The Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival
is a program for teenage youth sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The purpose of this Festival is to give our youth an opportunity to learn, right, and speak about their Orthodox faith and heritage.
Our Parish Level Festival for 2025 will take place on Sunday, March 16, 2025.
The Oratorical Festival 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 at 10-12
Finalists from Junior and Senior Divisions advance to the District Level, and finalists from each District Level Festival advance to the Metropolis Oratorical Festival. The first place speaker from each Metropolis Division Festival (Junior and Senior Division competitions) then advance to participate in the Archdiocesan National St. John Chrysostom Festival competition, which is hosted by a different Metropolis each year. The Oratorical Festival scholarship fund provides college scholarships to the top speakers. All finalists and their families in attendance at the Archdiocese finals participate in a weekend of activities and fellowship with speakers from all around the country, the highlight of which is the delivery of their speeches on Saturday morning.
