With Sister Nicolas Akiki, Former Director of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Rosary Hospital

Together we Pray and Work to Enhance the Ecumenical Spirit

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) General Secretariat continues its weekly meetings. This meeting, which constitutes a time for Prayer, reflection, and work, brings together colleagues with hearts filled with faith, hope, and determination to work together for the Ecumenical mission and the humanitarian service.

The last meeting, held by the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, coincided with the Feast of Saint Joseph, the honest carpenter, the partner of Mary, and the righteous father who was distinguished by his humility, silence, and obedience. He is the Patron Saint of fathers and families, and he dedicated his life to service and acts of charity.

One of the most prominent strategic goals of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) is to empower its team and develop its skills to expand their mission and enhance its capabilities. The MECC Human Resources Section, with the support of the Secretary General Professor Michel Abs, organized a two training courses with the Lebanese Red Cross – Emergency Medical Services, with the participation of colleagues from the MECC General Secretariat.

The course program included various parts about first aid, how to deal with minor injuries and emergency health conditions, and how to maintain personal and collective safety. The course also provided meaningful and essential experiences for daily life and practical exercises in a lively, interactive, and professional atmosphere.

At the end of the course, the colleagues, who will receive a certificate of participation, expressed their joy at participating in this course, given the diverse information and experiences they had gained.

With His Eminence Archbishop Mor Kyrillos Babi, the Patriarchal Vicar for the Syriac Orthodox Charitable Institutions in Atchaneh

"The Face of Mary"

Watch the Press Conference for the launching of the seminar "The Face of Mary", on Wednesday 19 March 2025, at 12:25 pm Beirut Time, live from the headquarters of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) in Beirut, on Télé Lumière and Noursat, and the MECC Facebook Page.

The seminar is organized by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and the Christian Muslim Episcopal Committee for Dialogue, which stems from the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon, on Tuesday 25 March 2025, at 1:00 pm Beirut Time, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Annunciation – Museum - Beirut.

Father Kamel Kamel, a Priest in the Maronite Diocese of Tripoli, met with Professor Michel Abs, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at the MECC headquarters in Beirut. The meeting was attended by the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, the Media Officer, the Coordinator of the Church and Media Relations, and the Director of the Platform of the Word at the Middle East Council of Churches.

During the meeting, Father Kamel spoke about the Church's initiatives in the Lebanese Governorate of Akkar and the challenges it faces in light of the difficult living conditions that the country is passing through. He also talked about the Church's work in standing with the neediest people and healing their wounds.

An Episode with Father Kamel Kamel, a Priest in the Maronite Diocese of Tripoli, About the Platform of the Word at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

“The Platform of the Word” at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) presents an episode of the program “And the Family Remains,” entitled “Family Disintegration.”

The program raises issues related to the family, motherhood, and childhood, in addition to the Church’s view and response to challenges, especially in light of the difficult living conditions the region is passing through.

Exclusive: Media of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

March 16, 1942, at three o'clock in the afternoon... the dawn of a new era began in the See of Antioch. A date that carried hope, faith, and determination amidst the stagnation and crises that the Church was passing through at the time. A youthful date that formed a bright spring of joy which restored life to every spot of despair and sadness. It is the official founding date of a Movement that knows no identity other than life in Christ, and no system other than the Gospel translated into life. It is the Orthodox Youth Movement (OYM – MJO), the caring mother, the safe haven, and the community that believes in the talents of youth and the work of the Holy Spirit among them, bearing the slogan, "For in him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).

Together in an Ongoing Media Cooperation and Service to the Ecumenical Mission!

Here Are the Details

A Journey of Prayer and Lent Towards the Joy of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ

With the organization and invitation of the Theological and Ecumenical Department at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), headed by Fr. Antoine Al-Ahmar, and hosted by His Eminence Archbishop Mor Kyrillos Babi, the Patriarchal Vicar for the Syriac Orthodox Charitable Institutions in Atchaneh, the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate - Atchaneh hosted a Spiritual Retreat for the Council’s General Secretariat team headed by the Secretary General Professor Michel Abs, on Friday, March 14, 2025.

Alongside the Secretary General Professor Michel Abs, participants were the MECC Associate Secretary General Fr. Dr. Nicolas Bustros, the Director of the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department Fr. Antoine Al-Ahmar, and colleagues from the Council's team in Lebanon.

With 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)

A Ceremony Emphasizes the Need to Preserve Human Dignity and Enhance Cooperation and Solidarity

Media of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

The Sisters of Our Lady of the Rosary Hospital in Gemmayzeh, Beirut, held a ceremony to launch an initiative by John Paul II Foundation, which has provided the hospital, as well as many hospitals in Lebanon, with essential medical machines for their hospital services. The donation was made with the support of associations and donors in Italy.

The ceremony, held on Monday, March 17, 2025, was an initiative to support the hospital sector, particularly the Sisters of Our Lady of the Rosary, given their lofty mission. This is not the first such initiative, especially that hospitals in Lebanon are in dire need of essential support amidst the difficult circumstances that the country is passing through, which often hinder their normal work in serving people.

Professor Michel Abs

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

How beautiful you are, in the glow of your piercing eyes, your welcoming face, and your tireless hands.

How wonderful you are, encompassing humanity’s suffering without moaning or complaint.

How exceptional you are, in your tenderness, your taste, and your embrace of those you know and those you do not.

How patient you are, so resilient, carrying us for months in your womb with joy and faith in the Lord’s gift.

How strong you are, never buckling beneath the treachery of time or the violence of fate.

How forthright you are, paving the way for your children and guiding them toward success.

How honorable you are, placing your own offspring on the path of righteousness, truth, and dignity.

How capable you are, combining your productive work with care for your family.

How courageous you are, defending what is right in the face of tyrannical power, thus embodying moments of true pride.

How gentle and gracious you are, filling the world with joy and delight…

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) have now issued its online Ecumenical calendar for the month of March 2025. 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.

The Middle East Council of Churches and the Christian Muslim Episcopal Committee for Dialogue,

which stems from the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon,

are organizing a symposium on Tuesday, March 25, at 1:00 PM

at Our Lady of the Annunciation Cathedral – Museum – Beirut

How Do Churches Live this Holy Period?

Learn With Us About Their Traditions!

(Part 1)

It is a journey of Prayer, repentance, and self-reflection to purify the soul and draw closer to God. It is the safe path through which Christians head towards the joy of Resurrection, the Feast of Feasts and the Season of Seasons. It is the Season of Easter Lent, considered one of the holiest Christian periods in history. It is a time that renews believers spiritually and psychologically, moving them from the chaos of life to safety, from sin to salvation, and from despair to heavenly joy.

How much we need today to unite in Prayer and celebrate the Feast of Resurrection together! How much we long for the desired unity that crowns the rich diversity of our Churches?

What is special this year is that the Eastern and Western Churches will celebrate the Great Feast together on the same date, coinciding with the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, which convened in 325 AD in Nicaea and marked a pivotal moment in the history of the Christian faith. In preparation for the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, Christians go through the Lent journey, each according to the doctrine and traditions of their Churches.