A Delegation from MECC Visits the Heads of the Damaged Churches in Beirut
SG Dr Bechealany: “We have issued an appeal to help the devastated city of Beirut and its distressed people”
In the wake of the Beirut Port explosion that occurred on August 4, 2020 and resulted in massive destruction and damage to public and private properties, as well as to churches and their institutions, Dr. Souraya Bechealany, Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), visited the council's member churches in Beirut.
Dr Bechealany headed a delegation from the Middle East Council of Churches, which included Father Gaby Hachem, Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department (TED), Mrs. Huguette Salameh, Director of the Communication and Public Relations Department, Mrs. Seta Hadeshian, MECC Executive Assistant and Dr. Michel Abs, member of the executive committee. The Secretary General visited the heads of the damaged churches, extending her condolences to the victims of the horrific explosion and wishing recovery to the wounded and injured. She also briefed the bishops on the appeal launched by the Council to provide relief for the wounded city of Beirut and its afflicted people. MECC Secretary General also emphasized that the Council is putting all its capabilities in the relief and development field at the disposal of churches to support and help Beirut’s parishes and all those who are in need or were affected by the explosion.
Bechealany also put forward the ways and mechanisms of cooperation between the dioceses and the Council to distribute international donations and the aid which the Council has begun receiving from its partners and churches around the world, who want to rebuild the wounded capital and support its people.
During the tour, Bechealany and the accompanying MECC delegation visited His Beatitude Patriarch Gregoire Pierre XX Ghabroyan, Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicie of Armenian Catholics, Rev. Dr. Habib Badr, President of the National Evangelical Union in Lebanon and president of the MECC on behalf of the Evangelical family, His Eminence Metropolitan Elias Audeh, Arbchichop of Beirut Orthodox Archdiocese of Beirut, His Eminence Paul Abdel Sater, Maronite Archbishop of Beirut, His Eminence George Bacaouni, Greek Catholic Melkite Metropolitan of Beirut and Byblos, His Eminence Metropolitan Mor Clemis Daniel Malak Kourieh, Archbishop of Beirut and Benevolent institutions in Lebanon, Syriac Orthodox Church, His Eminence Arbchishop Chahe Panossian, Armenian Orthodox Church in Lebanon, , and Rev. Megrditch Karagoezian, President of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East. MECC Secretary General also called His Eminence Mgr Mathias Charles Mrad, Syrian Catholic Church, for the same purpose.