The video presents the hymn How lovely it is to get together which was performed by the Saint Mark Choir in New Heliopolis at the celebration held by Egypt on the occasion of the Fiftieth Year of the Founding of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), on Saturday 14 September 2024, at the New Papal Headquarters in Anba Royce, Egypt

Lebanon, a nation plagued by decades of crises, has now been engulfed in a devastating war, destroying cities, villages, and uprooting its people. The spiral of violence has exacerbated the wounds inflicted upon Lebanon, with foreign perpetrators continuing the destructive work begun by domestic ones.

The Lebanese people are in a dire state, their homeland and society in ruins. Recent events have dealt a final blow to their remaining hope for a better future. This once ambitious and courageous people have become seekers of shelter, food, and medicine, and their lives reduced to a desperate struggle for survival. Many Lebanese have been forced to leave their homes, searching for a place to sleep, often resorting to the open streets or the hills of garbage that fill the capital.

The video presents the speech delivered by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the celebration held by Egypt on the occasion of the Fiftieth Year of the Founding of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), on Saturday 14 September 2024, at the New Papal Headquarters in Anba Royce, Egypt

This video presents a reflection entitled “Lebanon Is in Turmoil”. Through its words and scenes, it sheds light on the tragic situation that Lebanon is passing through, asking God, the God of justice and peace, to grant peace in the country and the entire world.

Report: September 2024

A series of historic events shook the Middle East during September sparking fears if an imminent large regional war. Things started with the declaration of the occupying entity of shifting the focus of the war from Gaza to South Lebanon. Consequently, targeted assassinations and terror attacks follow suit in Lebanon. As the prospects for peace are dwindling by the day, a large humanitarian catastrophe is only in its beginning. Unless tempers are winded down and triggers are stopped from being pulled, we are heading into a major catastrophe.

“I call on the international Ecumenical family to make pressure to decide an immediate cease fire, a prevention of any blockade, and secure relief support for the destitute population” 

Solidarity with Lebanon and its people in light of the bloody war they are experiencing. It is an urgent matter with which the World Council of Churches (WCC) held an online consultative meeting, on Friday 4 October 2024, with the participation of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), the ACT Alliance, and invitees from various fields. 

The meeting formed a participatory space for discussion, exchange of experiences, and diving into the challenges that Lebanon is facing during the current period amidst insecurity and an unknown future. The attendees also presented their experiences each one from their position, region, framework, and specialization, calling for a ceasefire and continuous efforts to respond to humanitarian needs. 

A Spiritual Recital at the Church of Christ the King - Zouk Mosbeh, Lebanon, and Live on Télé Lumiere - Noursat TV Channel 

Because light is stronger than darkness, and peace is stronger than war, and under the patronage and blessings of His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and the Pastoral Office for Persons with Disabilities (POPD) in the Maronite Patriarchate - Bkerke, Lebanon, are honored to invite you to participate in the spiritual recital, “Your Sight On Our Homeland,” performed by the Artist Dalia Freifer, accompanied by Mr. Fadi Abi Hachem. The recital will be hosted by the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary. 

MECC and the Heads of the Churches Explain the Harsh Situations to the Whole World

In an initiative of love and solidarity with Lebanon amidst the difficult circumstances it is passing through due the war raging throughout it, the World Council of Churches (WCC) held an online solidarity meeting with the Ecumenical family in Lebanon and the Middle East, at the invitation of the WCC General Secretary Reverend Professor Dr. Jerry Pillay, on Friday 4 October 2024. This consultation aimed at highlighting the dangerous security, social, and humanitarian field conditions that Lebanon is currently going through, in addition to discussing ways of WCC support to the country.

The meeting was attended by His Eminence Metropolitan Antonios Al Soury, Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Zahle, Baalbek and Dependencies, and Member of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Executive Committee, representing His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox Family, and 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.

Attendees were also the WCC General Secretary Reverend Professor Dr. Jerry Pillay at the head of a WCC delegation, the MECC Secretary General Professor Dr. Michel Abs and the Associate Secretaries General at the head of an MECC delegation, the ACT Alliance General Secretary Mr. Rudelmar Bueno de Faria at the head of an ACT Alliance delegation, as well as concerned participants and invitees.

