A delegation from the General Secretariat of the Middle East Council of Churches visited His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, the new Patriarch of Cilicia for the Armenian Catholics at the Patriarchate headquarters in Beirut. The delegation congratulated Minassian on his election as Patriarch and head of the Armenian Church, which has a remarkable role among the MECC member Churches.

Under the patronage and presence of the Maronite Patriarchal Vicar of Sarba, H.E Bishop Paul Rouhana, former MECC Secretary General, the Council’s General Secretariat organized a spiritual retreat presided over by the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs. The retreat was held on Friday, November 5, 2021, at the Saint Paul Monastery - Patriarchal Maronite Diocese, Vicariate of Sarba, Keserwan - Lebanon, which is newly renovated.

A delegation from the Mennonite Central Committee – MCC visited the headquarters of the Middle East Council of Churches in Beirut, on Thursday, October 28, 2021. The delegation included the Representative for Northeast Asia Chris Rice and the Legislative associate for the Middle East and US immigration policy Hannah Markey.

MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar and the Executive Assistant to the Secretary General Mrs. Seta Hadeshian welcomed the delegation.

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

The importance of Praying, especially on the intention of the earth, nature and the divine blessings, in a video. It calls us to Prayer for the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference that will be held in November 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland.

and the Families of the Beirut Blast Victims at LIQAA

A group of the families of the Beirut blast victims of August 4, 2020, especially the families of the 10 martyrs of the Beirut Fire Brigade, responded to the invitation of the Theological and Ecumenical Department in the Middle East Council of Churches to participate in the Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling program, through a meeting on 15, 16, and 17 October 2021 at the "Liqaa" Center in Rabweh - Lebanon.

As part of the "Season of Creation" 2021 activities, the MECC Communication and Public Relations Department and the Council’s Ecojustice Adhoc Committee release a video about the importance of cultivating peace among generations, as well as the difference between the peace of people and the free peace of Jesus Christ.

«Nosotros hemos visto aparecer su estrella en el Oriente y venimos a adorarlo» (Mateo 2, 2)
Un título esperanzador para la unidad en la oración

La versión árabe del folleto de la Semana de Oración por la Unidad de los Cristianos se publica este año con gran alegría. El Consejo Pontificio para la Promoción de la Unidad de los Cristianos encomendó al Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio la tarea de seleccionar el tema de la «Semana de Oración para el año 2022« y preparar los borradores de sus textos.

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

A Hopeful Title for Unity in Prayer

The Arabic version of The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity booklet is released this year with great joy! The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity entrusted the Middle East Council of Churches with the task of selecting the theme of the Week of Prayer for the year 2022 and preparing drafts of its texts. The Ecumenical Committee appointed by the Theological and Ecumenical Department of the Council, tasked with this project, chose as a subject the appearance of the star in the sky of Judea as a sign of hope for God’s loving presence for humanity under the title: “We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage” (Matthew 2:2).

Como parte del desarrollo de capacidades y habilidades, el Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio está interesado en desarrollar el rendimiento de su equipo, con el fin de trabajar juntos y superar las dificultades y desafíos, especialmente lo que rodea a nuestras Iglesias orientales, su Consejo y las sociedades.

As part of the capacity building and skills development, the Middle East Council of Churches is keen to develop its team performance, in order to work together and overcome the difficulties and challenges, especially that surround our Eastern Churches, their Council and societies.

Ecumenical Prayer in the Monastery of the Visitation, Lebanon, Under the Patronage of Cardinal Al-Rai

The Middle East Council of Churches concluded the “Days of the Season of Creation” 2021, a first of its kind event in the east, under the patronage of the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East His Beatitude Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, on Sunday October 3, 2021, at the Monastery of the Visitation, Philokalia Institute and Organization, in Aintoura – Keserwan, Lebanon, chosen by His Beatitude and recently restored for the celebration.

Members of the Philokalia Choir will be performing during the closing ceremony of the "Season of Creation" 2021 at the Monastery of the Visitation, Philokalia Institute and Organization, in Aintoura, Lebanon.

We salute them and their voices for glorifying and praising the Creator, and spreading hope, through art and music!

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

October 3rd: Proper 22 / 18th after Trinity

A Home And A Hope For The Future

As a follow-up to the psychological and spiritual repercussions of the Beirut Port blast, the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department implemented a new training as part of the “Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling” program for a group of youth. It was executed at the Convent of the Congregation of Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family in Akoura, Lebanon, from Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 September 2021. Moreover, the training was organized by the program coordinator Sister Emilie Tannous in cooperation with the coordinator of the department's programs Jean-Pierre Eid.

About the importance of returning to oneself and evaluating the reality of life, according to the Gospel of Mark. A video prepared and presented by member of the MECC Ecojustice Adhoc Committee Father Elias Marswanian, from the Congregation of the Minor Brothers Monastery, and directed by Ali Al-Jaroush.

October 3, 2021, at the Visitation Monastery, Aintoura – Lebanon

Under the patronage of the Syriac Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East His Beatitude Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al Rai, the Middle East Council of Churches has the honor to invite you to participate in the closing Prayer of the "Season of Creation" which is being celebrated for the first time in the East. The Prayer will be held on Sunday October 3, 2021 at 5 pm Beirut Time, in the Monastery of the Visitation, Philokalia Institute and Organization, in Aintoura, Keserwan – Lebanon.

As part of the new television series about the “Days of the Season of Creation” 2021 launched by the MECC Communication and Public Relations Department, the fourth episode will be broadcasted on Thursday, September 23, 2021 at 8:30 PM Beirut time and 5:30 GMT on Télé Lumière and Noursat, and will be reran on Friday, September 24, 2021, late morning. The content is prepared by the Communication and Public Relations Department and presented by Lea Maamary.

September 26th: Proper 21 / 17th after Trinity

Praying For Our Home Planet & Its People