The Executive Committee at Its Meeting

Paths and Lessons

Professor Michel Abs

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

The Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches met in Beirut last week, chaired by the MECC Presidents or their delegates, since some were absent for emergencies, with the participation of the Secretary General, associate Secretaries General, and the staff team of directors, section heads, administrators, and technical personnel.

At the start of the meeting, a minute of silence and prayer was observed for the souls of those martyred in the massacre at St. Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Dweilah, Damascus, as a result of the terrorist bombing. The tragedy of the church bombing took up a significant portion of the time allotted to various topics. In this context, there was a strong condemnation of all forms of violence, regardless of their source, and a strong denouncement of hate speech, extremism, racism, and the current acts of violence that are considered an insult to humanity.

Following this, the participants agreed to visit His Beatitude Patriarch John X the next day at the Patriarchal residence in Balamand, to express solidarity and sorrow for the loss of all these innocent victims. This visit took place the next day, with a large delegation representing the Council’s Executive Committee and staff, in a solidarity meeting that expressed deep feelings of love and strong unity among all who desire civil peace in this land, rejecting all forms of violence, intimidation, and oppression, regardless of source or target.

During the meeting, the delegation emphasized that the blood of martyrs is one everywhere and that this crime does not only target Christians, but every component of the East. It also threatens the shared life of all its people.

His Beatitude Patriarch John X sincerely thanked the delegation for their supportive stance with the sons and daughters of the Antiochian See in this painful ordeal, affirming that the blood shed at St. Elias Church is the blood of all of us. He also explained the painful massacre and emphasized the importance of cooperation and coordination among churches and ecclesiastical organizations.

In a related context, His Beatitude Catholicos Raphael Bedros XXI Minassian invited everyone to participate in the canonization of Blessed Martyr Bishop Ignatius Maloyan on Sunday, October 19, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.

The meeting included a speech from the Secretary General of the Council, Professor Michel Abs, who focused on the role of the Middle East Council of Churches as a knowledge community, stressing the need for synergy and networking among ecumenical institutions, followed by a documentary screening about the Council’s fifty-year history, titled “Presence and Witness.”

The Secretary General and department heads also presented reports on their projects and achievements in theological, ecumenical, humanitarian, relief, media, dialogue, and administrative fields supporting Council activities, as well as the financial report. After discussing the reports, the Committee praised the work of the General Secretariat and its departments and sections and made appropriate decisions for the Council’s work and future activities.

Additionally, the Executive Committee concluded its meeting with several recommendations addressing all current and forward-looking aspects of the regions and the church’s life. These included the consequences of the terrorist massacre at St. Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Dweilah – Damascus and the suffering of the Syrian people. They also called for an end to the genocide in Gaza, the settler attacks in the West Bank, and expressed support for the position of St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai and its heritage. The participants praised efforts by officials in Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq to promote stability, freedom, justice, and human rights, and encouraged church members to remain steadfast in faith and homeland despite all the hardships in the region. They also called for an end to the civil war in Sudan and reiterated the call for the reunification of the island of Cyprus.

On the ecclesiastical level, participants emphasized the importance of strengthening comprehensive Christian unity initiatives—unity of hearts and fraternity—and confirmed that holding the Executive Committee meeting crowned the fiftieth anniversary of the Middle East Council of Churches.

This Executive Committee meeting, though short—lasting only a day and a half since the visit to the Patriarchal residence in Balamand took half a day—was intense in terms of the richness and quality of discussions and decisions made and will continue in the coming months.

This meeting, with its many paths, was rich in lessons in terms of both symbolism and practical outcomes.

It demonstrated that the Church of Christ is united, as the participants were of one mind regarding direction and the desire to work together and strengthen joint efforts.

The meeting showed that Christians are in solidarity with one another and with their communities, of which they are an essential part of the history, formation, identity, and culture.

It reminded everyone that this land remains the cradle of martyrs and saints, and that the saying “every inch for a martyr” applies here.

The meeting had an atmosphere of advanced democracy, where differences in opinion did not prevent the Committee from reaching decisive conclusions on essential matters for the church, society, and the Council.

The practical decisions made during the sessions indicate that church members are not detached from public life but are fully aware of their societies’ conditions and work to serve them by the best means.

The shared knowledge and expertise of the church representatives and Council staff show that decades of interaction have borne fruit for the benefit of society.

Their unified good intentions confirm that the role of the Middle East Council of Churches as a melting pot for interaction among Christians, and between Christians and their communities, remains as effective as its visionary founders intended.

The increasing institutionalization witnessed by the Council, having completed its fiftieth year, indicates that it is a long-term institution—created to endure as a place for meeting, dialogue, and interaction, as well as the birthplace of countless social, cultural, and dialogue projects.

The quality and quantity of projects achieved by the staff confirm that institutional, professional, and technical training are fruitful in serving people and society, within a comprehensive and motivating faith framework.

Determination, faith, and clear goal setting are key elements of resilience and survival for Christians and for all the country’s people.

In conclusion, it should be noted that modifying the meeting agenda to allow for the visit to His Beatitude Patriarch John X, in solidarity, is proof that solidarity remains the crown of relationships and priorities, as the social and spiritual bond among people is the guarantor of harmony in social life—the foundation of any civil peace.

The Middle East Council of Churches remains a school of faith and life.