From the Perspective of the Middle East Council of Churches

Professor Michel Abs

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

The Middle East Council of Churches views the Sayfo massacres as a profound wound in the memory of the churches of the East. It is not a tragedy that concerns only one community, but one that touches the Christian and human conscience of this region. Syriacs, Assyrians, and Chaldeans have carried in their collective memory the pain of the sword, displacement, and uprooting. Yet this suffering transcends ecclesial and ethnic boundaries, for it strikes at the very heart of human dignity.

For this reason, we do not regard Sayfo as a closed chapter of history, but as a living memory that invites us to reflect on the meaning of the Christian presence in the East, on the meaning of justice, and on the responsibility of the churches toward truth. Preserving this memory does not mean remaining prisoners of the past; rather, it means protecting humanity from the repetition of such tragedies and transforming suffering into witness, and witness into a moral and ecclesial commitment.

Memory, if it remains only a source of pain, can become silent sorrow or a closed wound. Yet when it becomes a testimony, it turns into a spiritual and moral force that safeguards truth and resists oblivion. Therefore, it is the duty of the churches to transmit the memory of Sayfo to younger generations, not as a call to fear or isolation, but as an invitation to steadfastness, hope, and responsibility.

The Christian presence in the East is preserved not only through buildings and institutions, but also through memory, language, witness, and the ability to transform suffering into a commitment to life. Sayfo reminds us that the Church that suffered endured, and that the communities subjected to massacre and displacement continue to bear witness to their faith, culture, and mission in this region…

Produced by MECC

A Spiritual Retreat for the MECC General Secretariat Team

From Jrebta to Kfifan and Aabrin

The family of the General Secretariat of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) experienced a spiritual and cultural day in the Lebanese villages of Jrebta, Kfifan and Aabrin. The day was marked by a Spiritual Retreat organized by the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department for the General Secretariat team, on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, on the occasions of the 25th Jubilee of the Canonization of Saint Rafqa, and the Beatification of Patriarch Elias Howayek.

The Retreat began at Saint Joseph Monastery in Jrebta, at the Tomb of Saint Rafqa, where Sister Marta Bassil welcomed the participants and guided them on a tour of the Monastery, presenting an overview of its history, as well as its spiritual and Ecclesial mission.

Then, a spiritual reflection and discussion with Mother Dolly Chaaya, Superior General of the Lebanese Maronite Order of Nuns, was made under the title “A Path of Holiness in a Wounded East.” In her presentation, she reflected on the meanings of witness, hope, and holiness amidst the challenges that the East is facing today. Her talk was followed by a discussion and exchange of ideas with the participants.

Mother Dolly Chaaya, Superior General of the Lebanese Maronite Order of Nuns, During a Spiritual Retreat for the MECC General Secretariat Team:

A Wound Transformed into Hope and Resurrection

During a spiritual and intellectual gathering with the General Secretariat team of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at Saint Joseph Monastery in Jrebta, Tomb of Saint Rafqa, Mother Dolly Chaya, Superior General of the Lebanese Maronite Order of Nuns, delivered a reflection entitled “The Path of Holiness in a Wounded East.”

Drawing from the life of Saint Rafqa and the wounds of the contemporary Middle East, Mother Dolly explored the meaning of holiness in everyday life. She emphasized that holiness is neither a distant ideal nor an image preserved in memory, but rather a daily path lived in the heart of suffering, in the face of fear, and in the continual search for hope.

Her reflection came at a time when many people in the region feel deprived of security and burdened by fear, migration, displacement, and wounded belonging. Yet Mother Dolly urged not to view this reality solely through the lens of defeat, but through the lens of faith, which sees that a wound, when touched by the Mystery of the Risen Christ, no longer remains a sign of death but can become a testimony of love and hope.

MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs Participates in the Celebration at the Head of an MECC Delegation

Under the presidency His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Catholic Family, and at the invitation of the Bzommar Patriarchal Congregation and the Municipality of Jounieh, a cultural and spiritual evening was held on the occasion of the Feast of Saint Ignatius Maloyan under the title: “From the Wounds of Genocide to the Crown of Holiness.” The event took place on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at the Municipal Palace in Jounieh.

The evening was attended by the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, heading an MECC delegation that included the Coordinator of the Dialogue, Social Cohesion, and Human Dignity Program Professor Laure Abi Khalil, and the Coordinator of Media and Church Relations Journalist Lea Adel Maamary.

Attendees were also Religious, official, and cultural personalities.

“The Apostles' Fast is a thanksgiving for the gift of the Holy Spirit, preparation for the Church service,

and participation in the communion of the Holy Trinity”

What Meanings Does this Fast Carry?

In a season marked by hope and devotion, the Church traditions observe the Apostles' Fast, which begins after Pentecost and continues until the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29 and the Commemoration of the Twelve Apostles on June 30.

But what is the significance of the Apostles' Fast? What spirituality does it embody? What meanings does it reflect?

Father Dr. Nicolas Bustros, President of the Saint Paul Institute for Philosophy and Theology in Harissa, Lebanon, Professor of Dogmatic Theology, and Associate Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), answers these questions in a special interview with the MECC Media.

Firstly, Fr. Bustros clarifies that "fast in the life of the Church is always a fast of repentance, because people prepare themselves to receive an important event, thus preparing their soul and mindset for what is to come. This is why we have fasts preceding major Feasts, such as the Nativity Fast and the Fast preceding Easter, which we also call the Holy Great Lent."

مرصد فلسطين – تقرير الجمعة 18 حزيران/ يونيو 2026

In light of the worsening humanitarian and social conditions in the region due to the escalation of security operations, the Middle East Council of Churches presents a weekly report entitled "Palestine Monitor," which includes the latest developments in Palestine, especially amid the deteriorating living, social, and security conditions in the country. Some texts will be in Arabic, and some others in English, depending on the source.

في ظلّ تفاقم الظروف الإنسانيّة والاجتماعيّة في المنطقة جرّاء تصاعد العمليّات الأمنيّة فيها، يقدّم مجلس كنائس الشرق الأوسط تقريرًا أسبوعيًّا بعنوان "مرصد فلسطين" حيث يتضمّن آخر المستجدّات الّتي تشهدها فلسطين خصوصًا وسط تدهور الظروف المعيشيّة والاجتماعيّة والأمنيّة في البلاد. ستكون بعض النصوص باللغة العربية، وبعضها الآخر باللّغة الإنكليزيّة، وذلك حسب المصدر.

An Episode With His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Polis III Nona

Chaldean Patriarch in Iraq and the World

Produced By MECC