Professor Dr. Michel Abs

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

At the start of each year, Christians gather to pray together for a week, commonly called the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This week, repeated for over a century, has become part of Christian life and relationships among Christians.

Anyone observing the process will realize that the Week of Prayer has expanded to reach additional churches and believers worldwide, clearly reflecting Christians’ longing to be one in Christ, as He commanded us when He was among us on earth.

Overcoming the divisions that Christianity has experienced for a long time is not easy, those divisions that persisted for lengthy eras, creating rifts among believers of one faith, though many elements of Christian doctrine have remained unified.

Praying together, expressing together the faith, values, emotions, and aspirations within us, is wonderful. Equally important is the growing shared Christian (ecumenical) effort—through the formation of national and regional church councils worldwide and ongoing dialogue among these member churches, which extends to the Catholic world. Notably, Catholic churches are members of many of these church councils.

“Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26)

The "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" starts, as it is one of the most awaited Ecumenical stations of the year, which includes a Prayer Octave that extends between 18 and 25 January every year. A station during which we unite in Prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ on the intention of a unity that has been awaited for decades, through a special international booklet that the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) translates it into Arabic annually. Noting that this year theme is “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26).

In this context, you can find below the daily Prayers, meditations, and reflections in Arabic and English for the week of Prayer, included in the booklet, and which you may publish and distribute every day.

Week of Prayer 2025 Booklet

The Prayer for Christian Unity

Program of the Celebrations in Lebanon

This report presents an overview about the visit held by the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs, at the head of an MECC delegation, to His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Catholic Family. The visit took place on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at the Patriarchate in Geitawi - Beirut, in the presence of His Eminence Bishop Krikor Badishah, Auxiliary Bishop of the Armenian Catholic Archdiocese of Beirut.

The media coverage on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity continues as Father Tanios Khalil, the Dean of the Faculty of Theology at La Sagesse University in Lebanon, and the Rapporteur of the Episcopal Committee for Ecumenical Work at the Assemblée des Patriarches et Evêques Catholiques du Liban (APECL), was the guest of the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, the Media Officer at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), the Director of the Platform of the Word, and the Coordinator of the Church and Media Relations at MECC, in an episode within her program “Moubadarat” (“Initiatives”) on Radio Voice of Van.

The episode, which you can watch in the video, centered around the most prominent meanings of the Week of Prayer and the spiritual symbolism it carries, in addition to explanations about the topic chosen for this year, “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26).

What Is the Symbolism of this Date?

Check With Us the History of this Week!

In the video, you can find a Church News Bulletin on Mariam TV, which includes reports about the latest activities of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC). The bulletin is prepared and presented by the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, the Media Officer at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), the Director of the Platform of the Word, and the Coordinator of the Church and Media Relations at MECC.

As a culmination of the Fiftieth Year of its Founding, and in accordance with the adopted media strategy, the MECC first Church News Bulletin will be launched early next week on Wednesday, January 22, 2025.

The bulletin will include Church and humanitarian news and the MECC activities in various fields.

The Churches in Egypt are preparing to organize celebrations on the occasion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025, which carries this year the theme “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26). In this context, the committee assigned for the preparation continues to hold its meetings in order to coordinate and cooperate together aiming at developing the program for the upcoming celebrations. The committee includes among its members the Honorary Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Gergis Ibrahim Saleh, and the Associate Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Reverend Refaat Fikry.

Week of Prayer Booklet 2025 in Arabic and English

The Prayer for Christian Unity

"The Patriarchate is your home!"

A Meeting that Stresses the Importance of Building Bridges Between the Churches

His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Catholic Family, received the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs, at the head of a delegation that included colleagues from the MECC General Secretariat. The visit was held on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at the Patriarchate in Geitawi - Beirut, in the presence of His Eminence Bishop Krikor Badishah, Auxiliary Bishop of the Armenian Catholic Archdiocese of Beirut.

During the meeting, the Secretary General Professor Dr. Abs wished His Beatitude Patriarch Minassian blessed Feasts and a happy new year. He also congratulated him on the Ecumenical and Ecclesiastical event that he held on the occasion of receiving the body of the Servant of God Cardinal Patriarch Krikor-Bedros XV Aghajanian from Rome to Beirut, praising its great organization and emphasizing the spiritual meanings it carries.

For his part, His Beatitude welcomed the Secretary General and the accompanying delegation, wishing the Middle East Council of Churches continued success in its Ecumenical mission and humanitarian tasks, praising all the projects, initiatives and programs being implemented by the Council’s departments. He also expressed his happiness with this visit and mentioning that the Patriarchate is a home for everyone.

