Over the course of 10 months, many speculations about the cause of the blast have spread on news and media platforms. Yet, till this very moment these speculations remain unbacked by concrete evidence. Months of red tape and political interference have stalled investigation thus further enraging the families of the victims, Lebanese in general, and the international community; such a massive explosive needs some form of tangible explanation so that justice can be made.

Suena el timbre de la escuela anunciando el comienzo de las clases. Los alumnos se apresuran a ocupar sus puestos en largas filas alrededor del patio de la escuela. Luego saludan a la bandera y se dirigen a sus aulas. Poco después, las aulas de los edificios que rodean el patio se llenan de estudiantes, excepto un edificio construido con piedras antiguas; este edificio es el más antiguo de la escuela. Permanecerá vacío hasta que finalicen las actividades de rehabilitación y se retiren todos los efectos de la guerra, ya que permaneció en pie a pesar de los bombardeos y las explosiones terroristas durante los años de guerra en Siria.

Arzobispo Abdel Al Sater: Valoramos la gestión de las crisis por parte del Consejo

Las necesidades son cada vez mayores y nos preparamos para el trabajo

Una delegación del Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio, encabezada por el Secretario General, Dr. Michel Abs y el Secretario General Asociado, Padre Dr. Nicolas Bustros, visitó a Su Eminencia el Arzobispo de Beirut para los Maronitas Boulos Abdel-Sater en la sede de la Diócesis en Beirut.

Esta es una de las muchas visitas que el equipo de la Secretaría General está realizando a los arzobispos de Beirut para supervisar el Comité Ecuménico formado por las diferentes Iglesias de Beirut para socorrer a su pueblo tras la explosión del puerto de Beirut del 4 de agosto.

Tras el resentimiento que se extendió entre la comunidad cristiana de Ammán con la Gobernatorato de la Capital que retiró una pancarta con un versículo de la Biblia, el Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio emitió la siguiente declaración:

Las proclamas de Su Excelencia el Sr. Yousef AlShawarbeh, alcalde de Ammán y antiguo ministro,y la respuesta y explicación de Su Excelencia el Metropolitano Christophoros Atallah, arzobispo ortodoxo griego de Ammán y presidente del Consejo de Jefes de Iglesias de Jordania, no han sido ninguna sorpresa. Ambas personas se criaron en la misma cultura jordana unida y amorosa que aprecia a sus hijos independientemente de su afiliación religiosa.

Carta pastoral del Patriarcado Ortodoxo Griego de Antioquía y de todo el Oriente

Respuestas a las preguntas esenciales de la vida

En medio de un mundo marcado por la cultura de la injusticia, la violencia, la desesperación y la incitación al odio (...) las familias se enfrentan a numerosos retos y limitaciones dejando su destino en manos de lo desconocido. Se ven empujadas a buscar respuestas a las cuestiones espinosas y confusas que las rodean. Por ello, la Iglesia desempeña un importante papel acompañando a la familia, núcleo de la sociedad, y guiándola para que supere los baches y las dudas y pueda alcanzar una vida más segura mediante una gran fe y esperanza en la presencia del Señor Jesucristo.

Archbishop Abdel Al Sater: We value the council's handling of crises

The needs are growing and we are preparing for the worst

A delegation from the Middle East Council of Churches headed by Secretary General, Dr. Michel Abs and Associate Secretary General Father Dr. Nicolas Bustros visited His Eminence Archbishop of Beirut for the Maronites Boulos Abdel-Sater at the Diocese headquarters in Beirut.

This is one of the many visits the General Secretariat team is conducting to the Archbishops in Beirut supervising the Ecumenical Committee formed from the different Beirut Churches to provide relief to their people following the Beirut port explosion of August 4th.

The school bell rings announcing the start of classes. Students rush to take their places in long rows around the school yard. Then they salute the flag and go to their classrooms. Soon after, the classrooms in the buildings around the yard become busy with students except for one building that is built from old stones; this building is the oldest in the school. It will remain empty until the completion of the rehabilitation activities and the removal of all war effects as it remained standing despite the shelling and terrorist explosions during the years of Syrian war.

