The MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department Releases a New Publication
Arabic Translation of the 1997 Aleppo Statement and Details of the Proceedings of the Global Symposium “Easter 2025: Celebrating together to strengthen unity”
As part of its mission in promoting Theological dialogue, strengthening the Ecumenical spirit, and addressing Ecclesial issues related to unity, the Theological and Ecumenical Department (TED) at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) releases a new publication for the 1997 Aleppo Statement related to the common date of celebrating Easter/Resurrection. This publication responds to a renewed Ecclesial and intellectual need in our region and reflects ongoing discussions on this issue at the local, regional, and global levels.
This publication comes at a highly significant Ecumenical context, coinciding with the 1700th Commemoration of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325) and the unified date of Easter in all Churches in 2025. This has revived the old-new hope that the common celebration of the Feast can become a permanent rule, not a fleeting exception. It also reflects the desire of the MECC to actively contribute to a deeper understanding of the roots of the existing differences surrounding the date of Easter, the Biblical, Theological, and historical foundations that have governed its emergence and development, and the serious Ecumenical efforts made over the decades to address it.
This publication is an Arabic translation of the publication of the Faith and Order Commission at the World Council of Churches (WCC). In addition to the full text of the Aleppo Statement, it includes the proceedings of the Commission's global online symposium, “Easter 2025: Celebrating together to strengthen unity." The symposium featured Theologians and specialists from various Church Families, who offered rich contributions addressing the historical, scientific, Theological, and Ecclesial dimensions of the issue, along with an in-depth analysis of current positions and practical proposals for progress toward Church consensus.
The Aleppo Statement is the fruit of an Ecumenical consultative process that took place in the heart of the Middle East in 1997, under the auspices of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), with the participation of representatives from various Churches and Church Families. The statement presented an integrated methodology that stems from fidelity to the decisions of the Council of Nicaea and benefits from contemporary scientific rigor, placing before the Churches a practical framework on which any future consensus can be built, taking into account inherited traditions, pastoral reality, and different Liturgical sensitivities.
The Theological and Ecumenical department releases this publication for the Churches, researchers, and all those interested, and hopes that it will contribute to revitalizing Ecumenical dialogue in a spirit of responsibility and hope. Hoping also that it will encourage the Churches, particularly those of the Middle East, to seize upcoming opportunities to move steadily towards unifying the date of Easter celebration. This would constitute a living testament to the unity called for by the Gospel and a sign of hope for the people of our region and the world.