On the occasion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025, His Eminence Archbishop Youssef Soueif, Archbishop of the Maronite Diocese of Tripoli and President of the Episcopal Committee for Ecumenical Work at the Assemblée des Patriarches et Evêques Catholiques du Liban (APECL), was the guest of the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, the Media Officer at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), the Director of the Platform of the Word, and the Coordinator of the Church and Media Relations at MECC, in a special episode from The Platform of the Word at MECC, as part of His Eminence’s first and historical visit to the Council.

The episode, which you can watch in the video, focused on the Week of Prayer for the year 2025 and the theme that was adopted for this year “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26), in addition to the importance of living love, repentance and self-denial.

Via Charity Radio TV

Father Dr. Antoine Ahmar, the Director of the Theological Affairs and Ecumenical Department at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), was the guest of the Journalist Zouhour Bou Mansour in an episode within her program "Hawana Hawak" on Charity Radio TV, to talk about the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2025 and the most prominent meanings it carries, in addition to the theme that was chosen for this year, which is “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26).

You can watch the episode through the video.

What Are the Details?

"The Council is my home and I have accompanied the most important historical milestones of the launch of its offices"

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 President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Evangelical Family, visited the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs, on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at the MECC headquarters in Beirut.

The visit began with a meeting between Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian and Professor Dr. Michel Abs, during which they discussed the most important current Church and Ecumenical issues, in addition to the ongoing preparations for the celebrations that will be held on the occasion of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" in various Lebanese regions.

Marking the Fiftieth Year of the Founding of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), the President of the Heart of Giving Association Mrs. Raifa Al-Daouk, visited the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, at the MECC headquarters in Ras Beirut, in the presence of the Media Officer, Director of the Platform of the Word, and Coordinator of the Church and Media Relations at MECC Lea Adel Maamary.

The visit included many discussions about various humanitarian and social initiatives and issues being implemented by the associations, especially the Heart of Giving Association.

For her part, Mrs. Raifa Al-Daouk praised the work of the Council and the achievements made on all levels.

At the end of the meeting, colleagues in the MECC Media Department, Elia Nasrallah and Johnny Anton, conducted a media interview with Raifa Al-Daouk, during which she talked about urgent humanitarian and social issues.

Details in this Report!

This report sheds light on the Celebratory Holy Mass held on the occasion of the inauguration of the " Church of Jesus' Baptism" at the Baptism Site in Jordan, which is one of the biggest Churches in the Middle East and the world. A historic event that was a beacon of hope amidst all the challenges, and a call to Pray for peace and justice in the region.

His Beatitude Patriarch Anba Ibrahim Ishak Inaugurates the Jubilee Year of Hope in the Catholic Church in Egypt

MECC Participates in the Celebratory Mass

Under the slogan “Hope Does Not Disappoint,” His Beatitude Patriarch Anba Ibrahim Ishak, Coptic Catholic Patriarch, and President of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt, celebrated the inauguration of the Jubilee Year of Hope “Pilgrims of Hope,” on Friday, December 27, 2024, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Egypt, Nasr City.

The Celebratory Mass was attended by Bishops, Heads of various Catholic churches in Egypt, representing the membership of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt, as well as the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) represented by the Archdeacon Garen Yosolkanian, Coordinator of the Eco Justice in the Council.

Participants were also Priests, Heads of various Monastic Groups in Egypt, both male and female, and their members from various Catholic Churches in Egypt, in addition to a large crowd of parishioners and Deacons.

The Middle East Council of Churches Implements Many Awareness Sessions in Lebanon!

In the context of strengthening health awareness about various chronic diseases, the Diakonia and Social Service Department, Lebanon’s Office, in the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), implemented two new sessions about cancer for a group of women and men, at Our Lady Dispensary (OLD), affiliated with the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in the Sabtieh region – Mount Lebanon. The sessions were held with the support of the international humanitarian organization Mennonite Central Committee – MCC.

These two sessions come in light of a world facing the danger of pollution and the repercussions resulting from the chemicals that some food contain, as well as amidst rising levels of daily pressures, which all has led to the rapid and increasing spread of cancer, especially among the most vulnerable and poor groups. This negatively affects the fabric of societies and their safety, especially since medical care is not available in a fair manner to many families.

The two sessions included awareness segments on breast cancer for a group of 20 women, and prostate cancer for a group of 20 men, as these two topics were identified after a questionnaire was distributed to the participants.

The Evangelical Churches in Egypt celebrated the Installation of the Associate Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Reverend Refaat Fikry as Pastor of the Rod El-Farag Evangelical Church in Egypt, on Friday, January 10, 2025.

Details in this report!