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Tel.: (646) 519-6300 • Toll-free: (800) 566-1088
Email: [email protected]

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About the Oratorical Festival

The St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival (Oratorical Festival) is a nationwide Department of Religious Education (DRE) ministry headquartered at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America that centers around faith, education, and fellowship. Orthodox youth participants present speeches discussing the Greek Orthodox faith and the Church through exploring and deepening their faith while honing their speech writing and public speaking skills. National finalists earn sizeable cash awards, and finalists at all three levels earn scholarships.


2023 Oratorical Festival Information 


2023 Oratorical Festival Promotional Material 

St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival Logo

2023 Oratorical Festival Topic and Location Launch Ads

2023 Topic Designs

Topic Social Media Graphics

2023 Parish Poster 

2023 Oratorical Festival Topic Tips & Resources Designs

Topic Tips & Resources Graphic Designs


Information for 2023 Oratorical Festival Chairpersons 


About the Oratorical Festival

Introduced in 1983, the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival provides Greek Orthodox teenagers the opportunity to write and talk about their faith. The Oratorical Festival Program begins at the parish level and is divided into three divisions:

Elementary Division (local festival only) for students in grades 4–6
Junior Division for students in grades 7–9
Senior Division for students in grades 10–12

The top speakers in the Junior and Senior Divisions advance to the district level (if applicable). Two finalists in each district division represent the district at the Metropolis Oratorical Festival. The top speaker in each metropolis division is then selected to participate in the National Finals, which is hosted by a different metropolis each year.

All eighteen finalists at the National Oratorical Festival participate in a weekend of activities, the highlight of which is the delivery of their speeches on Saturday morning. The Oratorical Festival provides college scholarships and awards to the top speakers. 

Katherine Orfanakos Demacopoulos serves as the National Festival Chairperson.

National Oratorical Festival

Each year, the National Oratorical Festival is hosted by a different Metropolis under the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. This year, the 2023 St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival will be hosted by the Metropolis of New Jersey at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Clifton, New Jersey from June 9-11.

Last year, the 2022 St. John Chrysostom Oratorical National Festival was hosted by the Metropolis of Denver at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Dallas, Texas from June 3-5.

Scholarship and Award Information

Participants at the National Oratorical Festival Finals receive awards from the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival Award Fund ranging from $500 to $2000. The Faith Endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism Scholarships and the Chrysostom Scholarship Program of Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology also offer scholarships to the finalists.

FAITH: An Endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism Awards

Each finalist receives an additional scholarship award from FAITH: An Endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism as part of its grant to the Archdiocese. FAITH has made these awards to Oratorical Festival Finalists since 2007. We are grateful to the Founders of FAITH for their generous support of the youth of our Archdiocese and the Finalists of the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival.

  • Read more about the FAITH St. John Chrysostom Award Scholarships on their website, here.

The Chrysostom Scholarship for Hellenic College

Each Senior and Junior division First, Second and Third place finalists at the Parish, District, Metropolis and National levels of competition, are eligible to receive a Chrysostom Scholarship upon acceptance to Hellenic College. This scholarship provides awards ranging from $2,500 up to $30,000 per year for four years. 

  • Click here for more information about the scholarship. 

  • To reigister, please fill out the registration form found here

  • For a printable Flyer to display at your Parish, District and Metropolis level festivals, click here

  • Letter to Priest


Preparing for a Local Oratorical Festival

The Holy Resurrection Greek Orthodox Church in Brookville, NY, has held one of the more successful Oratorical Festival programs in our Archdiocese. A key to their success has been excellent organization and ongoing contact by the festival's chairperson with everyone involved at the local level, as well as with the District, Metropolis, and Archdiocese.

The Department is very grateful to Mrs. Vivian Casil for sharing a set of downloadable (pdf) letters and handouts used by the Resurrection parish that you might find helpful as you organize your parish Oratorical Festival.

St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival Scholarship Fund 

Every contribution helps grow this Fund so that the Archdiocese can offer prizes to the top-rated speakers at the National Festival. Thank you kindly in advance for your consideration to support this worthy program!

Learn More

 

Helpful Documents

Preparing for an Oratorical Festival

Forms to help prepare parishes for their local Oratorical Festival. More »

St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival Forms and Registration

Find relevant and important forms for the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival. More »

St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival Manual

Read the full St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Manual.

More »

Past Oratorical Festivals

2022 Oratorical Festival

2019 Oratorical Festival


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