St. George and the Samaritan Woman Church for the Coptic Orthodox in Shoubra El-Kheima - Cairo, Hosts the Second Day of the Week of Prayer in Egypt

The MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs: “We all seek, as bearers of the message of the Incarnate Lord, who fought evil with love, to be His messengers if we strive, through good words and good deeds”

Photos: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4.

Cairo, February 14, 2025

With the blessings and Prayers of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, and at the invitation of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) in cooperation with the Egyptian Council of Churches, the Prayer of the Week of Unity was held for the second consecutive day at St. George and the Samaritan Woman Church for the Coptic Orthodox in Shoubra El-Kheima - Cairo, presided over by His Grace Bishop Marcos, Bishop of Shoubra El-Kheima and Its Dependencies, with the participation of Priests, Pastors, and large crowds of believers.

The Prayer was attended by the Heads of the Churches of Egypt, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, the Secretary General of the Egyptian Council of Churches Reverend Yachouh Ayoub, the MECC Honorary Secretary General Dr. Gergis Saleh, the MECC Associate Secretary General Reverend Dr. Refaat Fikry, the Media Officer and the Coordinator of Church and Media Relations at MECC Lea Adel Maamary, youth and scouts.

The Prayer began with an opening speech delivered by His Grace Bishop Marcos, Bishop of Shoubra El-Kheima and Its Dependencies, in which he welcomed the attendees and stressed that we Pray today for us to have one faith, and for the world to live in peace and stability, praising all the studies prepared by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) to bridge the distances between the Churches and sow the seeds of love.

Afterwards, a documentary was broadcasted about the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) on the occasion of the Fiftieth Year of its Founding. It was followed by a speech delivered by the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, in which he said: “The expansion of participation in the Week of Prayer for Unity demonstrates the extension of the "Ecumenical oil patch" and the adoption of Ecumenical thought and values as a solid position among wide segments of believers in various parts of the world.

It is worth noting that our Ecumenism, which stems from Christian roots, is not limited to Christians alone; it includes all people, as God created them in His image and likeness and surrounded them with His love. This real Christian Ecumenical dimension constitutes a starting point for inviting everyone to dialogue, rapprochement and fraternity, no matter how different their affiliations are.

We all seek, as bearers of the message of the Incarnate Lord, who fought evil with love, to be His messengers if we strive, through good words and good deeds, to fulfill His message of salvation and serve humanity. We, in the Council, are fully aware of the importance of the talents that the Lord Has placed in our charge, and we seek to make them fruitful as much as possible, through the services we provide to people with dignity and love.”

As well as, a speech was delivered by the Secretary General of the Egyptian Council of Churches Reverend Yachouh Ayoub, in which he spoke about the role of the Egyptian Council of Churches and the Prayers and activities it holds in order to achieve the desired unity.

The Prayer included readings for the Holy Fathers Saints, Biblical Prayers, and a hymn of the 3 Ecumenical Councils performed by the Sunday School Children's Choir.

A Prayer was also raised on the intention of the Church, Egypt and the region. It was followed by the recitation of the Creed (Nicene-Constantinopolitan).

The Prayer ended with a Sermon delivered by His Grace Bishop Macos, in which he spoke about "Creation is the work of God."