Syria and Lebanon

Humanitarian Update

Reporting period: from 31 May to 7 June 2021

Pastoral letter from Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East

Answers to Essential Life Questions

In the midst of a world marked by a culture of injustice, violence, despair and hate speech... families are facing many challenges and constraints leaving their fate to the unknown. They are pushed to search for answers to the thorny and confusing questions around them. Therefore, the Church plays an important role in accompanying the family, nucleus of society, and guiding it to overcome bumps and doubts in order to reach a safer life through great faith and hope in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Following the resentment that spread among the Christian community in Amman with the Governorate of the Capital removing a sign bearing a verse from the Bible, the Middle East Council of Churches issued the following statement:

The proclamations of His Excellency Mr. Yousef Al-Shawarbeh, Mayor of Amman and former minister, and the answer and explanation of His Excellency Metropolitan Christophoros Atallah, Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Amman and president of the Heads of Churches Council in Jordan, came with no surprise. Both persons were raised in the same loving united Jordanian culture that cherishes its children regardless of their religious affiliation.

On the 5th of June every year, people all over the world celebrate the “World Environment Day”. The environment, however, has become threatened due to various factors that may have negative repercussions on human life. For this reason, it has been a major concern for the Church and various international Ecumenical institutions, over the past decades.

For this occasion, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs issued a message entitled “Announcing environmental activities for the Middle Eastern Churches and their council, June 5th, World Environment Day”.

The new issue of “Momentum”, the weekly newsletter issued by the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches, includes a special interview with the curate of Mount Lebanon Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese, His Eminence Bishop Georges Saliba, on the 47th anniversary of the founding of the Middle East Council of Churches.

Obispo Georges Saliba:

El Consejo ha dado pasos muy audaces y maravillosos basados en el amor y la comprensión

¡Forma parte de mi vida!

Es interesante escarbar en la historia del Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio y en el asombroso número de nombres importantes que lo acompañan desde la primera reunión fundacional en mayo de 1974 en Chipre.

Personas que caminaron junto al Consejo, y a través de él, por el camino de la unidad de los cristianos, en una procesión iniciada por familias de la Iglesia Oriental que creían en la riqueza en la diversidad hacia la plena comunión con Dios y entre sí.

Report: 2 June 2021

Vaccination is still underway as different versions of the vaccine have made it to the region. What’s more important is that governments are ramping up their attempts to coerce their citizens to get inoculated, in response to the high rate of refusal to take the vaccine within the Middle East.

The Beginning of An Ecumenical Era in the Eastern Church

“Building Bridges, Standing Together” Since 1974

Since 1974, the Middle East Council of Churches has been working on spreading its Ecumenical message in the East, the birthplace of Christianity and where Christ was born, died and resurrected. Its primary goal lies in deepening spirituality and communion service among the member churches and unifying their voice and efforts.

Bishop Georges Saliba:

The Council has made very bold and wonderful steps based on love and understanding

It is part of my life!

It is interesting to dig in the history of the Middle East Council of Churches and the astonishing number of important names accompanying it since the first founding meeting in May 1974 in Cyprus. People who walked alongside and through the council on the path of Christian unity, in a procession started by Eastern Church families who believed in richness in diversity towards full communion with God and each other.

Según los fiscales, el Líbano recibió el 5 de mayo un informe preliminar de Francia sobre la gran explosión ocurrida en agosto del año pasado. Los funcionarios dijeron que el informe francés beneficiará a la investigación en curso en Beirut, pero no darán detalles del mismo, en cumplimiento de la normativa.

De la Iglesia Ortodoxa Copta al mundo entero

¿Sabes qué camino siguió la familia?

«He aquí que el ángel del Señor se le apareció a José en sueños y le dijo: "Levántate, toma al niño y a su madre, huye a Egipto y quédate allí hasta que yo te diga"…» (Mt 2,13).

Con este versículo, el evangelista Mateo reveló en el segundo capítulo la huída de la Sagrada Familia a la tierra de Egipto, una huída a este país oriental de importancia histórica, geográfica y cultural, según el Papa de Alejandría y Patriarca de la Sede de san Marcos Su Santidad Tawadros II.

According to Judicial officials, Lebanon received on the 5th of May, a preliminary report from France about the massive explosion that occurred last year in August. The officials said that the French report will benefit the ongoing investigation in Beirut but will not give out details of the report, in compliance with regulations.

From the Coptic Orthodox Church to the whole world

Do you know what path the family took?

"Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you..." (Matthew 2:13). With this verse, Matthew the Evangelist revealed in the second Chapter the Holy Family’s refuge to the land of Egypt, an escape to this eastern country holding a historic, geographic and cultural importance, according to His Holiness Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Mark Tawadros II. But why fleeing? What is the path the family has taken?