Professor Michel Abs

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

Christian religious leaders, along with intellectual elites from both Christian and Muslim backgrounds, are arriving to the beloved Jordan to participate in a consultative intellectual meeting on the topic: “Christians in the Arab Levant and the Aspirations of Unity and Enlightenment.” The meeting will reflect on priority issues in public life in the Antiochian-Arab Levant, issues directly related to the destiny and future of our peoples.

This intellectual event is organized by the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies and held under the patronage and with the participation of His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal, Chairperson of the Institute’s Board of Trustees.

The focus of the meeting is the dignity and rights of peoples from a Christian-Islamic perspective; religion and politics between secularism and political instrumentalization of religion; ethics from a religious standpoint; the shared Christian-Islamic heritage and overarching Levantine Arab identity; and unity, diversity, and pluralism in the Levant.

The overall theme of the meeting and the subjects of its sessions clearly indicate a deep awareness on the part of the leadership of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, foremost among them His Majesty King Abdullah II, and the Institute’s leadership, of the importance of the diversity present in modern societies, as well as the importance of observing and managing its dynamics wisely.

In addition, the meeting reflects deep affection and appreciation on the part of Jordanian authorities toward Christians, a sentiment that is not new. This noble family has demonstrated humanity and love toward Christians since the days of their ancestor, His Majesty Sharif Hussein bin Ali of Mecca, who is credited with saving those who fled Ottoman massacres, Armenians and Syriacs, by taking refuge in northern Syria…

Holds its Annual Meeting for the Theological Students in Lebanon, Hosted by the Near East School of Theology (NEST)

"The Council of Nicaea, The Faith of the Church from the Preaching of the Apostles to the Evangelization Today"

Media of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

Under the title "The Council of Nicaea, The Faith of the Church from the Preaching of the Apostles to the Evangelization Today," the Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East (ATIME) organized its annual meeting in Lebanon in order to consolidate the Ecumenical spirit and bridge the distances between the Theological students from various Institutes. The meeting was held on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, hosted by the Near East School of Theology (NEST) in Beirut.

In the presence of the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, attendees were Archimandrite Dr. Jack Khalil, Dean of the Saint John of Damascus Institute of Theology at the University of Balamand – Lebanon, and ATIME President, Father Dr. Michael Kanbar, ATIME Executive Secretary, Archpriest Father Bassam Nassif, ATIME Associate Executive Secretary for the Orthodox Family, Father Dr. Nicolas Bustros, MECC Associate Secretary General, Archpriest Professor Porphyrios Georgi, and Reverend Dr. Rima Nasrallah, Professor of Practical Theology at the Near East School of Theology (NEST). As well as, attendees were Professors, Priests, Pastors, and students from various Theological Institutes, in addition to the MECC Media.

On A Visit to the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs received a delegation from the international humanitarian organization Kerk In Actie (KIA), including Mr. Dick Leondersloot and Mr. Iwan Dekker, on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at the MECC headquarters in Beirut.

During the meeting, and after analyzing the general situation in Lebanon, the Secretary General Professor Michel Abs briefed the visiting delegation about the latest developments of the MECC work, highlighting its most prominent programs at various Ecumenical, Theological, humanitarian, and media levels.

Ongoing Ecumenical Cooperation!

As part of her visit to Lebanon, the World Council of Churches (WCC) Programme Executive for the Middle East Mrs. Carla Khijoyan, met with the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs on Friday, April 25, 2025, at the MECC headquarters in Beirut. The meeting was attended by the MECC Associate Secretary General Mrs. Seta Hadeshian.

During the meeting, both sides exchanged the latest developments in the work of the World Council of Churches and the Middle East Council of Churches, as well as their efforts to consolidate the Ecumenical spirit and achieve their desired humanitarian goals despite all challenges.

Coordination and exchange of expertise also took place regarding the ongoing preparations for the WCC Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order, which will be held on the occasion of the 1700th Anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea in 325, under the theme “Where Now for Visible Unity?”. The conference will be convened between 24 and 28 October 2025, at the Papal Logos Center in Wadi El Natroun - Egypt.

At the Franciscan Convent - Tripoli, Lebanon

Its components, and the Meanings that this Historic Church Event Bears

His Eminence Is Interviewed By the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary

The Entire World Awaits the White Smoke, and the Countdown to the Announcement of the New Pope Has Begun!

Exclusive: Media of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

Angels rejoice and Church bells ring around the world... Prayers and hymns are raised, and the scent of incense wafts in every corner of the earth. Is it joy or sorrow? Do we mourn the passing of the Pope of mercy and peace, or rejoice over the legacy he left behind? Of course, it's a heavenly wedding... Pope Francis enters the Kingdom of God, fulfilling a human mission in every sense of the word. Hoping that the Pope's humanity would be taught in schools, universities, and societies where humans lack their humanity.

A heavenly wedding is matched by an Ecumenical wedding on earth, in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican... this square where crowds of pilgrims used to flock to seek His Holiness's blessing. But this time the scene is very different... sadness is mixed with the joy of the Resurrection, and thus the Divine Will willed that His Holiness Pope Francis pass into the arms of the Father on Easter Monday, at the time of the Lord's Resurrection.

What Did He Want from Them?

World Youth Participates in His Funeral, Grateful for What He Offered Them

Media of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

Pope Francis has been engaged in addressing many international issues, calling for peace and love, and affirming his support for every human being on earth. However, amidst all the urgent developments the world is experiencing, he did not forget the youth who are also struggling with life’s challenges. Throughout his Papacy, he carried their concerns and anxieties, and was their father, guide, and closest friend to God.

“Learn to listen to others,” this is what Pope Francis asked young people in a video message he recorded a month before his hospitalization. He reminded them of the importance of listening to others and emphasized listening to grandparents, who teach us so much.

Amidst the great noise surrounding youth today and their endless daily pressures, the Holy Father wanted to emphasize the need to slow down and listen. He said in his message, “Dear boys and girls, one of the most important things in life is to listen—to learn how to listen," said the late Pope. "When someone speaks to you, wait for them to finish so you can really understand, and then, if you feel like it, respond. But the important thing is to listen.”

Photos Are Taken From: Abouna.org, Abouna's Website: Media for Humanity

A Report About the Funeral of the Supreme Pontiff

Entitled "The Council of Nicaea, the Faith of the Church from the Preaching of the Apostles to the Evangelization Today"

Professor Michel Abs

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

The phrase “fear of God” is widely used among people and has become universally associated with virtue. It is commonly applied as a positive attribute to describe those of good character who are trusted and respected by their communities.

As a believer who has deeply contemplated religious faith—both in its metaphysical and social dimensions, I find that this phrase reflects an incomplete understanding of the Creator of the Universe and the role of religion in society.

To act in your daily life, in your relationships, in your dealings with others, out of fear of the Lord who has given you everything is, in essence, an accusation. It accuses the Creator, glory be to Him, and His creatures, who are inspired by the One who formed creation.

To act out of fear suggests that the human being is innately inclined to evil and can only be restrained by fear of a higher power that will punish and retaliate harshly. It implies that a human being cannot be trusted unless constantly threatened with doom and destruction. This presumes that mankind is inherently bad and cannot be relied upon.

On the other hand, the phrase also implies that the Creator has a harsh heart, one who constantly threatens His creatures with punishment and casts a shadow over their daily lives. It turns the universe into an open courtroom, where every being is judged with eternal reward or punishment, and humanity is always under surveillance, standing trial…