Egypt in the Week of Unity
Professor Michel Abs
The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)
For the third consecutive year, we turn to Egypt to participate in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, or as we call it briefly, the Week of Unity. Once again, we experience the interaction and life with what I call "Egyptian Christianity," which encompasses all the churches of the land of Egypt, the land of the Nile, the land of the Holy Family's refuge.
The experience with this kind-hearted people, the Egyptian people, in all its components, is always beautiful and enriched with love, experience, and knowledge.
The visits we have made to the spiritual leaders in Egypt have been a source for launching new areas of cooperation in service to Egyptian society, where the Church and Christians are an integral part. These leaders, always giving, provide support for the Council’s works and reinforce its aspirations.
During our meetings with church and Islamic leaders as well, we have managed to shape directions that must yield positive results for our societies.
Firstly, we reached an agreement with the officials of “Beit El-‘Aila,” (Home of the Family), this pioneering experience, to develop a cooperation document in the field of dialogue and social cohesion. The Council and Beit El-‘Aila both work in this field, and the two institutions found that combining efforts in this area leads to significant gains in terms of national unity in the Middle East, as both of them have the necessary experience to dive into this endeavor. All of this stems from shared basic values and the national vision held by both institutions and their leadership.
In addition, an agreement was made with the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services (CEOSS) to hold two international conferences: one on demonization and hate speech, and another on ecumenical media in the Middle East.
It is worth mentioning that these three activities will certainly lead to some institutionalization of these works to ensure their continuity, thus confirming and solidifying the benefits they will bring to our communities in the Middle East.
Regarding the prayers of the Week of Unity, which were attended in full by the Council’s delegation, with the General Secretary delivering words at each of them, it was noted that churches have indeed started considering this week as part of the annual liturgical calendar and the church's culture. Participating in the prayers of this week shows that “Egyptian Christianity” lives unity with all its heart and in depth. The unity prayers have now been accompanied by meetings and local-style hosting, which creates an atmosphere of fellowship and friendship that goes hand-in-hand with these blessed prayers. It was as clear as day that there was no discrimination in the way all church members deal with each another, and they worked as one to make this week a success, enhancing its symbolism and impact.
As for the meetings with the spiritual leaders in Egypt, some of whom were unavailable, they were marked by warmth and sincerity, accompanied by a deep faith in ecumenism from all the leaders, with a determination to continue the ecumenical journey until the end. This commitment to ecumenism, even though it has not yet resulted in the unity that everyone dreamed of, undeniably proves that all are convinced of living unity in all its forms: theological, cultural, service-oriented, and other aspects of the "ecumenism" that the Church of Christ experiences through its salvific work.
In Egypt, the people are reconciled with themselves, concerned with the welfare of the country and its people, and fully convinced that for Christians, the homeland is a red line when it comes to its safety, security, and prosperity. Therefore, social cohesion is a fundamental characteristic of Egyptian life, and everyone in the land of Egypt cares about it.
The warm welcome, the eagerness to facilitate the visit, and the support in various fields are indicators of the churches’ desire to work together and their conviction in the effectiveness of the ecumenical movement, as embodied by the Council in the Middle East.
We had promised the Church of Christ in Egypt that we would participate in the Week of Prayer for Unity in a sustainable manner, and now we are fulfilling that promise. We also add to it our commitment to follow up on the projects we intend to launch, which will become part of the work of the Middle East Council of Churches in Egypt, in coordination with all of Egypt's religious leaders. These efforts also represent a symbol of social unity for a unified people, whose rich history spans more than six thousand years.
May God help us spread the good word and be the salt of the earth and the light that contributes to illuminating the lives of the peoples we belong to.