, thus, alleviate their anxiety and despair. The period of fasting is considered positive, it carries reassurance for these young people, far from disturbances so that they feel fraternity within an ecclesiastical and dynamic family.
I think the spiritual side is absent today since society is lost. Youth participate in ecclesiastical and movement activities but this participation is limited to the social level only. However, many people want consolation on the spiritual level, especially those who have lost everything due to the deteriorating conditions where their only dependence has become on God and on perseverance in prayer, and this is a habit we notice among the advanced age groups.
Youth suffer from waiting for an uncertain future and an ambiguous fate. They are surrounded by many concerns. I think we cannot expect today a positive result on the spiritual level from this age group. We also noticed the absence of evangelical readings and spiritual lack due to the cycle of crises, despair and instability they live in, far from luxury and casual meetings with friends. The difficult and exceptional circumstances we are going through, especially health-wise, have negatively affected their spiritual lives. Counseling is also not present today as it was in past years due to current circumstances, and it is very important to follow up and accompany young people.
How would you describe their participation in the celebrations preparing for the Holy Week and Easter? Are there preparations for this year?
We noticed this year the absence of daily participation in prayers held at church. The usual enthusiasm for Easter disappeared, especially since we don’t yet know whether we will be able to participate in person in the Holy Week and Easter prayers or if Coronavirus cases will increase or decrease, the fear of infection still dominates over believers.
I think that preparations for the Holy Week and Easter celebrations are very brief. We have to wait for the latest developments in the prevailing circumstances. However, if we witness positive progress, we will encourage the youth to resume preparations in order to regain their enthusiasm, but these preparations remain weak compared to past years; There are many humanitarian activities, seminars and virtual meetings on Zoom, but the presence remains weak.
It is true that fasting carries a person to a distinctive state, but attending church is what gives the full flavor of this period. Reducing attendance to church and participation in prayers and preparations adversely affects our fasting journey this year. Knowing that people rely on the Church as a source of hope and aspiration...
How would you describe the social work of youth in light of the difficult circumstances the country is going through?
Here, I will refer to the activity of the Orthodox Youth Movement in Mount Lebanon which includes a family for social work always doubling its efforts in humanitarian tasks. Some families, such as workers, households, and women, each carry out social activities. For example, household families implement a project to help households in need of support in paying school tuition. As for the workers' family, they take care of helping those infected with Coronavirus and securing oxygen... Some movement branches also collect donations to support the needy in paying what the insurance doesn’t cover or hospital bills...
Secondly, the movement clinic in Beirut is still in constant and continuous activity to help the largest possible number of people. In Tripoli, our branches there distributed monthly food portions to needy households, just like our branches in Aleppo, Syria. Note that the Archdiocese of Homs continues its social work in cooperation with several donor societies.
We notice here the enthusiasm and interest of people in this work because needs today have become great. After the outbreak of the Coronavirus, the explosion of the Beirut port and the exacerbation of economic crises, ecclesiastical and dynamic youth became more aware of the pain of others and realized the extent of their needs, especially those close to them. Today, the percentage of social work has increased compared to last year. Young people and families are loudly expressing their concern for their brothers and families in need, even though they are facing those same difficult circumstances themselves.
How would you describe the importance of the role of Christian youth here?
Every member and official in church have an important role to play because the world needs a testimony and an example. All church officials and counselors can achieve a change in the lives of people through their constant enthusiasm and by affirming that God is always near us, and thus, stressing that each individual can develop himself to be freed from pressures and stifling troubles. We are standing on an unshakable rock.
Each Church official has to redouble his efforts and stand by the people, especially as they await spiritual, social and moral help and initiatives... In a world in where despair and evil prevail, we stand out as children of the Church with our strength and our spirits because we are neither broken nor defeated by the hell of circumstances surrounding us. Therefore, our role lies in spreading the word of God and spreading a positivity among all, for the Lord raises our heads...
Communication and Public Relations Department