What started as a personal act of thanksgiving has evolved into a fast-growing worship movement, as preparations intensify for the 2026 edition of LATRIA, an annual praise and worship gathering drawing increasing attention across the Federal Capital Territory and beyond.

The programme, scheduled for Friday, July 3, 2026, at 9:00 PM, will take place at the Assemblies of God Church Hall in Mararaba, along the Abuja–Keffi Expressway in Nasarawa State. This year’s theme, “God’s Praise & Glory: My Testimony,” is expected to anchor the night’s focus on gratitude, personal encounters, and reverential worship.

LATRIA was first conceived in 2020 as a birthday thanksgiving initiative by its founder, Bro. Eugene Chinedu Ejechi, a deacon and church secretary at the Assemblies of God Church, International Worship Center, Mararaba. Over time, the gathering has grown beyond a personal celebration into a broader spiritual platform attracting worshippers and gospel ministers from different parts of the country.

Ejechi, who has consistently financed and organized the event, said the initiative was born out of a deep desire to reverence God through sincere worship. In 2024, the programme took on a more defined identity following what he described as a divine inspiration that led to the name “LATRIA,” a Greek term denoting adoration and reverential worship due only to the Supreme God and the Holy Trinity.

Organizers say the vision of LATRIA is to create an atmosphere of pure adoration directed solely to God, while its mission is to raise a generation of believers who understand and embrace that depth of worship.

In recent years, the programme has also positioned itself as a platform for youth engagement and spiritual revival, with a focus on using music and testimonies to reconnect young people with faith.

“This is more than a concert; it is a divine moment for people to express their testimonies through praise,” Ejechi said.

Host minister, Rev. Moses Uyanneh, noted that the event comes at a time when many are seeking hope and direction, expressing confidence that lives will be transformed through the worship experience.

Since its inception, LATRIA has featured a wide range of gospel ministers, including Pastor Obinna Okpeoha, Evangelist Juliana Rishama (JuliePraize), Rev. Princewill Nwachukwu, Pastor Great Ode, Min. Jeff, Min. Jerry Whyte, Evangelist Chuks Obinna, saxophonists Meshach Paul and Ogbonnaya Umeh, Min. King James Agada, Evangelist Eunice Chris-Morgan, Pastor Kingsley Ike, and Dr. Chris Morgan, among others.

The 2026 edition is expected to host notable ministers such as Rev. Princewill Nwachukwu, Evangelist Juliana Rishama, Min. T. God Abutu, Min. Tony Comb, Min. Moses Madu, Min. Comfort Adasi, and gospel artiste Buchi, all billed to lead worshippers in what organizers describe as a night of deep spiritual encounter.

With its accessible location near key landmarks in Mararaba, the event is anticipated to attract participants from Abuja, Nasarawa, and surrounding areas, further strengthening its reputation as a unifying worship platform.

As momentum builds, LATRIA is increasingly being seen not just as an annual gathering, but as a movement aimed at rekindling faith, fostering community, and restoring the essence of true worship.