His Eminence Bishop Youssef Soueif Blesses the Offices of the MECC General Secretariat in Beirut
A Meeting with the MECC Team Emphasizes the Importance of Strengthening the Ecumenical Spirit
You can find some photos at the end of the text.
In a historic station and within the journey of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), His Eminence Archbishop Youssef Soueif, Archbishop of the Maronite Diocese of Tripoli and President of the Episcopal Committee for Ecumenical Work at the Assemblée des Patriarches et Evêques Catholiques du Liban (APECL), visited the MECC headquarters in Beirut for the first time, on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. He was accompanied by Father Tanios Khalil, Dean of the Faculty of Theology at La Sagesse University in Lebanon, and Rapporteur of the Episcopal Committee for Ecumenical Work.
They were received by the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs, and colleagues in the MECC General Secretariat.
Upon his arrival, His Eminence blessed the offices of the General Secretariat and “The Platform of the Word” at MECC by sprinkling the Holy Water, offering his Prayers on the intention of the MECC work and the peace in Lebanon and the region.
His Eminence also met with the General Secretariat team in an introductory session, where he wished the MECC success in its Ecumenical and humanitarian mission. He also congratulated the team on the launch of "The Platform of the Word", the new media production center in the MECC, praising the tremendous media efforts undertaken by the Council to convey the voice of the marginalized and needy people and to shed light on the most prominent Church, humanitarian and societal issues.
His Eminence's visit came on the occasion of a press conference held at "The Platform of the Word" to launch the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 entitled “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26), at the invitation of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC).
