Momentum, the Weekly Newsletter from the Middle East Council of Churches
In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Middle East Council of Churches, Communication and Public Relations Department, MECC, its Presidents, Executive Committee, and General Secretariat, extends its congratulations to His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, on the occasion of his elevation to the rank of Cardinal at the Catholic Church, as announced by His Holiness Pope Francis. As well as, MECC, Presidents, Executive Committee, and the General Secretariat, extends its congratulations to His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church of Cilicia, on the occasion of his election and consecration as Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church. As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, it is entitled “The Broken Dialogue, the Lost Society, and Ecumenism”, in which he talked about the concept of dialogue stressing the importance of common life and the advanced and deep interaction between people.
The issue also presents a news about the meeting of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Orthodox family, with His Eminence Archbishop Christophoros of Kyriakoupolis (Patriarchate of Jerusalem), who came from Amman with an accompanying delegation that included Father Christophorus, Father Ieronymos, and Dr. Audeh Kawas, in the presence of their Eminences Metropolitan Antonios (Zahle), Bishop Moses (al-Khosi), Archmandrite Yacoub Khalil, and Dr. Michel Abs, Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches. The meeting was held on Thursday 6 July 2023, at the Patriarchal Residence in Balamand.
As well as, you can find a news about the participation of Dr. Laure Abi Khalil, representing the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs, in a conference entitled “Al-Ghadir and Human Sciences” (Al-Ghadiriya Beirut 2023). It was organized by the “Macharek Center for Research and Contemporary Intellectual Studies” on the occasion of God’s Great Feast, “Eid Al-Ghadir,” and under the auspices of the Vice-President of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council in Lebanon, His Eminence Sheikh Ali Al-Khatib. The conference was held on Wednesday 5 July 2023, at the Imam Sadiq Cultural Compound, Lebanon.
Moreover, the issue includes details and photos about the rehabilitation of “Dar Al Salam” school in Aleppo, Syria, within the “Restoration Fund for Rehabilitation of Faith-based Social Services & Religious Infrastructure Damaged During the Crisis in Syria”, through which the Middle East Council of Churches in cooperation with “Kerk in Actie” organization in the Netherlandsis working to restore what was damaged by the war.
In addition, you can find a video in which one of the earthquake survivors of the earthquake that hit the North of the Antiochian Levant recalls the bitter situations she passed through with her family in Aleppo following the disaster, describing the difficult living conditions that our brothers and sisters in Syria are witnessing.
This issue also includes details and pictures about the latest developments and activities of the Service and Relief Department - Diakonia Department at the Middle East Council of Churches, which were implemented in both Lebanon and Syria.
Furthermore, the issue includes many reports issued by MECC after the earthquake that hit the North of the Antiochian Levant, under the name of "Rescue Syria Update" which will keep you informed about the developments of MECC action as well as the overall situation in a context analysis perspective. The MECC will be also publishing other periodical and updated reports. This is in addition to photo albums showing the difficult humanitarian situations in Syria.
The issue also includes the Ecumenical Calendar for the month of July 2023, issued by the Middle East Council of Churches, Communication and Public Relations Department. In addition to the international “Season of Creation” guide 2023 entitled “Let Justice and Peace Flow” in Arabic and English. Noting that MECC has translated it into Arabic. As well as, you can find Ecumenical reports, the weekly Prayer, videos, and news of the Middle Eastern Churches.
Additionally, the issue presents a socio-economic overview of the Middle East during May 2023 and the latest updates of the Coronavirus in the region.