The MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs and an MECC Delegation Visit His Eminence Archbishop Samy Fawzy Shehata,
Archbishop of the Episcopal Church in Egypt, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa
You can find some photos at the end of the text.
Cairo, January 29, 2026
As part of strengthening joint Christian work, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, heading an MECC delegation, visited His Eminence Archbishop Samy Fawzy Shehata, Archbishop of the Episcopal Church in Egypt, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa, at All Saints' Episcopal Cathedral in Zamalek.
Attendees were Reverend Yeshua Yacoub, Secretary General of the Egyptian Council of Churches, Reverend Canon Medhat Sabry, Pastor of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Menouf, and Reverend Michel Milad, Pastor of the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Giza.
MECC delegation included the Associate Secretary General Reverend Refaat Fikry, Coordinator of Dialogue, Social Cohesion, and Human Dignity Programs Professor Laure Abi Khalil, and Coordinator of Church Relations and Media Lea Adel Maamary.
During the visit, extensive discussions explored ways for joint cooperation between the Middle East Council of Churches and the Egyptian Council of Churches, within the framework of strengthening Church coordination and unifying efforts aiming at enhancing the role of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2026 events.
Discussions focused also on ways for developing joint spiritual programs and activities that contribute to deepening the spirit of unity and communion among the Churches, as well as consolidating the values of love and encounter among various Christian Denominations.
Both sides emphasized the importance of joint work in serving the Church and society in the region and the necessity of strengthening fraternal relations among different Churches through unified efforts and the exchange of experiences. They also stressed the importance of cooperation in providing social services, developmental activities, and spiritual programs targeting all segments of society, thereby contributing to human development and promoting the values of love, solidarity, and community partnership.
In a related context, the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs presented the MECC programs across its various departments, including dialogue and shared Religious spaces programs that MECC is working on.
Furthermore, MECC presented two new publications: the first, available on its digital platforms, includes 23 seminars and roundtables organized by the Dialogue, Social Cohesion, and Rehabilitation of Human Dignity Program.
The second publication, also available on the MECC digital platforms, is prepared and edited by the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department entitled “Towards a Common Date for Easter”, The Aleppo Declaration 1997, in Arabic.
