The Church is Preparing for the Feast of Feasts, Are we ready yet?

Few days and Christians will start a season that is considered one of the holiest Christian stations in history. It is the season of Holy Lent, the safe path towards the Feast of the Resurrection, the feast of feasts and the Holy Season. Hence, the Lent is a time of spiritual renewal and a journey during which Man passes from danger to safety, sin to salvation, and anxiety to contentment.

Christians prepare for their Lenten Journey following the path of Jesus Christ who was led, just after his baptism, by the Holy Spirit into the desert where he fasted for 40 days and defeated Satan.

The Communication and Public Relations Department at the Middle East Council of Churches have now issued its online Ecumenical calendar for the month of March 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.

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 final statement of the MECC Executive Committee meeting held online on February 11, 2022. As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, it was entitled “Social Justice and the Misery of Humanity”.

International Endeavors to Contain Post-Covid-19 Stage

Is the End of the Pandemic Near?

The Middle East continues to suffer from the Covid-19 pandemic and all of its countries are registering continuous daily increases in infection and death rates. Hence, appeals to advance vaccination campaigns and the demands for equitable distribution of vaccines between the different countries continue, as was mentioned in the final statement of the executive committee meeting of the Middle East Council of Churches which was held on the 11th of February, with the goal of ending the pandemic and preparing for the containment of the next stage of the pandemic which has caused a massive increase in poverty and unemployment.

You can find a video prepared by the Middle East Council of Churches in Syria shedding light on the reconstruction work at the Private Secondary School of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Aleppo, Syria. The school was restored and rehabilitated within the “Restoration Fund for Rehabilitation of Faith-based Social Services & Religious Infrastructure Damaged During the Crisis in Syria” program implemented by MECC in cooperation with Kerk in Actie in Netherlands, in various Syrian governorates.

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church…” (Matthew 16:18)

Peter... Simon Peter, the rock and the "Leaders of the apostle", was the apostle entrusted by Jesus Christ, despite his mistakes, with a noble mission, asking him to be the Chief of the apostles and a sign of their unity, especially in the service of the Church’s unity, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18).

Many thanks to H.H Pope Tawadros II for hosting the next General Assembly

We must work together to contain the post-Coronavirus poverty, unemployment and crises

On Friday, February 11, 2022, the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches held an online meeting in compliance with the ongoing preventive measures during the Corona pandemic. Members of the Committee from Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Cyprus, and Lebanon attended the meeting.

The meeting was presided by the heads of the Church families of the Council: President of the Council for the Eastern Orthodox family His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, President of the Council for the Greek Orthodox family His Beatitude Patriarch John X, President of the Council for the Catholic family His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Mar Louis Raphael Sako, President of the Council for the Evangelical family Reverend Dr. Habib Badr. Other participants were members of the Executive Committee, the General Secretariat team, and the invitees of Secretary General Dr. Michel E. Abs.

A video prepared by the MECC Communication and Public Relations Department, which sheds light on many international and interreligious initiatives aiming at consolidating the human fraternity. As well as, the video highlights the initiative of the consultative sessions as part of the "Interfaith Consultation of Social Cohesion in Iraq", jointly organized by the World Council of Churches and the Middle East Council of Churches.

Iraq an Example of Working Towards Fraternity Through an Ecumenical Initiative

Accepting difference, accepting others, respecting different cultures, religions and beliefs aiming at consolidating the culture of human fraternity. Promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue for the sake of peace and social stability…

All these values are principles adopted by ​​the Middle East Council of Churches, many international human parties and of course the United Nations. But the most important question remains: is there any real implementation of projects enhancing human values?

The new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches presents a news about the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to Lebanon soon. As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, it was entitled “Valiance in the service of meanness”.

Gallagher: The Pope is Closely Following Developments in Lebanon

Coming from Rome to Beirut, His Eminence Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States, conveyed His Holiness Pope Francis’ closeness to the Lebanese people from all components, expressing the desire of the Pope to visit the wounded Lebanon. According to sources related to Gallagher, His Holiness will make an apostolic visit to the Land of the Cedars. A visit that will take several days and aims to sorrow a glimmer of hope amidst all the difficult circumstances the Lebanese citizens are passing through.

You can find a photo album from the meetings of the MECC 10th General Assembly, held between 29 and 30 November 2011 in Paphos, Cyprus, under the title of “And all who believed were one heart” (Acts 4: 32).

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 message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, entitled “In treason, atonement, and begging religion in politics”. In addition to details and pictures about the honoring of the Legal Adviser and Member of the MECC Executive Committee Lawyer Ibrahim Alfred Traboulsi, on the occasion of awarding him the Order of Saint Gregory the Great at the rank of Commander from His Holiness Pope Francis.

Report: January 2022

According to global data and analysis, 2022 may be the year where major geopolitical shifts will take place. Nations may either choose to engage each other at a diplomatic level or might find excuses for armed escalation. Both way the Middle East will be impacted by these alterations, and it is up to all nations within this region to work with one another to avoid division during a time when we need unity.

The Communication and Public Relations Department at the Middle East Council of Churches have now issued its online Ecumenical calendar for the month of February 2021. 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.

As part of the eight-day-prayer for the Christian Unity, HE Bishop Joseph Mouawad, President of the Episcopal Committee for Ecumenical Relations for the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon, was the guest of Jana Ghazi on Radio Liban Libre RLL, Wednesday 19 January 2022.

During the interview, HE. presented a brief overview about the symbolism of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" and its most prominent historical stations, in addition to its celebrations in the East and the world.

Report: 26 January 2022

It is no secret, Omicron has prevailed in the Middle East infecting people from different walks of life. While some countries have succeeded in dispatching 3rd and 4th doses of vaccines thus decreasing infectivity rate, business and pieces of the free economy remain shackled by Omicron.

You can find the text of the final communiqué issued by the MECC 10th General Assembly, held between 29 and 30 November 2011 in Paphos, Cyprus, under the title of “And all who believed were one heart” (Acts 4: 32).

Concluding the days of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2022, MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs was the guest of the morning TV show “Al Nour Maana” (which means “The Light is with Us) on Télé Lumiere and Noursat, to talk about the importance of the Week of Prayer and its outcomes this year, especially with the continuous work of MECC towards unity. The episode was presented by Lea Adel, and broadcasted on Tuesday 25 January 2022.

Media agencies are still covering the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2022 to shed light on this historical Christian station. Hence, HE. Reverend Dr. Habib Badr, President of the National Evangelical Union in Lebanon and President of MECC for the Evangelical Family, was the guest of “Kel Yom Bi Yawmo” program (which means “Day by Day”) on Suboro TV, Thursday 20 January 2022.