About His Upcoming Visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt and His Participation in the Celebrations of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Professor Dr. Michel Abs

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

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)

When the Lord entrusted His Church to His disciples, along with this commandment, which remains active to this day, He was fully aware that the salvific message would spread throughout the world, transcending political, cultural, and social boundaries. It would attract anyone who longs for salvation through knowledge, freedom, and human feelings, and it would pose a challenge to those unwilling to accept it.

We are all familiar with the history of the spreading of Christianity, its mechanisms, obstacles, and challenges. Humanity still bears witness to the uniqueness of the Christian martyrdom in human history: from the stoning in Jerusalem after the Lord’s Ascension, to throwing Christians to the wild beasts, torturing them in all sorts of ways, mass killings in our region and around the world, and culminating today in what we see in Africa, which is rising from centuries of occupation, persecution, and slavery.

The purest form of testimony is the testimony of the blood. Martyrdom!

When the Church expands into new places—such as Africa or the Far East—amid peoples and civilizations once unimaginable to embrace the salvific message, given their deep attachment to their ancient religions - some of which we cannot deny have forms of refinement and beauty, and in an era marked by the arrogance of modern man, this cannot be classified as anything but a divine blessing…

Professeur Dr. Michel Abs

Secrétaire Général du Conseil des Églises du Moyen-Orient (CEMO-MECC)

« Allez donc, faites de toutes les nations des disciples, les baptisant au nom du Père et du Fils et du Saint-Esprit. » (Matthieu 28,19)

Lorsque le Seigneur a confié Son Église à Ses disciples, accompagnée de ce commandement, qui demeure valable jusqu’à aujourd’hui, Il était parfaitement conscient que le message salvateur se répandrait sur toute la terre, franchissant les frontières politiques, culturelles et sociales. Il attirerait quiconque aspire au salut par la connaissance, la liberté et les sentiments humains, et constituerait un défi pour ceux qui ne sont pas prêts à l’accueillir.

Nous connaissons tous l’histoire de l’expansion chrétienne, ses mécanismes, ses obstacles et ses défis. L’humanité témoigne encore de l’exceptionnalité du témoignage chrétien dans l’histoire : depuis la lapidation à Jérusalem au lendemain de l’Ascension, au fait de livrer les croyants aux bêtes sauvages, aux tortures de toutes sortes, aux massacres collectifs pratiqués dans notre région comme ailleurs, et qui atteignent un point culminant aujourd’hui en Afrique, sortie de siècles d’occupation, de persécutions et d’esclavage.

Le plus noble des témoignages est celui du sang. Le martyre !

Que l’Église se propage dans de nouveaux lieux, comme l’Afrique ou l’Extrême-Orient, parmi des peuples et des civilisations qu’on n’aurait jamais imaginé embrasser le message du salut, compte tenu de leur profond attachement à leurs religions anciennes, dont nous ne pouvons nier certains aspects raffinés et beaux, et cela à une époque où prévaut l’arrogance de l’homme moderne, cela ne peut être considéré que comme une bénédiction divine…

A report that sheds light on the Prayer that was held on the occasion of the closing 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 the Heads of the Churches, and the presence of the MECC Secretary General Professor Dr. Michel Abs.

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 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).

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).

On Suboro TV

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs was the guest in an episode of “Kel Yom Bi Yawmo” (“Everyday”) program on Suboro TV, to talk about the activities of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) within the framework of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2025 entitled “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26).

You can find the Prayer of the eighth day of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2025, included in its booklet, and which you may publish and distribute.

The theme of this year’s Week of Prayer is “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26).

You can find the Prayer of the seventh day of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2025, included in its booklet, and which you may publish and distribute.

The theme of this year’s Week of Prayer is “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26).

You can find the Prayer of the sixth day of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2025, included in its booklet, and which you may publish and distribute.

The theme of this year’s Week of Prayer is “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26).