Julia Boehme from Sweden came to faith during the Covid-19 pandemic after years in the occult. Earlier in her life, she had decided that "God is evil" and started practising the occult, eventually becoming a witch. But the pagan reality always left her empty.
From Witchcraft to Stonehenge
Her journey to faith happened unexpectedly during a trip to Stonehenge in England. While there, she visited some local churches, attended services, and experienced God's presence in a way she never had before.
Encountering Orthodox Christianity
The experience was transformative. Despite her years of rejecting Christianity and embracing witchcraft, Julia found herself drawn to the ancient liturgy and traditions of the Orthodox church. The beauty of the services, the depth of the theology, and the sense of encountering something genuinely holy broke through her defenses.
Part of Europe's Quiet Revival
Julia's story is part of what observers are calling the "Quiet Revival" in Europe - a surprising movement of Gen Z young people coming to Christian faith, often from backgrounds completely disconnected from the church. Many, like Julia, had explored alternative spiritualities before finding their way to Jesus.
Andreas Nordli, leader of Youth with a Mission in Norway, has observed: "I have seen more young people coming to the Lord Jesus over the last two or three years than in the 27 years previous years combined." Julia's journey from witchcraft to Orthodoxy represents this unexpected spiritual awakening among European youth.
