Students Participating in the Second Annual Conference of the Association of Theological Institutes in

the Middle East Concluded this Conference by A Meeting with His Eminence Bishop George Chihan in Cairo

Bishop Shihan: “We must adhere to the sentence, ‘Do not be afraid’”

Dr. Abs: “A.T.M.E. is a strategic element in MECC”

Cairo, July 11, 2024

The workshops of the second annual conference of the Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East – A.T.I.M.E. ended. It was held at St. Mark's Conference House in the Obour area - Cairo, under the title "We Witness Together."

In a final phase, the students paid a visit to His Eminence Bishop George Chihan, the Most Respected, Head of the Maronite Diocese of Cairo, Egypt and Sudan. The delegation was headed by the Rt. Reverend Archimandrite Jack Khalil, Dean of the Saint John of Damascus Institute at the University of Balamand, Lebanon, and President of A.T.I.M.E., and included Dr. Michel Abs, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Father Dr. Michael Kanbar, the Executive Secretary of A.T.I.M.E., Reverend Bishoy Helmi, the Associate Executive Secretary, Reverend Dr. Samuel Rosvi, the Associate Executive Secretary, and the MECC Media Church Relations Coordinator the journalist Lea Adel Maamary.

In an atmosphere full of love and fraternity, His Eminence and a group of Priest fathers received the students in the Diocese headquarters.

The meeting began with a speech delivered by Father Dr. Michael Kanbar, the Executive Secretary of A.T.I.M.E., in which he thanked Bishop George Chihan for his loving fatherly reception, presenting a detailed explanation of A.T.I.M.E., its activities, work programs, and future aspirations.

Afterwards, His Eminence Bishop George Chihan delivered a heartfelt speech, which he summarized it with the sentence “Do not be afraid,” inspired by the Gospel verse: “The angel said to him: “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit”. He emphasized the importance of these conferences and meetings held by A.T.I.M.E., which strengthen the spirit of fraternity and ecumenism among various Church Families. His Eminence also called on the students not to be afraid that the other will be with them and in their home.

As well as, His Eminence Bishop George Chihan praised the role of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) at many levels. He also thanked Dr. Michel Abs and everyone for this visit, which reflects great love. He also presented a detailed explanation of the history of the Maronite Church in Egypt.

Then, Father Bishoy Helmi addressed a brief speech in which he talked about the role played by Bishop George Chihan in Egypt, mentioning his openness and love for everyone without discrimination.

Dr. Michel Abs, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), delivered then a speech in which he thanked His Eminence for his loving reception, stressing that the A.T.M.E. Association is a strategic element in MECC and an important mine for graduating ecumenical leaders in the future.

In the same context, the A.T.M.E. Association offered to His Eminence Bishop George Chihan, the Most Respected, the book “Monasteries of the See of Antioch”.

His Eminence also offered to the students some commemorative pictures of the Maronite Church in Egypt, on which was written the Biblical verse that summarizes the sentence, “Do not be afraid.”

In addition, everyone listened to life testimonies from the students, in which they expressed the experiences they lived during the conference days, the importance of the lectures they listened to, and the encounter of love and rapprochement that arose between them.

The meeting ended with a Prayer of thanks on the intention of the A.T.M.E’s second annual conference “We Witness Together.”