The Closing Prayer was held under the title “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26), on Saturday 25 January 2025, at the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari, Beirut.

The Closing Prayer was held under the title “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26), on Saturday 25 January 2025, at the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari, Beirut.

You can find in the video the word delivered by His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, during the closing Prayer of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity", which was held on Saturday 25 January 2025, at the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari, Beirut.

You can find in the video the word delivered by 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, during the closing Prayer of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity", which was held on Saturday 25 January 2025, at the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari, Beirut.

With the blessing and presence of 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, the UAECNE hosted an Ecumenical Prayer Service on the occasion of the ending of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2025 entitled “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26), in celebration of the conclusion of the Fiftieth Year of the Founding of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), as well as the announcement of the launch of the 1700th Anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari, Beirut.

With the completion of the achievements for the year 2024 and preparation for the entitlements in the new year, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs, held a general meeting for the MECC General Secretariat team, entitled progress and success in International forums. The meeting was held on the occasion of the election of the MECC candidate Eng. Samer Laham, Director of the MECC Diakonia and Social Service Department, as a member of the new Governing Board of the International ACT Alliance.

Noting that the elections of the new Governing Board took place at the 4th General Assembly of ACT, which was held in Yogyakarta - Indonesia, under the theme "Hope in Action, Together for Justice," between October 28 and November 1, 2024.

During the MECC General Secretariat meeting, which was held on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at the Council's headquarters in Beirut, the Secretary General Professor Dr. Michel Abs addressed a congratulatory word to Mr. Samer, praising his distinguished competencies and capabilities, thanking him for his efforts and contributions in the Ecclesiastical and humanitarian fields. He also emphasized the credibility of the Middle East Council of Churches internationally and the quality of the humanitarian services it provides with the support of the "ACT Alliance".

In the video, you can find the word delivered by 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), during the Prayer Service held on the occasion of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2025, at Our Lady of the Dormition Church, Aadbel Akkar - Lebanon.

In the video, you can find the word delivered by His Eminence Metropolitan Basilios Mansour, Greek Orthodox Bishop of Akkar and Dependencies, during the Prayer Service held on the occasion of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2025, at Our Lady of the Dormition Church, Aadbel Akkar - Lebanon.

What Are Its Details?

This report sheds light on the health and psychological awareness sessions for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers implemented by the Diakonia and Social Service Department at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Syria’s Office, in three governorates which are Damascus and its Countryside, Aleppo and Daraa.

Father Rifaat Bader, the Head of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media, Publisher of Abouna Website, and Media Consultant on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), met with His Holiness Pope Francis in the Vatican, where he offered him an illustration of the Baptism Church and presented to him an overview about the upcoming Jordan Exhibition in the Vatican.

As part of the "Season of Creation" and Environmental Days Celebrations in the Middle East, the EcoJustice Unit at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) prepared an environmental activity and a Christmas celebration in the Anafora Oasis on the Desert Road in Egypt.

For the occasion, the youth of Egypt, in coordination with the youth of the Coptic Orthodox, Catholic, Evangelical and Episcopal churches, the Ecumenical Youth Committee in Egypt and all other youth, celebrated the fourth day of Christmas and Epiphany on January 10, 2025, which is a great and wonderful Feast. Upon arrival, the youth were hosted with ecological welcome drinks.

Then, the Coordinator of the EcoJustice Unit Archdeacon Garen Yosolkanian, welcomed the active youth who are the pulse of life and the leaders of the present in developing the society and studies. He also welcomed the President of the Egypt Council of Churches Reverend Yeshua Yacoub, the Presidnet of the Ecumenical Youth Committee in Egypt Mr. Medhat Fayez, and all the officials and representatives of the Egyptian youth.

Under the title "Awareness Is One of the Foundations of Education and One of the Pillars of the Church Social Work", the EcoJustice Unit invited the Egyptian Church Youth to an environmental day in Wadi El Natrun in the first section of the Anafora Oasis, which helps a lot of young people to find their devotion in their lives.

In this context, the EcoJustice Unit at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) prepared a lecture on Environmental Theology and a celebration of the beginning of the year in the Eastern Julian tradition with His Eminence Bishop Thomas of Qusiya and Church personalities in Environmental Theology.

At the beginning of the discussion, Archdeacon Garen thanked His Eminence for his attendance at the celebrations of the Season of Creation and his continuous cooperation in the Middle East and the world.

Archdeacon Garen, the Coordinator of the EcoJustice Unit at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), visited His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, congratulating His Holiness on the New Year, Christmas, and Epiphany holidays at the beginning of the year according to the Julian calendar and the Feast of the Circumcision on January 14, 2025.

