Orange, NJ – Last year, Mihret Melaku, a Harvard student and a deacon in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, went viral after defending the Orthodox Christian Faith in a debate against a pair of well-known Protestant preachers on his campus. Since that time, through God’s grace, Deacon Mihret has graduated from Harvard, authored a book, and inspired thousands to rediscover the Ancient Faith delivered once and forever for all the saints (St. Jude 1:3). Impressed with Deacon Mihret’s example, His Eminence Archbishop Petros – Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Archdiocese of New York and member of the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches (SCOOCh) – convened a spiritual day and book signing with Deacon Mihret for the Orthodox youth of the Northeastern United States at Debre Ganet Kidus Gabriel Church. The conference was organized jointly by the Archdiocese of New York and the Standing Conference.
The day began with prayer in the Ethiopic Rite, and included book reviews offered by young Orthodox Christian readers, panel discussions with Orthodox clergy, mezmur, and homilies. His Eminence Archbishop Petros welcomed the assembled faithful to St. Gabriel’s Church, along with the priests of the parish, V. Rev. Fr. Melake Ganet Kesis Tesfa Eyesus and Rev. Fr. Wolde Yohannes.
The first panel discussion included: V. Rev. Fr. Cyril Antonious of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York & New England; Rev. Fr. Joel Jacob of St. Mary’s Malankara-Syriac Orthodox Church; Rev. Fr. Anthony Andrews of Virgin Mary & St. Pachomius Coptic Orthodox Church; Rev. Archdeacon Gebre Kristos Nicholas Siniari, Secretary of the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches and Ecumenical Officer of the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of New York & New England; and Rev. Deacon Mihret himself. For the second panel, Deacon Mihret was joined by the V. Rev. Father Anastasi St. Antony, who heads the departments of Youth Ministry and Mission & Evangelism in the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York & New England. Homilies were also delivered by Archbishop Petros and Abouna Anastasi. The event was emceed by Rev. Fr. Tewodros of Bisrate Gebriel Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
The event was well-attended by youth from the Ethiopian, Coptic, Eritrean, and Malankara-Syriac Orthodox Churches. The young women of the Oriental Orthodox Church are invited to join us for a special Young Women’s Day on March 14, 2026 at St. George Coptic Orthodox Church in Norristown, PA.
Photos courtesy Mr. Dimitry Faltas