On the Fortieth Day of His Repose

Professor Michel Abs

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

When ascetic simplicity comes together with leadership, a rare model is born, one that is difficult to repeat. This is what Brother Nour embodied throughout his journey. For him, a position was never an end in itself, but a means to serve people and create lasting impact.

In a time when the spotlight often turns toward those with the most authority, a different kind of model stands out, one that does not need noise in order to be heard. It is a model that turns silence into action, humility into strength, and achievement into the answer to every question. This is the model of Brother Nour.

Ascetic detachment is a hidden strength that creates dignity and reverence.

Asceticism does not mean poverty or isolation. In Brother Nour, it was an inner discipline before it was an outward behavior.

It was detachment in appearance, combined with closeness to people.

His ascetic simplicity was not isolation, but freedom from the outward displays that separate a leader from those who work with him. Brother Nour was known for his simplicity and humility. He was closer to the team than to the chair of authority. This closeness broke barriers and opened the door to trust, because people do not follow titles; they follow those whose sincerity they can feel.

His detachment was also from status. He did not seek visibility or the front place in photos and occasions. He made room for others, and in doing so, he became greater in their eyes.

His detachment was in speech. He spoke little and acted much. This gave weight to his words. When he spoke, everyone listened, because they knew he spoke only when there was a need…

From Beirut to the villages of Marjeyoun district, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) continues to stand beside vulnerable communities in South Lebanon through the organization of humanitarian convoys reaching hard-to-reach areas with essential assistance.

While many roads in South Lebanon remain difficult and communities continue to endure isolation and uncertainty, MECC continues its commitment to stand beside the people who chose to remain in their villages despite all challenges.

Today, MECC is organizing a humanitarian convoy to the hard-to-reach areas of Marjeyoun district, carrying basic assistance to families living with limited access to essential services and daily needs.

Under the title “Service with Dignity,” Safadi Foundation, in collaboration with MECC-the Middle East Council of Churches and with the support of Danmission, launched two training courses in digital skills and light construction work at Safadi Center for Rural Development in Deir Dalloum, Akkar. This initiative aims to equip young men and women with the necessary skills and provide them with a paid three-month training program, helping them secure job opportunities that enable them to ensure a decent livelihood for themselves and their families.

مرصد فلسطين – تقرير الجمعة 22 أيّار/ مايو 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.

MECC Associate Secretary General Father Dr. Nicolas Bustros Says to the MECC Media:

The Church of Christ is one Church carrying a living tradition enlivened by the Holy Spirit Whom we await at the Feast of Pentecost

We strive together to bear witness to the Word

In a world burdened by hate speech, oppression, and injustice…, the language of love remains stronger than the sound of war, and Prayer remains the only hope that unites all people into one human family that has long yearned for peace. Therefore, it has become essential today to strengthen the Ecumenical spirit and work together to foster closer relations among the various Church Families and components of society.

This was emphasized by 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), in a special interview with the MECC Media.

Father Bustros pointed out that “the Church of Christ is one Church, carrying a history and a tradition, not a dead tradition, but a living tradition enlivened by the Holy Spirit, Whom we await at the Feast of Pentecost.”

Produced by MECC

“Ecumenical Horizons” is a weekly program that features spiritual, cultural, intellectual, educational, youth and environmental topics.

Media of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

It is the day of the founding and birth of the Church, the day on which it was entrusted with its mission: a community of missionaries and witnesses. The disciples accepted the word of the Lord with great joy to preach it around the world in one language, the language of God... It is the day of Pentecost, the memory of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the apostles who were gathered with the Mother of God in Zion, Jerusalem, following the ascension of Jesus Christ into the heart of the Heavenly Father. It is the celebration of renewal that guides man from darkness and sin to light and chastity. This divine light was mentioned in the Bible of John in chapter 8:12: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

Church Families celebrate this divine event fifty days after Easter, each according to its rite and belief. According to Acts 2: 1-11 "And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim…" With the Pentecost, the Church ends the third stage of the New Testament. The first would be the stage from the Annunciation to the Cross, the second, from the Cross to the Resurrection, and the third, from the Resurrection through the Ascension to the Pentecost.