The annual international Prayer Octave will be happening soon, and its preparations are still ongoing, aiming at achieving the goal of building bridges and shortening distances.

The “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” will be launched next Tuesday on January 18 and will end on January 25. During this week, we pray and sing together praising our Lord Jesus through a special booklet. The theme of this year is focusing on the Christmas star and entitled “We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage” (Matthew 2:2).

The new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches presents the daily prayers of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2022 in Arabic and the Prayer of Unity also in Arabic, as well as the 2022 booklet. As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Abs, it was entitled “A Prayer for Unity”.

El Movimiento Ecuménico: El legado histórico de la Iglesia y el padrino de la unidad de los cristianos durante generaciones

Un rayo de esperanza en medio de un mar de crisis y divisiones, un movimiento que llama siempre a la aceptación de los demás y al reconocimiento de la riqueza de la diversidad entre las familias eclesiales en un mundo impregnado de odio, violencia y hostilidad (...) El movimiento ecuménico es un estilo de vida basado en la oración, el arrepentimiento y la solidaridad con el objetivo de restaurar la comunión y la unidad entre todos los cristianos.

The Ecumenical Movement: The Historical Church Legacy and Godfather of Christian Unity for Generations

A glimmer of hope amidst a sea of crises and divisions, a movement always calling for the acceptance of others and the recognition of the richness in diversity among ecclesial families in a world steeped in hate, violence and hostility... The Ecumenical movement is a lifestyle based on prayer, repentance, and solidarity aiming to restore communion and unity amongst All Christians.

Report: 12 January 2022

Just like the rest of the world, the Middle East embarked on a war against Omicron. Nearly every nation has reported new surges as the virus spreads among the vaccinated and unvaccinated.

The first issue of the year 2022 of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches presents the message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs following the afforestation campaign organized by the Council with a group of youth in the Lebanese Town of Bejjeh, within the framework of the global environmental campaign “Season of Creation”; in addition to details and photos of this project. As for the weekly message of Dr. Abs, it was entitled “Act of Birth and Act of Annihilation”. He wrote it for the introduction of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” Booklet for 2022.

With the beginning of the new year 2022, the Communication and Public Relations Department at the Middle East Council of Churches issues its digital Ecumenical calendar for the month of January 2022. It includes the Ecclesiastical and Liturgical feasts of the various families of Churches in the Middle East. In addition to international days identified by the United Nations, and which are related to the MECC identity and its spiritual and human mission. Noting that the remaining months of the year will be published consecutively.

MECC Has Prepared the Prayer Booklet for the 2022 Week

A Message from the East to the World

“In One, Holy and Apostolic Church” we declare in our Nicene Creed to emphasize the importance of our Christian unity with our Lord Jesus Christ. Heads of churches around the world have always seek to this unity which is today highlighted by Christians through daily prayers and meditations during the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" that is scheduled from 18 to 25 January of each year.

Report: 5 January 2022

Alarm bells continue to sound in the ME, as more countries are either reporting Omicron cases for the first time or by the hundreds. Governments are worried that the holiday period exacerbated the spread and that current vaccination efforts are not enough.

An Overview of the past to anticipate the future

Much has occurred during the past years. From armed escalations, economic sanctions, social unrest, to the pandemic, the Middle East became mired in a series of challenges. 2021 was an epic year; it is the period where most countries demonstrated to the world their resiliency and their ability to enact reforms which allowed them to modernize their economies. However, other countries remain to be in a deplorable situation as their leaders have yet to check their actions and inactions.

“We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage” (Matthew 2:2)

Booklet, Poster, Pocket Prayer and the Celebrations Program in Lebanon

Christians around the world celebrate the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” between 18 and 25 January of each year. They pray together with one heart to God the Father on the intention of enhancing the spirit of unity and brotherhood among them. Hence, a unified booklet is specially prepared for this week which is yearly awaited.

Report: 21 December 2021

Despite the great strides ME governments have made in combating corona, the latest omicron variant is spreading in countries that it has infiltrated.

In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches, you can find the news of the new sessions of the Interfaith Consultation on Iraqi Social Cohesion that were organized by the World Council of Churches in cooperation with the Middle East Council of Churches from 13 to 15 December 2021 in Beirut. As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, it was entitled “Societal integration, dialogue and progress – Towards a common vision for Iraq”. It was the speech that he delivered at the opening of the sessions’ first day.

Report: 1 to 15 December 2021

With all except Lebanon, countries in the region have been recording positive developments that aim to improve the socioeconomic welfare of its ordinary citizens. As for the small Phoenician country, it is still mired with rampant corruption and governed with unaccountable politicians. Regardless, the area as a whole is improving due to great geopolitical shifts in the world and local efforts to transform economies on more sustainable ones.

Report: 16 December 2021

As international vaccine diplomacy gains momentum, Middle East countries continue to prepare for the new omicron variant by restricting travel, announcing lockdowns, and closing airports.

In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches, the MECC General Secretariat mourns Reverend Dr. Salim Sahyouni, President of the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon, and Honorary President of the Supreme Council of the Evangelical Community in Syria and Lebanon. As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, it was entitled “She left before dawn”.

From November 28 to December 5

On a Mission to Prepare for the 12th General Assembly of the Council, Hosted by Pope Tawadros II

Press release

Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs visited Egypt from November 28 to December 5, 2021, on a special mission to prepare for the General Assembly of the Council to be held between May 16 and 20, 2022 under the kind hospitality of His Holiness Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark Pope Tawadros II at the Papal Logos Center in Wadi El Natrun.

y el Secretario General del Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio Dr. Michel Abs destacan la importancia del Consejo

El pasado sábado 4 de diciembre de 2021, Su Excelencia el Metropolitano Nicolas Antoniou, Metropolitano de Hermópolis (Tanta) y sus dependencias para el Patriarcado de Alejandría y de toda África se reunió con el Dr. Michel Abs, Secretario General del Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio, Sra. Huguette Salameh, Director de Comunicación y Relaciones Públicas del Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio, y el padre Rifaat Fikri El-Amin, Co-Secretario General del Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio en la Iglesia de los Arcángeles en el distrito de Al-Zaher, El Cairo.

con el Secretario General del Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio, el Dr. Michel Abs y discuten formas de cooperación futura

El Secretario General del Consejo de Iglesias de Egipto, el archimandrita Dhemskinos Al-Azrai, se reunió con el Dr. Michel Abs, Secretario General del Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio, en el Monasterio Patriarcal Griego de San Jorge en el Antiguo Egipto, acompañados del Padre Rifaat Fikry, Co-Secretario General del Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio, y de la Sra. Huguette Salameh, Directora de Comunicaciones y Relaciones Públicas en el Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio.

Why Jesus chose Bethlehem as Birthplace?

Coming from the East to Jerusalem, the Magi said with yearning and eagerness “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). They came from far away to witness the birth of the King of Kings. They felt great joy seeing the star leading them “until it stopped over the place where the child was” (Matthew 2:9). At that place, in a small manger in the City of David in Bethlehem, the Savior of the world was born. But why Bethlehem and why did Jesus chose His birthplace in the East?