Father Rifaat Bader, the Head of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media, Publisher of Abouna Website, and Media Consultant on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), met with His Holiness Pope Francis in the Vatican, where he offered him an illustration of the Baptism Church and presented to him an overview about the upcoming Jordan Exhibition in the Vatican.

As part of the "Season of Creation" and Environmental Days Celebrations in the Middle East, the EcoJustice Unit at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) prepared an environmental activity and a Christmas celebration in the Anafora Oasis on the Desert Road in Egypt.

For the occasion, the youth of Egypt, in coordination with the youth of the Coptic Orthodox, Catholic, Evangelical and Episcopal churches, the Ecumenical Youth Committee in Egypt and all other youth, celebrated the fourth day of Christmas and Epiphany on January 10, 2025, which is a great and wonderful Feast. Upon arrival, the youth were hosted with ecological welcome drinks.

Then, the Coordinator of the EcoJustice Unit Archdeacon Garen Yosolkanian, welcomed the active youth who are the pulse of life and the leaders of the present in developing the society and studies. He also welcomed the President of the Egypt Council of Churches Reverend Yeshua Yacoub, the Presidnet of the Ecumenical Youth Committee in Egypt Mr. Medhat Fayez, and all the officials and representatives of the Egyptian youth.

Archdeacon Garen, the Coordinator of the EcoJustice Unit at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), visited His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, congratulating His Holiness on the New Year, Christmas, and Epiphany holidays at the beginning of the year according to the Julian calendar and the Feast of the Circumcision on January 14, 2025.

The visit was attended by the Associate Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Gerges Saleh, the President of the Ecumenical Youth Committee in Egypt Mr. Medhat Fayez, the Vice President Mr. Nour Bahnan, the Director of the Armenian Genocide Orphans Museum, Aram Bezikian, Archdeacon Maestro Krikor El-Wazian, Deacon Kyrillos Wehbeh, and Agnostos Samuel Ibrahim.

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).

Professor Dr. Michel Abs

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

When the Lord created the universe, He created it for all the beings He brought forth, granting them the right to utilize the resources with which the Creator honored His creation.

The Lord created us equal in the right to exist, in dignity, in the continuity of life, and in the improvement of that life. He became incarnate so that we might have a better life.

Humankind, with its soul inclined to wrongdoing, in the early ages, before recognizing the existence of the Creator, before the Creator revealed Himself, and before understanding the essence of His message, spread corruption, plundering and brutalizing one another, practicing all forms of harm and torture.

It was the law of the survival of the fittest, where the stronger prevails, leaving no place for the weak, and the universe supposedly belongs to the powerful. Such justifications were fabricated by the sick human mind to excuse seizing another’s wealth and resources.

Christianity emerged as a remarkable shift in this grim human history. The incarnate Lord proclaimed new ways of interaction among people, ways unheard of before Him. This was intolerable to the soldiers of emperors and conquerors, as well as the guardians of old laws, so they crucified Him, unable to conceive of His resurrection after three days.

During His time on earth, the Lord taught principles contrary to everything taught before, often saying, “It was said to you... but I say to you.” These teachings shone in His eternal Sermon on the Mount, a sermon unmatched by humanity in the field of human conduct and cultural values. He, whose kingdom never ends, overturned millennia of greed, hatred, and savagery, raising humankind to a noble rank above other creatures…

Stressing: "We are not afraid, and as Christians in the region, we must coordinate and unite together and adhere to our land. The Council is the nucleus of Church, humanitarian and media work."

His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox family, received the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs, at the head of a delegation including colleagues from the MECC General Secretariat, on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at the Patriarchate in Balamand, Lebanon.

Firstly, His Beatitude received the Secretary General Professor Michel Abs and the accompanying delegation from the General Secretariat team with great love and warmth.

He delivered a speech in which he stressed:”

The importance of the Christian presence in the Middle East and preserving it no matter how severe the storms are because we are not afraid, calling on Christians in the region to remain steadfast and cling to their land despite all the challenges. He stressed that what matters to us as Christians today is achieving human dignity for every human being regardless of his religion or sect."

In the same context, His Beatitude Patriarch John X stressed the need to unify ranks and words, coordinate, unite and work together as Churches and believers from different Church Families. He also praised the role played by the Middle East Council of Churches at the Ecumenical, humanitarian, social, Theological and media levels, noting that this work entrusted to it is essential, especially in the Middle East region. As well as, he reviewed the latest developments in its Theological, relief, development and media programs.

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).

On Mariam TV

In the video, you can find a Church News Bulletin on Mariam TV, prepared and presented by 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.

This report presents an overview about the visit of the Head of the Catholic Information Center in Lebanon Monsignor Abdo Abu Kasm, to the headquarters of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) in Ras Beirut, on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.

The of Service and Relief - Diakonia Department at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Syria’s Office, holds health and psychological awareness sessions for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers in three governorates which are Damascus and its Countryside, Aleppo and Daraa.

Details in this report!

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).

Middle East Socioeconomic Overview

Report: December 2024

There is no doubt, 2024 was an unusual year full of surprises and shocking developments. Whether those changes will lead to positive or negative developments within the Middle East, the matter is still open to debate. Nevertheless, one thing can be surely said is that the end of the conflicts has allowed citizens in the region to breathe a sigh of relief so that they can reconsider their future plans. But fears of renewed conflict will be always present. That’s each person will be monitoring the coming period with great consideration.

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).

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

In an Episode About the Media’s Role in Christian Unity

On Suboro TV

Watch with us 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, in an episode of “Kel Yom Bi Yawmo” (“Everyday”) program on Suboro TV, today, Wednesday, January 21, 2025, at 5:30 Beirut time, 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).

What Are the Details?

This report sheds light on the Ecumenical Prayer that was held by the Churches of Qamishli on the occasion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 under the title “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26), with the blessing of the Bishops and Priests of the Churches in the city of Qamishli, and through the organization of the Christian Youth Meetings Committee.