Answers in a Special Episode on Télé Lumière and Noursat

As part of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2022 celebrations, Télé Lumière and Noursat prepared in cooperation with the Middle East Council of Churches a special episode entitled “Towards Unity”, focusing on the importance of the Week of Prayer and the role of youth in the ecumenical work. The episode was prepared by the MECC Communication and Public Relations Department and presented by Ralph Tawitian, on Sunday 23 January 2022.

“How lovely it is to get together in love our Lord teaches us, When two meet in my name together I will always be in between their gather” (from the “How Lovely” hymn).

On the occasion of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2022, the World Council of Churches and the Middle East Council of Churches united in prayer, at the invitation of the team of the World Ecumenical Center in Geneva.

On the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity", the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches delivered an online lecture entitled "One Church Towards You", at the invitation of the Youth Movement of Our Lady of Lebanon in Paris, on Friday 21 January 2022.

During the meeting, Dr. Abs focused on the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity", and the meanings of this unity, as well as the importance of the ecumenical work, especially in building bridges between all the Church families.

Sunday 23 February 2022

As part of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2022, Télé Lumière and Noursat, in cooperation with the Middle East Council of Churches, will broadcast a special episode, entitled "Towards Unity", about the role of youth in the ecumenical movement, on Sunday 23 January 2022 at 20:30 Beirut time and 18:30 GMT. The episode is prepared by the MECC Communication and Public Relations Department and presented by Ralph Tawitian, and will be published soon on the MECC website.

On the occasion of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity", MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs was the guest of “Kel Yom Bi Yawmo” program (which means “Day by Day”) on Suboro TV, Wednesday 19 January 2022.

During the interview, Dr. Abs highlighted the mission of the Middle East Council of Churches and its ecumenical journey since its establishment, especially towards Christian Unity, in addition to the most prominent historical stations that the Council has passed through.

And the Middle East Council of Churches congratulates him

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches, Dr. Michel Abs and members of the General Secretariat’s team extended their warmest congratulations to the Legal Adviser and Member of the Executive Committee of the Council, Lawyer Ibrahim Alfred Traboulsi, on the occasion of awarding him the Order of Saint Gregory the Great at the rank of Commander from His Holiness Pope Francis.

This honor is the culmination of Professor Traboulsi’s career and his services as a legal advisor to the Archdiocese of Beirut, Byblos and their dependencies for the Melkite Greek Catholic Church and the Churches for fifty years.

The new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches presents the message of His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian Patriarch of Cilicia for the Armenian Catholics in Arabic at the opening of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2022 in Beirut, as well as a special coverage about this ceremony. As for the weekly message of Dr. Abs, it was entitled “It Is a Prayer for Humankind”.

From the heart of Beirut we came, from the Armenian Church, in the name of Saints Elias and Gregory, we gathered to launch the week of prayer for the unity of Christians, and why not, the unity of man.

From the heart of the region that witnessed the destruction, division and fragmentation of Lebanon, we came to utter the word of the Incarnate Word, an act of faith in man.

From this region that witnessed attack and desertion between warring factions, or more exactly between warring countries, we came on this dark night of human history to say the word of the child born in the manger on whose swaddling clothes the executioners and killers had voted, just like those who are about to vote on Lebanon’s cloak as well as on that of the Mashreq intend to do today.

By Mrs. Frieda Haddad Abs

The whole meaning of the spiritual dimension of the city of Jerusalem is summarized in a nutshell in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem… the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed… The people who waked in darkness have seen a great light.” (Isaiah 40 :1 and 9 :1,2)