
MECC
Video - The Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East (A.T.I.M.E) in a Meeting with His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark
The Video Is Produced by the Coptic Orthodox Media Center
Election of a New Executive Secretariat for the Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East (A.T.I.M.E)
The Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East (A.T.I.M.E) held its General Assembly meeting on Friday, July 18, 2025, at Our Lady of Peace Sheraton - Cairo, headed by Archimandrite Jack Khalil, the ATIME’s President, and Father Michel Kanbar, the Executive Secretary. At the beginning of the second session at 5:00 pm, a new Executive Secretariat was elected as follows:
President: His Grace Bishop Bigol Abbot of St. Virgin Mary El-Muharraq Monastery and Director of the Monastery's Seminary (Eastern Orthodox Family)
Executive Secretary: Reverend Dr. Samuel Rozfy Ibrahim, Dean of the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo (Evangelical Family)
Associate Executive Secretaries:
Dr. Gergis Ibrahim Saleh, Honorary Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (Oriental Orthodox Family)
Sister Dr. Rose Abi Aad, Professor at the Faculty of Religious and Theological Sciences at La Sagesse University (Catholic Family)
Dr. Daniel Ayouch, Professor at the St. John of Damascus Institute, University of Balamand (Orthodox Family)
Student Theology Conference in Cairo:
"Nicaea from the Preaching of the Apostles... to the Evangelization of Today"
At a regional moment saturated with transformations, and in the heart of Cairo, more than fifty students from various Churches and Theological Institutes in the Middle East gathered to participate in the third student conference of the Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East (ATIME), entitled:
"The Council of Nicaea - The Faith of the Church from the Preaching of the Apostles to the Evangelization of Today," which took place from July 13 to 18, 2025, at Our Lady of Peace Hotel, Sheraton Heliopolis, Cairo.
The conference was organized by the ATIME’s Executive Secretariat, headed by Archimandrite Jack Khalil, and coordinated directly by Father Dr. Michel Kanbar (Executive Secretary), with the participation of the Associate Secretaries Reverend Dr. Bishoy Helmy, Reverend Dr. Samuel Rozfy, and Father Antoine Al Ahmar, Director of the Theological Department of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC). It provided unique space that combined serious Theological research, living Ecumenical experience, and human communication across Church Affiliations.
The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Issues Its Weekly Newsletter
“Momentum”
17-7-2025
This issue includes reports, videos, news, articles, and a full coverage of the latest developments of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), as well as the Church, Ecumenical, and social events…
This is in addition to the weekly word of the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs which is entitled in this issue “The Executive Committee at Its Meeting, Paths and Lessons”.
You can check the issue via the following link: https://mailchi.mp/c284da2bcb46/momentum-mecc-weekly-newsletter.
You can also subscribe to the Momentum Newsletter via the following link: https://mecc.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?id=fd3381352a&u=1db32cafe9ea32b38eb90480a.
The Executive Committee at Its Meeting
Paths and Lessons
Professor Michel Abs
The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)
The Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches met in Beirut last week, chaired by the MECC Presidents or their delegates, since some were absent for emergencies, with the participation of the Secretary General, associate Secretaries General, and the staff team of directors, section heads, administrators, and technical personnel.
At the start of the meeting, a minute of silence and prayer was observed for the souls of those martyred in the massacre at St. Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Dweilah, Damascus, as a result of the terrorist bombing. The tragedy of the church bombing took up a significant portion of the time allotted to various topics. In this context, there was a strong condemnation of all forms of violence, regardless of their source, and a strong denouncement of hate speech, extremism, racism, and the current acts of violence that are considered an insult to humanity.
Following this, the participants agreed to visit His Beatitude Patriarch John X the next day at the Patriarchal residence in Balamand, to express solidarity and sorrow for the loss of all these innocent victims. This visit took place the next day, with a large delegation representing the Council’s Executive Committee and staff, in a solidarity meeting that expressed deep feelings of love and strong unity among all who desire civil peace in this land, rejecting all forms of violence, intimidation, and oppression, regardless of source or target…
Video - A News Bulletin on Mariam TV, from Télé Lumière-Noursat
Highlighting the MECC Activities
Prepared and Presented by the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary
His Holiness Pope Leo XIV Spends a Period of Summer with Ongoing Activity
Castel Gandolfo and the Pontifical Villas: A Historical Church Heritage and an Oasis of Rest and Tranquility
Media of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)
From the Vatican City to Castel Gandolfo, from the meetings, files, and urgent Church and social issues to a space of rest, reflection, and tranquility, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV moved from his residence at the Holy See to the Pontifical Villas in Castel Gandolfo.
