Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia, January 23, 2026
Over the weekend of January 17-18, the small but vibrant Serbian Orthodox parish of the Holy Trinity in Medellín, Colombia witnessed a series of celebrations culminating in the Baptism of six young people who had completed months of catechetical preparation.
On Saturday, the parish community served Divine Liturgy in the municipality of Cisneros in the northern part of Antioquia province. There, in a mountainous setting, Fr. Simeon (López) served the Great Blessing of Waters, reports zivotcrkve.rs.
The following day, Sunday, the celebration continued at the house-chapel in Bello, a neighborhood of Medellín, where the Liturgy for the feast of Theophany was served.
That day, six young people who had spent months in catechetical preparation received the Sacrament of Baptism. They were given the names Stephen, after the first Christian martyr; James, after the first bishop of the Church in Jerusalem; Stephen; Justin, after St. Justin of ?elije; and Joachim and Anna, in honor of the parents of the Most Holy Theotokos.
The catechumens were immersed three times in the Baptismal font, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. They then received holy Chrismation, were dressed in white, tonsured, and confessed the Creed while holding lit candles.
According to the newly baptized James, he hadn’t found a place where he could truly encounter God and receive the peace that comes from Him until he experienced the fullness of Orthodox worship and the ancient Tradition preserved through the centuries.
Zivotcrkve.rs writes:
The Baptism of these six young people represents the fruit of mature pastoral labor and a strong sign of hope. It testifies that even amid the accelerated rhythm of modern life, a young generation, thirsting for authenticity and deeper meaning in existence, can find its home in the ancient faith, unchanged throughout the centuries. They came guided by personal conviction, searching for reliable spiritual guidance and a firm foundation on the path of life.
OrthoChristian has also reported on the Romanian Orthodox Church’s mission work in Colombia.
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