The visit was attended by the Associate Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Gerges Saleh, the President of the Ecumenical Youth Committee in Egypt Mr. Medhat Fayez, the Vice President Mr. Nour Bahnan, the Director of the Armenian Genocide Orphans Museum, Aram Bezikian, Archdeacon Maestro Krikor El-Wazian, Deacon Kyrillos Wehbeh, and Agnostos Samuel Ibrahim.

With love and one voice, the fragrance of hymns at the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity wafts through the voices of the Ecumenical choir which included members from different Church Families.

End of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Professor Dr. Michel Abs from the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari:

"In the absence of institutional unity that every believer longs for, we can be united in the spirituality of faith and society, as we embrace the same faith, we follow it, as well as the social values ​​that result from it, and through which we serve humanity. Thanks to this faith, humanity has created all forms of services that care for the tired and burdened people.

At the first half century of the MECC’s life, we promise you to continue the work of rapprochement that we have been doing since its founding, and which is included as a basic rule in its constitution and founding documents...

Today, we are at the peak of the institutionalization work that will ensure the continuity of MECC, so that it can continue the tasks entrusted to it by the founders, and we need your continuous blessings, Prayers and support so that this institution, which is considered one of the highest forms of joint Christian work, will be preserved for decades to come, and remains the home of Christian fellowship in the region that witnessed the Incarnation and Resurrection.”

With one love, one heart and great hope, the Heads of the Churches and faithful people unite in a Prayer Service at the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari, Beirut, on the occasion of the ending of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2025 entitled “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26).

“O Merciful Lord, lead us to work together to spread Your light and freedom wherever there is darkness, tyranny, suffering and injustice” (from the Prayer Service of the Week of Unity 2025).

An Ecumenical Prayer Service on the occasion of the ending of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2025 entitled “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26), at the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari, Beirut, hosted by 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, with the participation of thre Heads of the Churches, and the presence of the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC).

Professor Dr. Michel Abs

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

When the Lord created the universe, He created it for all the beings He brought forth, granting them the right to utilize the resources with which the Creator honored His creation.

The Lord created us equal in the right to exist, in dignity, in the continuity of life, and in the improvement of that life. He became incarnate so that we might have a better life.

Humankind, with its soul inclined to wrongdoing, in the early ages, before recognizing the existence of the Creator, before the Creator revealed Himself, and before understanding the essence of His message, spread corruption, plundering and brutalizing one another, practicing all forms of harm and torture.

It was the law of the survival of the fittest, where the stronger prevails, leaving no place for the weak, and the universe supposedly belongs to the powerful. Such justifications were fabricated by the sick human mind to excuse seizing another’s wealth and resources.

Christianity emerged as a remarkable shift in this grim human history. The incarnate Lord proclaimed new ways of interaction among people, ways unheard of before Him. This was intolerable to the soldiers of emperors and conquerors, as well as the guardians of old laws, so they crucified Him, unable to conceive of His resurrection after three days.

During His time on earth, the Lord taught principles contrary to everything taught before, often saying, “It was said to you... but I say to you.” These teachings shone in His eternal Sermon on the Mount, a sermon unmatched by humanity in the field of human conduct and cultural values. He, whose kingdom never ends, overturned millennia of greed, hatred, and savagery, raising humankind to a noble rank above other creatures…

Stressing: "We are not afraid, and as Christians in the region, we must coordinate and unite together and adhere to our land. The Council is the nucleus of Church, humanitarian and media work."

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, received the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs, at the head of a delegation including colleagues from the MECC General Secretariat, on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at the Patriarchate in Balamand, Lebanon.

Firstly, His Beatitude received the Secretary General Professor Michel Abs and the accompanying delegation from the General Secretariat team with great love and warmth.

He delivered a speech in which he stressed:”

The importance of the Christian presence in the Middle East and preserving it no matter how severe the storms are because we are not afraid, calling on Christians in the region to remain steadfast and cling to their land despite all the challenges. He stressed that what matters to us as Christians today is achieving human dignity for every human being regardless of his religion or sect."

In the same context, His Beatitude Patriarch John X stressed the need to unify ranks and words, coordinate, unite and work together as Churches and believers from different Church Families. He also praised the role played by the Middle East Council of Churches at the Ecumenical, humanitarian, social, Theological and media levels, noting that this work entrusted to it is essential, especially in the Middle East region. As well as, he reviewed the latest developments in its Theological, relief, development and media programs.

On Suboro TV

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, was the guest in an episode of “Kel Yom Bi Yawmo” (“Everyday”) program on Suboro TV, to talk about the Media’s Role in Christian Unity, within the framework of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2025 entitled “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26).