An online meeting was convened on 4 October by the World Council of Churches (WCC) to express solidarity and support, and to provide a safe and constructive space for sharing, reflection, and discussion on the critical challenges currently facing Lebanon. The Middle East Council of Churches and ACT Alliance also participated in the virtual meeting. 

WCC General Secretary Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay said in his opening remarks: “We are extremely concerned by what is happening in Gaza and now extended to Lebanon. It is hoped that this online engagement would communicate to you that you are not alone, the WCC and our ecumenical partners stand with you in your struggles, uncertainty and time of insecurity. Despite the distance we are with you in prayers, thoughts, and spirit.”

Rev. Prof. Dr. Pillay added: “We heard the painful stories of displaced and homeless people in Lebanon, the collective measures of people’s anxieties, destruction of properties, the spread of diseases, and the disruption and closure of educational institutions. We were deeply moved and troubled by these stories.”

Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Secretary General Prof. Dr. Michel Abs, who lives in Lebanon, said that the Lebanese are living in a state of total insecurity due to the daily bombings in Lebanon. “The aggressors are supposedly targeting Lebanese of a certain political affiliation,” he said. “But in the actual displacement situation, nobody knows what the political identity of his new displaced neighbour is.”

A Spiritual Recital Under the Patronage and Blessings of His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai

At the invitation of the Middle East Council of Churches and the Pastoral Office for Persons with Disabilities (POPD) in the Maronite Patriarchate - Bkerke

Under the patronage and blessings of His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and the Pastoral Office for Persons with Disabilities (POPD) in the Maronite Patriarchate - Bkerke, Lebanon, are honored to invite you to participate in the spiritual recital, “Your Sight On Our Homeland,” performed by the Artist Dalia Freifer, accompanied by Mr. Fadi Abi Hachem. The recital will be hosted by the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary.

The celebration will be held on Friday 11 October 2024, at 7pm Beirut time, in the Church of Christ the King - Zouk Mosbeh, Lebanon. It will be broadcasted live on Télé Lumiere - Noursat TV Channel, and the social media platforms.

Friday 11 October 2024 – 7pm Beirut Time, at the Church of Christ the King - Zouk Mosbeh, Lebanon

Let us Pray together for Lebanon and participate in the spiritual recital “Your Sight On Our Homeland”, under the patronage and blessings of His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and at the invitation of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and the Pastoral Office for Persons with Disabilities (POPD) in the Maronite Patriarchate - Bkerke, Lebanon.

The recital will be performed by the Artist Dalia Freifer, accompanied by Mr. Fadi Abi Hachem. It will be hosted by the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary.

The celebration will be held on Friday 11 October 2024, at 7pm Beirut time, in the Church of Christ the King - Zouk Mosbeh, Lebanon. It will be broadcasted live on Télé Lumière - Noursat TV Channel, and the social media platforms. 

Lebanon, the homeland of life, love and dialogue, where religions come together... It is today, bleeding and suffering due to the wars and conflicts that tore apart the dreams of its children. However, despite all the severe tragedies it is exposed to, Lebanon remains a country of resurrection, full of hope, fraternity, and determination to continue life with great faith, especially that “light shine out of darkness” (2 Corinthians 4: 6). Let us unite together in Prayer on the intention of Lebanon so it rises from its ashes and life returns to all its people who have been deeply hurt. 

In a phone call with the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary on the "Initiatives" program on Radio Voice of Van, Bishop Elias Kfoury explained the tragic situation in the Southern Lebanon, calling for an end to the war and suffering, and praising the support of the Middle East Council of Churches in the humanitarian and relief aspects.

A New Training on Disaster Risk Management and Churches Response

In light of a difficult time during which Lebanon is suffering as a result of air strikes targeting its towns, accompanying activists, as well as Church and health workers, has become necessary in order to support them. This is in addition to providing them with basic skills which are essential for responding to the repercussions of the ongoing war in the country. Hence, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Diakonia and Social Service Department, implemented new training course entitled “Disaster Risk Management and Churches Response,” which was held in the border town of Marjayoun, with specialists from various fields.

