The Civilization Center for the Development of Islamic Thought organized a dialogue meeting with the Secretary General of Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, under the title “The Role of the Eastern Church in Defending the Palestinian Cause: The case of the war on Gaza,” in the presence of religious, media, cultural, academic and social personalities. The conference took place on Thursday 25 January 2024, at the Civilization Center for the Development of Islamic Thought in Lebanon. 

The meeting began with a speech addressed by the media officer at the Civilization Center for the Development of Islamic Thought journalist Kassem Kassir, in which he affirmed that “Tawafan Al-Aqsa is a historical event that shook the entire world on many levels, and that despite the pain and destruction, there are resistance fighters who are heroic, and thanks to their sacrifices, a new day will dawn.” Kassir added, "Today we are hosting Dr. Michel Abs to ask where the Churches stand in this scene and what is the role of the Vatican, especially since MECC was the first to write about Christian Zionism." 

The Gulf Churches Fellowship (GCF) held its annual meeting on Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 January 2024, in Dubai, in which participants were the Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar, representing the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, assisted by Maria Bzdigian, the Administrative and Project Assistant in the Department. Participants were also representatives of the GCF’s partner organizations and parties from all over the world.

Following a Prayer, the first day included a meeting for the Executive Committee of the Gulf Churches Fellowship Churches. The participants also introduced themselves and then approved the agenda and reviewed the minutes of the annual meeting held in 2023, in addition to sharing the latest work updates of the parties they represent. As well as, the first day included a presentation by Dr. Alberto Chierici "Faithful Christian Responses to New Technology and Artificial Intelligence".

On the occasion of the Fiftieth Year of the Founding of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the participants in the Ecumenical Musical event in Beirut, from all Churches, stressed that: 

"The Middle East Council of Churches was and is still aspiring for the unity of the Church, and today we look forward to fifty new years of love and fraternity because in the end we are one family despite the difference in our rituals." 

On Charity Radio TV

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs was the guest of the journalist Zouhour Abou Mansour, in an episode within the program “Hawana Hawak”, broadcasted on Charity Radio TV, on Wednesday 24 January 2024, and which you can watch it in the video.

During the episode, Dr. Michel Abs spoke about the importance of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, in addition to the activities that were scheduled for the occasion. Dr. Abs also highlighted the Ecumenical Musical event “Beirut 2024” that was held on Saturday 20 January 2024, at the Forum de Beirut, as well as the Fiftieth Year of the Founding of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and the program of activities that will be implemented within this context. 

The Middle East Council of Churches Congratulates Him

The Antonine Maronite Order announced that His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed the Antonine Monk Father Michel Jalakh, Secretary of the Dicastery for the Oriental Churches in the Vatican, and Honorary Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), as an advisor to the Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

The Middle East Council of Churches extends its warmest congratulations to Father Jalakh, and wishes him continued success in his new mission, as well as many years of goodness, blessing and holiness. MECC also prays that the Lord bless his service and grant him grace and determination in his work.

The Ecumenical Musical event “Beirut 2024” was held on the occasion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the Fiftieth Year of the Founding of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), on Saturday 20 January 2024, at the Forum de Beirut. It included a recital of chants from different Liturgical and Ecclesiastical rituals and traditions.

Below you can find the Prayer of the Eighth day of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2024, included in its booklet, and which you may publish and distribute.

The “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2024 Booklet

The daily Prayers and meditations of the Week of Prayer 2024

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).

O Savior,

We are gathered here, in Your name and with Your blessing, we pledge allegiance to You, and as we are more than two or three, so You are in our midst.

We are a group of believers who came in droves, chanting for Your kingdom and inspired by Your love that covered Your path, Your preaching, Your crucifixion and Your resurrection, for the sake of a new life for human beings.

O incarnate Word, the living Christ, we, the people of the region have gathered, where You were incarnated and where the beginnings of the message took place, a region that is ravaged by greed and hatred and is experiencing times that may be the worst it has ever experienced in its ancient and modern history.

From all regions of Lebanon, the Lord’s endowment, we came to you, as well as from neighboring societies, declaring that we are one, because the Lord is one, the Church is one, and the believers are one, and that our faith and love are in the service of human beings, every human being, any human being, so that he may have life, and have a better life, as You wanted with Your message of salvation for the human race.

