A Delegation of MECC Partners in an Ecumenical Tour in Lebanon
As part of the annual partners meeting of the Middle East Council of Churches, which was held on Thursday 3 and Friday 4 November 2022 in Beirut, the MECC General Secretariat organized an Ecumenical tour to the Churches in Lebanon, on Saturday 5 November 2022. Participants were a delegation of representatives of MECC partner organizations and institutions, alongside the Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, the Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar, the Executive Assistant to the Secretary General Mrs. Seta Hadeshian and the Social media Officer Chady Chata.
The tour started with a visit to Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, MECC President for the Evangelical Family, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, and President of Haigazian University in Lebanon, at the university’s campus in Beirut. During the visit, Reverend Haidostian highlighted the most prominent historical stages of the Armenian Evangelical Church. He also spoke about the founding and history of Haigazian University. The visit included a tour in the university’s buildings and its Church where everyone participated in a Prayer and hymns.
Then, a visit was held to His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Cilicia, at the Catholicosate in Antelias. His Holiness talked about many Ecumenical issues and stressed the importance of strengthening the Ecumenical spirit especially in the region. His Holiness also talked about the relationship of the partners with the Middle East Council of Churches and the role of both sides. At the end of the meeting, he offered a collection of his books to the delegation, which record the legacy of the Armenian Church. Afterwards, the attendees explored the Catholicosate and its Museum.
The next visit was to the Mar Moussa El Douwar Monastery affiliated to the Lebanese Maronite Order in the Matn District, where the delegation met the Head of the Monastery Abbot Neemattalla Al Hashem. Discussions focused on the Maronite Order, in addition to the foundation of the Monastery and its history. At the end of the meeting, Dr. Michel Abs presented to Abbot Al Hachem the “Christianity” book which is from the MECC publications. Then, the delegation gathered for lunch hosted by the Monastery.
The delegation concluded its Ecumenical trip by visiting the Greek Orthodox Saint Elie Chouaya Patriarchal Monastery, where the head of the Monastery His Eminence Bishop Costa Kayyal delivered a welcome speech on behalf of His Beatitude John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East. As well as, the participants made a tour in the Monastery with Archimandrite Euthymios Faqes who presented a brief overview about the foundation of the Monastery and its history. At the end of the visit, each of the attendees received a bottle of wine from the Monastery's products.