The session, in which participants were an Ecumenical group of clergy, lay people, and activists in the border regions, included many sessions centered around the essential role played by Churches, especially since they are lifelines for communities in turmoil and the first side that seeks to embrace the affected, needy, and displaced people. The training also empowered the Church on how to be more efficient in their response and be more organized in times of crisis for best outcome. Moreover, it shed lights on ways to support citizens in the border areas and other regions affected by the conflicts and raids they are exposed to, as well as how to accompany the displaced people, whose number is increasing significantly, in search of places that may be considered safe.

With Support of MECC and Kerk in Actie in the Netherlands

With the blessings of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox Family, His Eminence Metropolitan Antonios Saad, Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Bosra, Hauran, and Jabal Al-Arab, inaugurated the halls of the Lady of Annunciation Church in the city of Dara’a, after the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) completed its rehabilitation work, in cooperation with Kerk In Actie in the Netherlands, within the program “Restoration Fund for Rehabilitation of Faith-based Social Services & Religious Infrastructure Damaged During the Crisis in Syria”.

The Middle East Council of Churches Participates in Its Preperation 

On the occasion of the centenary of the International Missionary Council (IMC), many studies were conducted on the situations of Christians in the world, and a new series of books was published, including a book entitled “Christian Mission in the Middle East, Ecumenical Perspectives.” This book comes at a time when the region, which is the cradle of Christianity, is witnessing several social, economic, demographic, geopolitical and environmental transformations, that have led the Church to take on new forms in its Christian mission. 

Hence, the book explains the response of Christians in the Middle East to all the changes surrounding them and how they are jointly exploring new paths in mission and how they are relating to other faiths, especially Islam. In this context, the book emphasizes the extent to which Christian communities in the region strive to persevere, cling to the land, and bear witness to Christ. 

And Concludes the “Season of Creation” For This Year in the Middle East

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) have now issued its online Ecumenical calendar for the month of October 2024. 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. 

As well as, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) concludes during October 2024, the “Season of Creation” in the region, with this year’s theme “To hope and act with Creation” and its symbol “The firstfruits of hope” based on the Epistle to the Romans 8: 19-25. Noting that the Season extends internationally and annually from 1 September, the Feast of Creation, until 4 October, the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Ecology. 

First, we must make it clear that displacement based on violence is a violation of laws and the Bill of Human Rights. It is, in fact, a process of humiliation, a daily violation, and a massive crushing of human dignity. It involves removing individuals from the circle of their daily lives, from their schools and institutions, and throwing them into the streets, which constitutes the height of humiliation and societal disintegration. People live together in a community that provides safety, stability, and tranquility. Casting them into the unknown prevents them from realizing what their future holds.

Historically, we experienced such events in the eighties, and today they are being repeated through displacement, relief, refuge, and similar situations. The main issue we neglected in the past, but must pay attention to today in this dilemma of displacement, is the dismantling of the psychological strength of individuals by throwing them into the unknown, halting production, and destroying their livelihoods, leaving them prey to poverty, unemployment, and destitution. We are placing a large segment of the population into a crucible of economic and social destruction resulting from displacement, war, and aggression.

There are people who do not want us to be alive or to exist in the first place. They aim to exterminate us and use various methods to do so. This is what is happening in Lebanon and the Levant, or what we call the Antiochian Levant.

Moreover, the Middle East Council of Churches was the first to describe the Gaza war on the eighteenth of October 2023 as "genocide" because it is a war of extermination and ethnic cleansing. Despite objections from some to this description, they gradually agreed to the term and adopted it.

This video presents the full celebration held on the occasion of the Fiftieth Year of the Founding of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), on Saturday 14 September 2024, at the New Papal Headquarters in Anba Royce, under the patronage, blessings, and presence of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, and in the presence of His Beatitude Patriarch Bishop Anba Ibrahim Ishak, Coptic Catholic Patriarch, and President of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt, Reverend Dr. Andrea Zaki, President of the Evangelical Community in Egypt, and President of the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services, His Grace Anba Antonios, Metropolitan of Jerusalem and the Near East for the Coptic Orthodox Church, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Oriental Orthodox Family, representatives of various Churches,  Professor Michel Abs, Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Reverend Yachouh Ayoub, the Secretary General of the Egyptian Council of Churches, Honorary and Associate Secretaries, Fathers Priests and Pastors, Nun Sisters, personalities and invitees.