Baghdede (Qaraqosh), North Iraq -- The sixth Baghdede Youth Festival opened with more than 700 young people taking part in a day of prayer, reflection and communal activities under the theme "Following in the Footsteps of Saint Francis."

Held under the patronage of the Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Mosul and its Dependencies, the festival was attended by Archbishop Mar Benedictus Younan Hanno.

The opening day began with a guidance session led by Father Ronni Momika, followed by a spiritual lecture by Archbishop Hanno titled "Leave Behind Everything That Makes You Lose Yourself." His address focused on faith, freedom and the need to let go of things that distance people from God.

Participants then divided into four groups for pilgrimage walks and prayer, with each group visiting churches across Baghdede, including Mar Ephrem the Assyrian, Mar Behnam and Mart Sarah, Mar Jacob the Severed, Mar John the Baptist and Mar Joseph.

The groups later returned to the Mar Paulos grounds, where the program continued with recreational and interactive activities, bringing the first day of the festival to a close.

The annual youth gathering seeks to bring the Suraye Assyrians young people together around faith, community and shared cultural life in Baghdede, one of Iraq's historic Christian towns.