The “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” was launched in Lebanon in a Prayer Service held on Sunday 21 January 2024, hosted by the Saint Georges Church for the Assyrian Orthodox Church in the East, in Sed El-Bauchrieh – Lebanon. It was part of the celebrations organized in Lebanon by the Episcopal Committee for Ecumenical Relations in partnership with the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC). Hence, the video includes a highlight about this Prayer, as well as some interviews.

They came from all Lebanese families and regions, and performed a group of hymns and melodies, emphasizing the spirit of Christian unity and the richness in the diversity of all Churches. With one voice, they announced the birth of Beirut, which had shaken off the dust of pain, and preached to the world the unity of love despite diversity.

With these words, the clergy, lay people and youth participated in the Ecumenical event in Beirut, speaking in one language.

You can find the full video of the Ecumenical Musical Event “Beirut 2024,” which was held on the occasion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the Fiftieth year of the Founding of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and with the blessings and presence of the Presidents of the Middle East Churches, and the Heads of Churches of the Region, on Saturday 20 January 2024, at the Forum de Beirut. The Ecumenical Event constituted a recital performed by an Ecumenical choir that included more than 300 choristers and musicians belonging to all Church families and Lebanese regions. They presented a group of hymns and melodies representing various Liturgical and Church rituals and traditions. The Ecumenical Event also included Prayer and reflections recited by the Heads of Churches in the name of all believers, on the intention of unity and peace in the Middle East and the world.

More Details

On the occasion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the Fiftieth Year of the Founding of the Middle East Council of Churches, the Ecumenical Musical Event “Beirut 2024” was held on Saturday 20 January 2024, at the Forum de Beirut. Hence, you can find more details by clicking here, as well as you can find videos and photos from this Ecumenical event.

Father Rifaat Bader, the Head of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media and Publisher of Abouna Website, and Member of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), visited Dr. Michel Abs, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches, in his office at the MECC General Secretariat in Beirut, on Monday 22 January 2024. Father Bader came to Lebanon in order to participate in the Ecumenical Musical Event “Beirut 2024,” which was held on Saturday 20 January 2024, at the Forum de Beirut, on the occasion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the Fiftieth Year of the MECC Founding.

Below you can find the Prayer of the Seventh day of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2024, included in its booklet, and which you may publish and distribute.

The “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2024 Booklet

The daily Prayers and meditations of the Week of Prayer 2024

Below you can find the Prayer of the Sixth day of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2024, included in its booklet, and which you may publish and distribute.

 The “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2024 Booklet

The daily Prayers and meditations of the Week of Prayer 2024

An Ecumenical Prayer Service in the Presence of the Heads of the Middle East Churches

In the Saint Georges Church for the Assyrian Orthodox Church of the East in Sed El-Bauchrieh - Lebanon

The “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” was launched in the Middle East and the world, as it was inaugurated in the East in a Prayer service held on Sunday 21 January 2024, hosted by the Saint Georges Church for the Assyrian Orthodox Church in the East, in Sed El-Bauchrieh – Lebanon. It was part of the celebrations organized in Lebanon by the Episcopal Committee for Ecumenical Relations at the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon, in partnership with the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC).

The Ecumenical Musical event “Beirut 2024” was held on the occasion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the Fiftieth Year of the Founding of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), on Saturday 20 January 2024, at the Forum de Beirut, where Heads of Churches in the Middle East and the believers united with the Ecumenical choir in Prayer and Chants. Hence, the video sheds light on this event, and presents interviews with the presidents of the Middle East Council of Churches, Church leaders in the region, and the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs.

Special Episode About the Fiftieth Year of the MECC Founding and the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

On of Télé Lumière and Noursat

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs, was the guest of Father Joseph Salloum in a special episode OF THE PROGRAM “Khallini Haddak” (which means “Stay by My Side”), broadcasted on Télé Lumiere and Noursat TV Channel, on Friday 19 January 2024, which you can watch in the video.

A delegation from Churches for Middle East Peace Visits the MECC General Secretariat in Beirut

With the Blessing and in the presence of His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos of the Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Catholic Family, a delegation from the international association “Churches for Middle East Peace”, which is concerned with peace issues and includes members from various Churches, visited the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) in Beirut, on Wednesday 17 January 2024. The delegation was received by the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, along with a team from MECC and the Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East (ATIME), as well as guests from various fields.