Momentum, the Weekly Newsletter from the Middle East Council of Churches

In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Middle East Council of Churches, Communication and Public Relations Department, you can find the joint statement issued by the Greek Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox Patriarchates of Antioch and All the East on the 10th yearly commemoration of the abduction of the Archbishops of Aleppo, His Eminence Metropolitan Boulos Yaziji and His Eminence Metropolitan Gregorios Youhanna Ibrahim. As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, it is entitled “Behind the Screen of Hate”. It was the speech that Dr. Abs delivered at the seminar organized by MECC, on the commemoration of the abduction of the two Archbishops of Aleppo, on Monday 24 April 2023.

The issue also presents details about this seminar, in addition to the MECC statement in which the Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs declared that April 22 of each year will be the “Ecumenical Day for the Abducted and Forcibly Absented”. As well as, he mentioned that this issue will also become part of the Council's work in the field of sensitization and awareness on the matter of abduction and enforced disappearance.

Noting that this seminar was held Under the patronage and in the presence of His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos of the Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia, and MECC President for the Catholic Family, and under the patronage of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and MECC President for the Orthodox Family, and 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. The seminar was also in the presence of His Eminence Metropolitan Silouan Moussi, Greek Orthodox Bishop of Byblos, Batroun and Dependencies (Mount Lebanon), and online participation of His Eminence Mor Clemis Daniel Kourieh, Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Beirut.

In this context, the issue presents an audio report about the MECC seminar broadcasted on Radio Free Lebanon, in addition to an interview with the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs on Charity Radio TV to talk about this seminar and the issue of the Abducted and the Forcibly Absented.

As well as, the issue presents a news about the participation of the Secretary General Dr. Abs in the annual meeting organized by the World Council of Churches, with the participation of the General Secretaries of regional Ecumenical organizations, on 19 and 20 April 2023, at the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Geneva, Switzerland.

In addition, the issue includes a news about the participation of the Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs and the Associate Secretary General Mrs. Seta Hadeshian in a Holy Mass presided over by His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos of the Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia, and MECC President for the Catholic Family, In commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, on Monday 24 April 2023.

You can also find details about the MECC participation alongside more than 60 organizations in a citizenship and NGO Forum organized by the Saint Joseph University in Beirut, under the title "Advocating for a Better Tomorrow", on Wednesday 26 April 2023. During the forum, the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs delivered a speech for the occasion.

In the issue also, the Near East School of Theology in Beirut invites you to a public lecture entitled “What Does Climate Change Have to Do with the Christian Faith?”, delivered by Clive Pearson, Senior Research Fellow in Public Theology at Charles Stuart University, Former Principle of United Theological College in Sydney and Head of the School of Theology. It will be held on 4 May 2023, at 5:30 pm, in the campus of the Near East School of Theology, Sourati Street (off Jeanne D’Arc), Hamra, Beirut.

Moreover, the issue includes many reports issued by MECC under the name of "Rescue Syria Update" which will keep you informed about the developments of MECC action as well as the overall situation in a context analysis perspective. The MECC will be also publishing other periodical and updated reports.

The issue also presents a photo album showing the difficult humanitarian situations in Syria, the Ecumenical Calendar for May 2023 issued by the Middle East Council of Churches, Communication and Public Relations Department, Ecumenical reports, the weekly Prayer, videos, and news of the Middle Eastern Churches.

Additionally, the issue presents a socio-economic overview of the Middle East during March 2023 and the latest updates of the Coronavirus in the region.