The Middle East Council of Churches is a regional ecumenical organization, which brings together Churches in the Middle East for a common Christian witness in a region where Christ was born, lived, died and resurrected.
UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT
Words Emphasized that Unity is Love and Strength
Cairo, January 28, 2026
“O Lord our God, keep us in peace this evening and at all times. With the reverence of Your holiness, keep our minds and thoughts high, so that at all times, by You, we may be protected from the thoughts and deceptions of the devil”.
It is one of the Prayers that marked the fifth day of Prayer for Christian unity held at St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Orthodox Church in Cairo.
The Prayer of Unity was presided over by Bishop Ashot Mnatsakanian, Primate of the Armenian Orthodox Diocese of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, with the participation of His Grace Bishop Thomas Adly, Coptic Catholic Bishop of Giza, Fayoum and Beni Suef and Member of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Archbishop George Chihane, Maronite Archbishop of Cairo for Egypt and Sudan, Bishop Krikor Augustinos Koussa, Coptic Catholic Bishop of Alexandria, Father Rabban Philips Issa, Priest of the Virgin Mary Syriac Orthodox Church in Cairo, Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, Secretary General of the Egyptian Council of Churches Reverend Yeshua Yacoub, Honorary Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Gergis Saleh, Associate General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Reverend Refaat Fikry. Attendees were also Reverend Fayez Nad, Member of the Priests and Pastors Committee on behalf of the Episcopal Church and Member of the Week of Prayer Committee, Coordinator of the Dialogue, Social Cohesion, and Human Dignity Program Professor Laure Abi Khalil, Coordinator of Church Relations and Media at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, Priests from various Churches, as well as members of the Week of Prayer Committee: Reverend Boutros Fouad (Coptic Orthodox Church), Noura Edward, Member of the Week of Prayer and Women's Committees of the Egyptian Council of Churches, Mrs. Nancy Anis (Coptic Orthodox Church), Sheikh Victor Fahmy (Evangelical Church), Engineer Essam Ayad (Catholic Church), Engineer Kyrillos Wahba (Coptic Orthodox Church), and other believers.
In St. Gregory the Illuminator Church_ Cairo
On the fifth day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Egypt, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, said at the St. Gregory the Illuminator Church:
“Ecumenism is a culture of acceptance and diversity, it is a culture of accepting one another, and reaching joint projects.”
(Part Two)
“O Lord our God, keep us in peace this evening and at all times. With the reverence of Your holiness, keep our minds and thoughts high, so that at all times, by You, we may be protected from the thoughts and deceptions of the devil”.
Cairo, January 28, 2026
As part of his visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt to participate in the 2026 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and amidst great warmth and affection, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs visited His Beatitude Patriarch Anba Ibrahim Isaac, Coptic Catholic Patriarch and President of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt, at the Patriarchate in Cairo.
Attendees were also His Grace Bishop Thomas Adly, Bishop of the Coptic Catholic Diocese of Giza, Fayoum and Beni Suef, and Member of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC).
The MECC delegation included the Associate Secretary General Reverend Refaat Fikry, Coordinator of the Social Cohesion, Dialogue, and Human Dignity Program Professor Laure Abi Khalil, and Coordinator of the Church Relations and Media at MECC the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary.
BEIRUT BLAST
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Archbishop of the Episcopal Church in Egypt, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa
Cairo, January 29, 2026
As part of strengthening joint Christian work, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, heading an MECC delegation, visited His Eminence Archbishop Samy Fawzy Shehata, Archbishop of the Episcopal Church in Egypt, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa, at All Saints' Episcopal Cathedral in Zamalek.
Attendees were Reverend Yeshua Yacoub, Secretary General of the Egyptian Council of Churches, Reverend Canon Medhat Sabry, Pastor of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Menouf, and Reverend Michel Milad, Pastor of the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Giza.
MECC delegation included the Associate Secretary General Reverend Refaat Fikry, Coordinator of Dialogue, Social Cohesion, and Human Dignity Programs Professor Laure Abi Khalil, and Coordinator of Church Relations and Media Lea Adel Maamary.