There, he is spending a summer period from Sunday, July 6, until July 20, according to a statement issued by the Prefecture of the Papal Household. He will return to this Papal summer residence for a short period in mid-August.
Since this announcement, the name of Castel Gandolfo has become under the spotlight of social media, which follows the Pope's activities and Prayers at the Italian summer residence, moment by moment.
Remarkably, by visiting this town, Pope Leo XIV is reviving the tradition of Popes leaving the Vatican for a summer vacation. The late Pope Francis has canceled this tradition, preferring to spend the holidays at his residence in Casa Santa Marta.
Video - Important Files Program with the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs
Second Episode - Federalism
Prepared and Presented by the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary
Produced by MECC
The MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs Receives the Journalist and Social Activist Rafi Sayegh
And An Interview Within the "Ecumenical Horizons" Program
The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs received the Journalist and Social Activist Rafi Sayegh on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at the MECC General Secretariat offices in Beirut.
During the meeting, Professor Abs welcomed his guest, commending his Church and media activities. He also listened from his guest to the updates of the situation in Syria, particularly in the city of Qamishli, emphasizing the MECC ongoing support for the people of Syria and the region.
In his turn, Rafi congratulated the Secretary General Professor Abs on the significant media developments made by the Middle East Council of Churches, thanking the MECC media team for their efforts in shedding light on the Church and social issues, especially in highlighting the voice and image of the people of Syria, in terms of activities and programs.
Video - "Ecumenical Horizons" Program: Episode 5
Produced by the Middle East Council of Churches
“Ecumenical Horizons” is a weekly program that features spiritual, cultural, intellectual, educational, youth and environmental topics.
MECC Distributes Fodder, Veterinary Medicine, and Food Baskets to Support Rural Families in Dara’a
The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), through its Service and Relief Department – Diakonia, continues its efforts to support the livestock sector and enhance livelihoods and food security in rural areas, as part of its ongoing mission to assist the most vulnerable families and alleviate increasing living burdens.
In this context, 134 livestock breeders in the villages of Deir al-Bukht, Khirbet Ghazaleh, and Al-Kutaybeh in rural Dara’a were supported through the distribution of 220 rations to cover 220 heads of cattle. Each ration consisted of 900 kilograms of mineral-fortified pelleted fodder and 720 kilograms of hay. In addition, veterinary services, medications, and vaccines were provided, along with one food basket for each of the 134 breeders’ families.
The beneficiaries also attended training sessions on proper cattle care, ways to manage common livestock diseases, and optimal nutrition practices to improve the quality and quantity of milk production.
Welcoming Word of the Secretary General
at the Meeting of the
Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches
July 9 and 10, 2025
Beirut – Crowne Plaza Hotel
Your Beatitudes, Eminences, Graces, Reverends, Fathers, Church Representatives, and esteemed colleagues,
After much effort, we have managed to find a suitable time for the leaders of the Middle East Council of Churches to gather, in order to review the work and achievements of the Council’s team over the past year and a half, discuss matters related to the Council’s operations, and make appropriate decisions.
The Executive Committee meeting was originally scheduled for early December 2024, but the political and security situation did not allow for it. We also had to wait for the end of the two-month ceasefire trial period, which made a meeting in January or February 2025 impossible, with high levels of uncertainty and concern. Therefore, we did not start exploring possible dates until March 2025.
Since then, we have maintained contact with respected Committee members to set a date. Attempts to fix the date in April and May were canceled, but we finally agreed on a date that ensures a quorum beyond the minimum—more than four members from each family. Here we are today, gathered with the Lord’s guidance and blessing, to serve humanity in His holy name…
Delegation of the Middle East Council of Churches offers condolences to Patriarch John X:
"The blood shed in St. Elias Church is the blood of us all. Our heartfelt condolences to you, and mercy to the martyrs."
Balamand, July 10, 2025
His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and President of the Orthodox Family in the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), received a delegation from the MECC Executive Committee, composed of Representatives from different Churches and countries of the Middle East, at the Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand. The delegation included His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia, and MECC President for the Catholic Family, Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), President of Haigazian University in Lebanon, and MECC President for the Evangelical Family, the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs, and other Members of the Executive Committee representing Churches from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, and Cyprus.