MECC
The Armenian Orthodox Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias - Lebanon, Prepares for Its Pilgrimage Day
Father Movses Yosolkanian: It is the 1700th Year of the Commemoration of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, and the Year of Spiritual Renewal, As Declared by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I
What Are the Details of the Celebration?
Media of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)
With profound joy and great hope, and with a spirit full of faith, reverence, and piety, the Armenian Orthodox Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias - Lebanon, prepares to celebrate its annual pilgrimage. A day when the faithful and the saints unite in Prayer, hymns, and supplication to the Lord. A day when fragrance of holiness unites with the scent of incense from the Catholicosate's to the whole world.
March 22, 2026, is the anticipated date. A date on which the holiness bestowed upon so many martyrs and saints is honored. This year, the pilgrimage day also marks a special and historic occasion, one that will deepen the lives of believers, fostering greater love, obedience, service, and work in the Lord's vineyard. What is this occasion? And what is its symbolism?
In an interview conducted by the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, Coordinator of Media and Church Relations at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), via Voice of Van Radio, Father Movses Yosolkanian, Eco Justice Unit Officer at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), pointed out that 2026 is the 1700th Year of the Commemoration of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, and therefore a significant year for the Church…
The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Issues Its Weekly Newsletter
“Momentum”
20-2-2026
This issue includes reports, videos, news, articles, and a full coverage of the latest developments of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), as well as the Church, Ecumenical, and social events…
This is in addition to the weekly word of the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs which is entitled in this issue "Ramadan: One of the Shared Religious Spaces".
You can check the issue via the following link: https://mailchi.mp/d53dce0b9385/momentum-mecc-weekly-newsletter.
You can also subscribe to the Momentum Newsletter via the following link:
https://mecc.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?id=fd3381352a&u=1db32cafe9ea32b38eb90480a.
Ramadan: One of the Shared Religious Spaces
Professor Michel Abs
The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)
The Ramadan fast began yesterday, coinciding with the Lent season for churches that follow the Western calendar. Those engaged in dialogue and advocates for social cohesion have focused on this coincidence, which often occurs, and have considered it a divine sign to call for solidarity among believers of all religions, or a temporal sign guiding us toward social cohesion, which is periodically shaken due to sectarian conflicts.
Moreover, some have gone further by creating a card that carries symbols of both Christianity and Islam, along with wishes for a blessed fast for followers of both celestial religions.
What matters to us, those working in dialogue and social cohesion, and in connection with shared religious spaces, is to show how the entire society, across all its segments, has adopted the Ramadan fast as a tradition that transcends religion or sect. This blessed religious occasion, which is primarily about self-discipline, reflection, repentance, and giving, has become a moment to bring people together around the tables of the Merciful, confirming community unity through the respect for and sharing of each other’s religious traditions.
The majority of people, regardless of their religious affiliations, live the Ramadan experience. Some invite others to Iftar, while some are invited. They exchange social talks, and many focus on the essence of religion, faith, and fasting, sometimes even comparing fasting between religions. Furthermore, if Iftar is hosted in social institutions, the speeches delivered carry significant values and aspirations, more and more revealing how the social values we live by, which are fundamentally based on religion, are so closely aligned that you would think they come from one single faith.
It is worth noting that many Christian leaders are the ones hosting Ramadan Iftars in honor of their Muslim friends and loved ones, expressing unity in life…
Former Beirut Governor Engineer Nicolas Saba Visits the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs in Beirut
Church and Social Issues at the Center of the Meeting
Former Beirut Governor Engineer Nicolas Saba visited the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, on Thursday, February 18, 2026, at the MECC headquarters in Beirut.
The meeting was attended by the Coordinator of "Dialogue, Social Cohesion, and Human Dignity" programs at MECC Professor Laure Abi Khalil, and the Coordinator of Media and Church Relations at MECC Journalist Lea Adel Maamary.
Many Church and social issues were explored, along with an overview of the latest developments in Lebanon and the region.
In this context, both sides discussed the current situation of the Churches, as well as how to develop their resources and strengthen their role. The attendees also addressed Church housing projects and how to support Church children in this area, especially amidst the worsening living conditions.
Video - St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican Celebrates Its 400th Anniversary
What Are the Details?
