MECC at the Armenian Church Catholicosate of Cilicia’s Ecumenical Consultation

S.G Dr Bechealany: The crisis in the Middle East threatens the “Togetherness” lived by Churches

MECC Secretary General, Dr Souraya Bechealany, participated in the Ecumenical Consultation entitled “Towards a more responsive and inclusive ecumenical vision” organized by the Armenian Church Catholicosate of Cilicia from the 31st of January till the 2nd of February 2020 at the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon. The international ecumenical event was presided by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I Kechichian and gathered theologians and experts in the ecumenical movement and ecclesial relations from South Korea, Burundi, Indonesia, India, Jordan, Ghana, Russia, Switzerland, the Vatican, Sweden, Finland, Canada, the United States of America and Lebanon.

During a session focusing on the issues and challenges facing the ecumenical movement, Dr Souraya Bechealany highlighted the repercussions of the growing tension between the Church as an Institution and the Church that refers to the People of God, on the Middle East Council of Churches.

“We are invited to forget ourselves and rather focus on the Kingdom of God and on what the Holy Spirit inspires the Churches to do, these Churches living with Muslims, Jews and non-believers in the M.E”, emphasized Dr Bechealany.  

Amid the diversity that could be a source of tensions, Bechealany concluded that Christians consider this diversity and especially their coexistence with Muslims as “a sign of hope” pushing them to accomplish their mission which is to be the “salt of the earth and light of the world”.