"The Face of Mary" Symposium on the Occasion of the Feast of the Annunciation
His Beatitude Patriarch Mor Ignatius Youssef III Younan: How much we need to turn to this mother who has become the heavenly mother, the mother of life
His Eminence Bishop Mar Matthias Charles Mrad: The subject of the face in Christian-Muslim dialogue… is a contemplation of the presence of God and of His call to human fraternity
The Secretary General Professor Michel Abs: Your face, Mary, is worthy of the divine light bestowed upon you by Him whose kingdom is immortal
Source: Media of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)
On the occasion of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, and with the blessing and presence of His Beatitude Patriarch Mor Ignatius Youssef III Younan, Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), the Middle East Council of Churches and the Episcopal Committee for Christian-Muslim Dialogue, emanating from the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon, organized a symposium entitled "The Face of Mary" on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at the Syriac Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Annunciation in Mathaf - Beirut.
Attendees were His Eminence Bishop Mar Matthias Charles Mrad, the Patriarchal Vicar of the Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Beirut and the Head of the Episcopal Committee for Christian-Muslim Dialogue, the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs, Christian and Muslim Spiritual Leaders, religious, social, and cultural figures, educational and academic personalities, members of the Episcopal Committee for Christian-Muslim Dialogue, and the MECC team.
The symposium began with the Lebanese national anthem, followed by a speech by the symposium's host, the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, the Media Officer, the Coordinator of the Church and Media Relations, and the Director of the Platform of the Word at MECC. She said: "The Feast of the Annunciation has become a national Feast in Lebanon, celebrated jointly by Christians and Muslims, because this country is a land of dialogue and coexistence. The text of the Annunciation, as mentioned in the Gospel of Luke, and the story of the Annunciation, as mentioned in the Holy Qur'an, have become a unique event carried out by great men of dialogue and encounter. They made it Lebanon's message of dialogue, coexistence, and the exchange of cultures, civilizations, and the great existential, spiritual, and human experiences that are unique in human history, because the Virgin Mary is present in the heart of Lebanon and in the hearts of its people."
Afterwards, His Eminence Bishop Mar Matthias Charles Mrad delivered a speech, mentioning that "looking at the face of Mary, upon whom the lights of heaven shone, has, in Christianity in particular, an implicit search for the face of God. In Islam, turning the face towards God, following the example of Mary, is a sign of sincerity of heart and purity of intention. Thus, the subject of the face in Christian-Muslim dialogue is not merely an anthropological issue, but rather a contemplation of the presence of God and of His call to human fraternity."
Then, the symposium included interventions addressed by women from the intellectual and developmental spheres. Each one of them spoke about Mary from her intellectual perspective and faith background, speaking to the people to say that society unites through women, a unity embodied in the face of Mary, who has garnered consensus across religions and the world.
The speakers were Professor Marlene Haidar, Dean of the Institute of Social Sciences at the Lebanese University, and her intervention was about "The Lady of the World’s Women"; Dr. Nadine Abbas, Director of Louis Pouzet Center for the Study of Ancient and Medieval Civilizations at Saint Joseph University, and her intervention was about "Mary as Model: Mother and Symbol"; Dr. Haifa Al-Imam, Editor-in-Chief of Wameed Fikr magazine, and her intervention was about "The Annunciation Feast in Islamic History".
As well as, speakers were Dr. Manal Saeed, Advisor and Expert in Elderly Affairs, and her intervention was about "Mary’s Face: A Path for Dialogue"; and Professor Mirna Abboud Mzawak, Coordinator of the Women’s Pastoral Office – Bkerki, and her intervention was about "Mary’s Face and the Message of Interactive Diversity".
In his turn, the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs, delivered a speech in which he said: "Your face, Mary, is worthy of the divine light bestowed upon you by Him whose kingdom is immortal. It is worthy of a smile, it is worthy of joy, and it dispenses endless tenderness, love, and mercy... We, in the Middle East Council of Churches, being Ecumenical, and because our Ecumenism transcends relations within a single religion, but rather encompasses all people of the world, have made the Feast of your Annunciation a national Feast that encompasses all, considering it a shared religious space among the people of Lebanon..."
The final blessing was delivered by His Beatitude Patriarch Mor Ignatius Youssef III Younan, who noted in his speech that "we honor the face of Mary and cannot separate it from her name... How much we need to turn to this mother who has become the heavenly mother, the mother of life."
The symposium included reports about the Episcopal Commission for Christian-Muslim Dialogue and life testimonies about the Feast of the Annunciation. In addition, religious hymns were performed by Jessy Jleilaty.
The symposium concluded with commemorative photos.