Reverend Hovhannes Aharonian, a Radiant Ecumenical Figure

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs delivered this speech at the inauguration of the "Aharonian Hall", in the Haigazian University - Lebanon, on Sunday, September 27, 2025.

Professor Michel Abs

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

It is a form of gratitude when people and communities honor their leaders, the builders of their institutions, and the pioneers who paved new paths for their lives.

Such recognition is not only an act of thanks but also serves to turn the honoree into a model and example, inspiring others to follow his deeds and lessons, especially in societies that need their leading elites to contribute with all that is constructive and positive.

Today we are inaugurating a hall in the name of Reverend Hovhannes Aharonian: leader in the Church of Christ, leader in education, and pioneer in the ecumenical movement.

He was the first President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Evangelical family, and thus, by definition, one of the visionaries who founded the Council, the stronghold of the ecumenical movement in the Middle East, laying down its foundational vision. Today the Council has reached its fifty-first year.

Reverend Hovhannes Aharonian presided over MECC from the date of its establishment in 1974 and until 1985, a period marked by great challenges, as the Council transitioned from its first identity as the Near East Council of Churches, which included only the Evangelical family, to its new identity as MECC, embracing both Orthodox families, Chalcedonian and non-Chalcedonian.

This visionary ecumenical leader accompanied the Council’s formation on this new path, ecumenism, which required foresight, openness, and great capacity for dialogue, accepting theological and liturgical differences, and at times, divergent views of life. In doing so, he affirmed the Council’s ecumenical nature and solidified the sincerity of the ecumenical mission exemplified by the Evangelical churches within the Council, despite the arrows directed at them throughout their ecumenical journey.

His deep Armenian Evangelical roots did not prevent him from opening to the whole Church of Christ and from formulating the ecumenical strategic vision embodied in MECC. This Council showed great vitality and ability to evolve, later welcoming the Catholic family and remaining active in many fields.

I say he was deeply rooted in his Armenian Evangelical identity, recalling his extensive research, development, and advancement in favor of the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches, a flourishing body of great influence in countless areas, particularly education, social work, and healthcare. I will not go into details here, as others will address this.

This steadfast belonging to his church was embodied in his contribution to the establishment of two major educational institutions: Haigazian University and the Near East School of Theology, where he served as President. He also served as a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches, a first sign of Reverend Aharonian’s ecumenical openness.

Here we must pause to acknowledge the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches, affirming that the presence of a church is measured by its role, service, and influence, regardless of its numerical size. For, as the Incarnate Lord taught, the “salt of the earth”, though little, gives flavor and preserves. The Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches, in its essence and work, is living proof that what truly matters is the role it plays in giving “life more abundantly” to those for whom Christ became incarnate.

I had the privilege of accompanying Reverend Aharonian, this calm and affable man, for three years at the beginning of my service with MECC and my ecumenical work. I found in him the good, loving, gentle father who understood matters and addressed them with composure and wisdom, essential qualities in a leader. It was remarkable how deeply thoughtful he was, how precisely he handled issues, delving into details to ensure everything was done in the best way.

As I remember him today, I cannot forget his loving and faithful wife, who stood by him throughout his ecclesiastical and ecumenical journey. May their memory be blessed.

In honoring him today, we say: blessed is your mind and your pen, faithful servant. You entered the Lord’s field with a few talents and departed this world leaving behind countless talents, the effects of which will endure for generations. As a fundamental reference in our social fabric in the Middle East, you laid many foundation stones for achievements and innovations that have become integral to our history and essential support for our future.

In conclusion, I must commend the activities and efforts carried on by his family and his church. To them, beginning with his son, and by Reverend Paul Haidostian, current MECC President for the Evangelical family, I say: “By their fruits you will know them.” Blessed are you, your minds, and your hands, for you embody a renewed example of Reverend Aharonian himself.

You truly live by the teachings of the Lord in all that you do.