Antiochian Village
Encyclopedia
The Antiochian Village is a center for Orthodox activities in Bolivar, Pennsylvania
(5 miles north of Historic Ligonier
) that was founded in 1978. It is under the jurisdiction of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
and consists of a conference center and a camp. It was the site of the Ligonier Meeting
in 1994. Antiochian Village consists of two elements: A Conference and Retreat Center, and a Summer Camp with off-season offerings.
"The Village" hosts Orthodox as well as external events and retreats. The Orthodox Christian Fellowship
East Coast College Conference takes place at the conference center each December. There is an annual Sts. Thekla
and Raphael
Pilgrimage every fall. St. Thekla is the patron saint of an outdoor chapel on the camp grounds, and St. Raphael is buried just next to the outdoor chapel. The Antiochian Archdiocese
has many of its national delegate's meetings and its biennial Clergy Symposium at the conference center, due to the central location and facilities that are conducive to host such meetings.
The Conference and Retreat Center also has four regulation football fields, used for football camps, soccer camps, cheerleader training, marching bands and tournaments.
The current Executive Director of the Antiochian Village Conference and Retreat Center is H. Paul Finley.
.
In addition to St. Thekla
and St. Raphael
, the camp's patron saints include the child saint Artemius, St. Herman of Alaska
and St. Ignatius of Antioch
. The reliquary
at the St. Ignatius Chapel includes the relics of St. Herman and St. Moses the Ethiopian
.
The camp is currently conducting a capital campaign called "Village 2010" to raise money for many necessary upgrades to facilities. The St. Ignatius Chapel will be expanded, five new cabins will be built, a new dining hall will be created, as well as numerous other projects.
The Antiochian Village Camp has been accredited by the American Camp Association
since 1982.
The Antiochian Village was the vision of His Eminence Metropolitan Philip
of the Antiochian Archdiocese. The 280 acres (1.1 km²) grounds were purchased from Camp Fairfield, a Presbyterian camp, in 1978., and the first camping season was the summer of 1979. The Conference and Retreat Center was built in 1985 and doubled in size in 1990. Fr. John Namie was the first director from 1979 to 1988. Under his directorship, the camping program grew from a two-camper session to an ACA
accredited camping program that served hundreds of Orthodox Youth each summer.
After a succession of directors, V. Rev. Dr. Joseph F. Purpura was the director from 1993–1996, during which time the Ligonier Meeting
was held at the conference and retreat center.
Fr. Michael Nasser was made director in 1997. He grew the camp from a three-session summer program into the current format of four fortnight-long summer sessions, as well as two winter camp sessions, family camp, and sacred arts camps.
The current Camp Director is Fr. Anthony Yazge. He took up this position in 2007, having previously participated in the camping program as session priest.
The current Conference and Retreat Center Director is H. Paul Finley.
Bolivar, Pennsylvania
Bolivar is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 501 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bolivar is located at ....
(5 miles north of Historic Ligonier
Ligonier, Pennsylvania
Ligonier is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2000 census. Ligonier was settled in the 1760s. The borough is well known for nearby Idlewild Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, and nearby Seven Springs Mountain Resort...
) that was founded in 1978. It is under the jurisdiction of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America is the sole jurisdiction of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in the United States and Canada with exclusive jurisdiction over the Antiochian Orthodox faithful in those countries, though these faithful were originally cared for by the...
and consists of a conference center and a camp. It was the site of the Ligonier Meeting
Ligonier Meeting
The Ligonier Meeting was a meeting of twenty-eight or twenty-nine Orthodox Christian hierarchs in North America, specifically those affiliated with SCOBA, held November 30 to December 2, 1994, at the Antiochian Village in Ligonier, Pennsylvania...
in 1994. Antiochian Village consists of two elements: A Conference and Retreat Center, and a Summer Camp with off-season offerings.
Conference and Retreat Center
The conference center has one hundred guest rooms, meeting rooms, a banquet hall, dining facilities, and a theological research library. The Saints Peter and Paul chapel is also located within the center. In 2004, the Antiochian Village Heritage Museum was opened, featuring historical artifacts of Orthodox significance, such as icons and vestments."The Village" hosts Orthodox as well as external events and retreats. The Orthodox Christian Fellowship
Orthodox Christian Fellowship
Orthodox Christian Fellowship or OCF is the official campus ministry of the Orthodox Episcopal Assembly of North America, and was formerly under the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas . OCF is a Pan-Orthodox campus ministry that supports local OCF chapters...
East Coast College Conference takes place at the conference center each December. There is an annual Sts. Thekla
Thecla
Thecla was a saint of the early Christian Church, and a reported follower of Paul the Apostle. The only known record of her comes from the apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla, probably composed in the 2nd century.-Biography:...
and Raphael
Raphael of Brooklyn
Saint Raphael of Brooklyn , also known as Father Raphael, was born as Raphael Hawaweeny in Beirut, Lebanon, of Damascene Syrian parents...
Pilgrimage every fall. St. Thekla is the patron saint of an outdoor chapel on the camp grounds, and St. Raphael is buried just next to the outdoor chapel. The Antiochian Archdiocese
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America is the sole jurisdiction of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in the United States and Canada with exclusive jurisdiction over the Antiochian Orthodox faithful in those countries, though these faithful were originally cared for by the...
has many of its national delegate's meetings and its biennial Clergy Symposium at the conference center, due to the central location and facilities that are conducive to host such meetings.
