Dr. Michel Abs from the Orthodox Family, Faithfull to the Ecumenical mission

The Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches MECC elected on 18 September 2020 a new Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs for four years succeeding Dr. Souraya Bechealany. Professor Abs is an economist and a sociologist. He holds a B.A., M.A. and higher diplomas in both fields and a PhD in Sociology with a focus on economic behavior.

Solidaridad con los libaneses y elección del Dr. Michel Abs como Secretario General

El Comité Ejecutivo del Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio celebró una reunión atípica, ya que la duodécima Asamblea General del Consejo estaba programada para celebrarse en este momento. Sin embargo, las circunstancias excepcionales impuestas por las repercusiones de la pandemia de COVID-19, y la imposibilidad de una reunión directa entre los miembros de diferentes países e iglesias, hizo que se realizara por medios electrónicos virtuales para las iglesias miembros de Egipto, Kuwait, Palestina, Jordania, Siria, Iraq, Irán y Chipre, por lo que no se impidió un acuerdo legal sobre esta reunión excepcional, que fue acogida en el Líbano por Su Beatitud Bechara Pedro cardenal Rai, Patriarca de la Iglesia Siro-Maronita de Antioquía en el Patriarcado Maronita de Bkerke.

Solidarity with the Lebanese and election of Dr. Michel Abs as Secretary General

The Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches held an exceptional meeting, as the Council's Twelfth General Assembly was scheduled to take place at this time. However, the exceptional circumstances imposed by the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the inability of direct meeting between members from different countries and churches, and replacing it with virtual electronic means for the member churches in Egypt, Kuwait, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Cyprus, produced a legal agreement on this exceptional meeting, which was hosted in Lebanon by His Beatitude Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi - Patriarch of Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch at the Maronite Patriarchate in Bkerke.

The second opening speech of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, during the Executive Committee meeting of the Middle East Council of Churches held on Friday, September 18, 2021, in Bkerki, Lebanon. His Holiness Pope Tawadros II was hosting the Executive Committee’s members of the Churches in Egypt at the Papal Headquarters in the Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral.

Speech of Dr. Souraya Bechealany, MECC Secretary General, during the Executive Committee meeting

held between 21 and 22 January 2020 in Larnaca – Cyprus.

Speech of Rev. Anba Thomas, during the Executive Committee meeting in Larnaca

Speech of Rev. Anba Thomas, MECC Executive Committee member, Representative of the Coptic Orthodox Church, during the MECC Executive Committee meeting held between 21 and 22 January 2020 in Larnaca – Cyprus.

Speech of His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos II, during the Executive Committee meeting in Larnaca

Speech of His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos II, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Cyprus, Greek orthodox Church of Cyprus, during the MECC Executive Committee meeting held between 21 and 22 January 2020 in Larnaca – Cyprus.

Speech of Rev. Joseph Kassab, during the Executive Committee meeting in Larnaca

Speech of Rev. Joseph Kassab, President of the Supreme Council of Evangelical Community in Syria and Lebanon, General Secretary of the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon, during the MECC Executive Committee meeting held between 21 and 22 January 2020 in Larnaca – Cyprus.

Speech of His Holiness Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, during the Executive Committee meeting in Larnaca

Speech of His Holiness Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church who is the president of the Council for the Eastern Orthodox Family, during the MECC Executive Committee meeting held between 21 and 22 January 2020 in Larnaca – Cyprus.

Speech of His Beatitude Mar Louis Raphael Sako, during the Executive Committee meeting in Larnaca

Speech of His Beatitude Mar Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of Babylon for Chaldeans and president of the Council for the Catholic Family, during the MECC Executive Committee meeting held between 21 and 22 January 2020 in Larnaca – Cyprus.

Speech of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, during the Executive Committee meeting in Larnaca

Speech of His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and president of the Council for the Greek Orthodox Family, during the MECC Executive Committee meeting held between 21 and 22 January 2020 in Larnaca – Cyprus.

In the video, you can find footages and photos from the 11th General Assembly, that took place in Amman, Jordan between the 6th and 8th September 2016, in addition to the speeches of the presidents and participants.

Each General Assembly issues a final statement that includes suggestions, recommendations and decisions taken during the meeting. In this text, you can find the final statement of the 11th General Assembly which took place in Amman, Jordan between the 6th and 8th September 2016, under the theme of: "Praise the Lord for His mercy is forever good”.

The Middle East Council of Churches has held 11 General Assemblies till now: 8 in Cyprus, 2 in Lebanon, and one in Jordan. In this text, you can find main information about these assemblies such as their themes, dates, locations, and the General Secretaries who were elected at each one of them.

MECC’s first General Assembly, which took place in 1974, was an inaugural meeting during which the council was founded. In this text, you can find the decisions that were taken during the meeting and important excerpts from the statements of MECC presidents at that time.

The General Assembly is the supreme authority of the Middle East Council of Churches. The council holds a general assembly in accordance to its bylaws which legally organize the assembly’s meetings, its composition, its sub-committees and the conduct of work. In this text, a detailed clarification of these laws is provided.