The 12th General Assembly

As part of the Middle East Council of Churches 12th General Assembly’ s activities, the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs was the guest of Father Elias Karam in “I Came to Serve” program broadcasted on Télé Lumière and Noursat, Sunday 19 June 2022. During the episode, Dr. Abs emphasized the Christian and humanitarian issues and themes tackled during the General Assembly, in light of its slogan “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid" (Matthew 14: 27). This is in addition to highlighting the main points of the final statement issued by this Ecumenical event and the MECC future projects.

Thanking His Holiness Pope Tawadros II

And Planning for A Renewed Ecumenical Work

Following the 12th General Assembly of the Middle East Council of Churches, the elected Executive Committee, representing the four ecclesiastical families that constitute the Council, held its first meeting, online, on Monday 27 June 2022.

The meeting was attended by the elected MECC presidents His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and all the East and MECC President for the Orthodox Family, His Grace Archbishop Anba Antonios, Metropolitan of Jerusalem and the Near East for the Coptic Orthodox Church and MECC President for the Eastern Orthodox Family, His Excellency Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Federation of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East and MECC President for the Evangelical Family. In addition to the members of the Executive Committee elected by the General Assembly, the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, the Associate Secretaries General Father Nicolas Bustros and Mr. Adel Syryani, as well as the General Secretariat team from various departments.

(With the Video of the Speech)

Your Beatitude Patriarch John X,

Reverend Pastor and Fathers,

Dear colleagues,

After the end of the proceedings of the Twelfth General Assembly and the election of MECC Presidents and members of the Executive Committee, this is the first of our visits as an official delegation to His Beatitude, the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East and MECC President, in order to congratulate Him and get His views on the various issues raised and to obtain His directives regarding the work of the Middle East Council of Churches.

The Dream of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II Chronicles the Ecclesiastical Heritage

"The library was a dream that has been on my mind for a long time. Today libraries are fund in churches and monasteries. But we were thinking of an integrated central institution through which we could show the Coptic Church’s care in education and scientific research. We Thank God for giving us this great blessing. What was just a dream has now become a reality!”

The dream of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, according to his words, has come true and has become a great cultural and intellectual reality in an oasis of one of the holiest lands that the Holy Family has passed through, here in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches, Dr. Michel Abs was, on Monday, June 13, 2022, the guest of the Egyptian Al-Keraza channel, in the program "Hot Issues" prepared and presented by the Co-Secretary-General of the Middle East Council of Churches, Rev. Rifaat Fikry.

During the program, Dr. Abs highlighted the activities of the MECC 12th General Assembly, which was hosted by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, between 16 and 20 May 2022, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs was the guest of MTV Lebanon, on Sunday, June 5, 2022, in "With Jesus" segment during the morning show “Alive” with Elie Ahwash, in order to shed light on the MECC 12th General Assembly event and the post General Assembly activities. Dr. Abs tackled the importance of the General Assembly, its objectives and the framework of its convening, highlighting its theme "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid" (Matthew 14: 27), agenda and activities, especially the visit of the Heads of the Eastern Churches to the President of the Arabic Republic of Egypt Mr. Abdel Fattah El Sisi.

Le courage de la vérité,

du témoignage et du patrimoine séculaire

Ecrit par Professeur Antoine Messarra, Chaire Unesco-USJ, Liban

Cet article a été publié sur le site web de “L’Orient Le Jour”

La 12e Assemblée générale du Conseil des Eglises du Moyen-Orient (MECC-CEMO), tenue au Centre papal Anba Bishop à Wadi el-Natrun en Egypte, les 16-20 mai 2022, avec la participation de plus de cent des plus hauts représentants de toutes les églises du Moyen-Orient, constitue une étape renouvelée pour le Conseil dont la fondation remonte à 1974. La 12e Assemblée, organisée par le secrétaire général, Dr. Michel Abs et l’équipe du CEMO, offre en effet un panorama global de la situation régionale actuelle et détermine les grandes priorités d’avenir.

Thank you from the Heart!

Wearing their white shirts and bright smiles, they spread life, hope and youth pulse at the Papal Logos Center in Wadi El Natrun during the activities of the MECC 12th General Assembly, hosted by the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt.

They are volunteers. Young women and men who took a break from their universities and jobs and came to serve the heads and leaders of the Eastern Churches, and friends from all over the world, in an event hosted by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II. They all translated their love to His Holiness by working hard and tirelessly, taking care of every detail from the smallest to the biggest one, aiming at making this historical event a great success.

On the occasion of the Feast of the Holy Family’s Entry into Egypt, which is celebrated by the Coptic Church on the first of June of each year, the MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents a documentary entitled “From Egypt I Called My Son”, highlighting the most prominent historical stations of the Coptic Church, a history of martyrdom and Holiness. The documentary was screened for the first time during the opening ceremony of the MECC 12th General Assembly, which was held under the title "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid" (Matthew 14: 27) with the generous hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Papal Logos Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt from 16 to 20 of May 2022.

A Thank you letter from the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs to Reverend Dr. Andrea Zaki, President of the Evangelical Churches in Egypt, the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services and the Fellowship, following the MECC 12th General Assembly which was held with the support of the Evangelical Church in Egypt, and with the hospitality of the Coptic Orthodox Church headed by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt, under under the title of "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid" (Matthew 14: 27).

A Thank you letter from the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs to His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, who has hosted the MECC 12th General Assembly, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt, under under the title of "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid" (Matthew 14: 27).

A Thank you letter from the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs to the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mr. Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, following the MECC 12th General Assembly hosted by the Coptic Orthodox Church under the patronage of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt, under under the title of "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid" (Matthew 14: 27).

Armenian Translation Available

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Cilicia, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

Watch a special interview with His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos, Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London and President of SAT-7, with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with Reverend Dr. Andrea Zaki, President of the Evangelical Churches in Egypt, the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services and the Fellowship, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with Reverend Boutros Zaour, MECC Executive Committee Alternate Member, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with His Beatitude Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with His Beatitude Mor Ignatius Youssef III Younan, Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and MECC Honorary President, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with His Beatitude Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac, Patriarch of the Coptic Catholic Church in Egypt, and Head of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with Reverend Dr. Riad Jarjour, MECC Honorary Secretary General, General Secretary of the Arab Group for Muslim - Christian Dialogue, National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.