The Conference and Retreat Center also has four regulation football fields, used for football camps, soccer camps, cheerleader training, marching bands and tournaments.
The current Executive Director of the Antiochian Village Conference and Retreat Center is H. Paul Finley.
Camping program
The Antiochian Village Camp program holds both a summer and winter camp each year. The summer camp consists of four 2-week sessions from June to August each year. Approximately nine hundred campers between the ages of 9 and 17, as well as sixty staff, attend the camp every summer. Some main parts of the summer camp program are daily services in the St. Ignatius chapel, Christian education classes, a challenge course, an overnight camping program, and afternoon sports and activities. There are two 4-day winter camp sessions for older campers (12 to 17 years old) over long weekend breaks from school in the winter. Winter camp includes a day trip to go snow tubing and various outdoor winter activities. The camp also has a family camp for families to attend together, and in 2005 started the Villedge Adventures program for 16 to 18 year old campers. Since 2006, there are "Sacred Arts Camps" during the summer for interested campers to learn Byzantine Chanting and IconographyIconography
Iconography is the branch of art history which studies the identification, description, and the interpretation of the content of images. The word iconography literally means "image writing", and comes from the Greek "image" and "to write". A secondary meaning is the painting of icons in the...
.
In addition to St. Thekla
Thecla
Thecla was a saint of the early Christian Church, and a reported follower of Paul the Apostle. The only known record of her comes from the apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla, probably composed in the 2nd century.-Biography:...
and St. Raphael
Raphael of Brooklyn
Saint Raphael of Brooklyn , also known as Father Raphael, was born as Raphael Hawaweeny in Beirut, Lebanon, of Damascene Syrian parents...
, the camp's patron saints include the child saint Artemius, St. Herman of Alaska
Herman of Alaska
Saint Herman of Alaska was one of the first Eastern Orthodox missionaries to the New World, and is considered by Orthodox Christians to be the patron saint of the Americas.-Biography:Saint Herman was born in the town of Serpukhov in the Moscow Diocese around 1756...
and St. Ignatius of Antioch
Ignatius of Antioch
Ignatius of Antioch was among the Apostolic Fathers, was the third Bishop of Antioch, and was a student of John the Apostle. En route to his martyrdom in Rome, Ignatius wrote a series of letters which have been preserved as an example of very early Christian theology...
. The reliquary
Reliquary
A reliquary is a container for relics. These may be the physical remains of saints, such as bones, pieces of clothing, or some object associated with saints or other religious figures...
at the St. Ignatius Chapel includes the relics of St. Herman and St. Moses the Ethiopian
Moses the Black
Saint Moses the Black , was an ascetic monk and priest in Egypt in the fourth century AD.-Early life:...
.
The camp is currently conducting a capital campaign called "Village 2010" to raise money for many necessary upgrades to facilities. The St. Ignatius Chapel will be expanded, five new cabins will be built, a new dining hall will be created, as well as numerous other projects.
The Antiochian Village Camp has been accredited by the American Camp Association
American Camp Association
The American Camp Association , formerly known as the American Camping Association, is a 501 nonprofit that serves the United States. It is an association for camp owners, camp professionals and others interested in summer camps and similar camp programs.ACA runs an accreditation criterion for camps...
since 1982.
History
See also: Antiochian Village Camp HistoryThe Antiochian Village was the vision of His Eminence Metropolitan Philip
Philip (Saliba)
Metropolitan Philip is the Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America, which is the leadership position for the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. Metropolitan Philip has held this position since 1966.- Education :Philip was education at Balamand...
of the Antiochian Archdiocese. The 280 acres (1.1 km²) grounds were purchased from Camp Fairfield, a Presbyterian camp, in 1978., and the first camping season was the summer of 1979. The Conference and Retreat Center was built in 1985 and doubled in size in 1990. Fr. John Namie was the first director from 1979 to 1988. Under his directorship, the camping program grew from a two-camper session to an ACA
American Camp Association
The American Camp Association , formerly known as the American Camping Association, is a 501 nonprofit that serves the United States. It is an association for camp owners, camp professionals and others interested in summer camps and similar camp programs.ACA runs an accreditation criterion for camps...
accredited camping program that served hundreds of Orthodox Youth each summer.
After a succession of directors, V. Rev. Dr. Joseph F. Purpura was the director from 1993–1996, during which time the Ligonier Meeting
Ligonier Meeting
The Ligonier Meeting was a meeting of twenty-eight or twenty-nine Orthodox Christian hierarchs in North America, specifically those affiliated with SCOBA, held November 30 to December 2, 1994, at the Antiochian Village in Ligonier, Pennsylvania...
was held at the conference and retreat center.
Fr. Michael Nasser was made director in 1997. He grew the camp from a three-session summer program into the current format of four fortnight-long summer sessions, as well as two winter camp sessions, family camp, and sacred arts camps.
The current Camp Director is Fr. Anthony Yazge. He took up this position in 2007, having previously participated in the camping program as session priest.
The current Conference and Retreat Center Director is H. Paul Finley.
Directors
- 1979-1988: Fr. John Namie
- 1989: Fr. Matthew George
- 1990-1991: Fr. Paul Finley
- 1992: Fr. George Alberts
- 1993-1996: V. Rev. Dr. Joseph F. Purpura
- 1997-2006: Fr. Michael Nasser
- 2006–Present: Fr. Anthony Yazge (Camp)
- 2006–Present: H. Paul Finley (Conference Center)