Collateral Damage is the name given by those involved in wars to people who are killed, burned, or perished under the rubble of their homes. The designation also includes the damages inflicted or eliminated on the lifespan accomplishments of thousands of people. It includes too damages incurred by whole civilizations achieved by societies.

Quite simply: collateral damage...No, say marginal damage, and no one cares about it or notices it.

The launchers of missiles and rockets are not interested in those who are in their way by unfortunate coincidences.

No sound is louder than the sound of the battle. The roar of bullets, the thunder of cannons, and the cries of planes deafen all ears and overshadow the screaming of children, the groaning of the elderly and the wailing of the frightened.

Why Is the World Celebrating It?

It is true that the world celebrates the Day of Happiness on the 20th of March, but can we find happiness in a wounded world full of crises and conflicts and which its people are suffering from wars, diseases, poverty and famine...???

Despite this situation, we will stress on happiness and join the United Nations in celebrating the world day of happiness, which was added to the UN calendar of international days. With this day, the United Nations recognized the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings amidst the difficulties that our world is witnessing.

Days Before Mothers’ Day, Who Are the Holy Mothers?

“Behold, your mother” Said Jesus on the cross to one of his disciples. “Behold, your mother” … She has become our mother, the mother of the Church and of the whole of humanity. She is the Mother of The Lord and the Queen of Peace. The mother who endured constant hardship with patience and obedience, overcame evil and chose to cultivate holiness crowned with compassion and humility, to become a source of life of grace and a fountain of hope.

In this volatile world, the Mother of God protects us from all evil whims, especially from an illness that His Holiness Pope Francis called “spiritual orphanhood”, which besieges us whenever we lack the feeling of belonging to family, people, land, and one God.

You can find a photo album from the MECC 11th General Assembly, held between 6 and 8 September 2016 in Amman, Jordan, under the title of “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 136: 1).

El Secretario General del Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio, Dr. Michel Abs, encabezó una delegación de la Secretaría General del MECC en una visita a Su Santidad Aram I, Catholicós de Cilicia de la Iglesia Apostólica Armenia, hoy, viernes 11 de marzo de 2022, en el Catholicosado en Antelias, Líbano.

El Dr. Abs entregó a Su Santidad el Catholicós Aram I una invitación especial de Su Santidad el Papa Tawadros II, Papa de Alejandría y Patriarca de la Sede de San Marcos, para que participe en la XII Asamblea General del Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio, que se celebrará en Egipto bajo el título «Ánimo, soy yo; no teman» (Mt 14, 27), entre el 16 y el 20 de mayo de 2022.

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs headed a delegation from the MECC General Secretariat in a visit to His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church, today, Friday, March 11, 2022, at the Catholicosate in Antelias, Lebanon.

Dr. Abs delivered to His Holiness Catholicos Aram I a special invitation from His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, to participate in the 12th General Assembly of the Middle East Council of Churches, which will be held in Egypt under the title of “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27), between 16 and 20 May 2022.

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 news about the visit of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs heading a delegation from the General Secretariat to His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, aiming at giving him an invitation from His Holiness Pope Tawadros II to participate in the MECC 12th General Assembly. As for the message of Dr. Abs, it was entitled this week “In Sebastia, There Were Martyrs, and There Was Martyrdom”.

La historia de los mártires de Sebaste es uno de los ejemplos de la victoria de los impotentes sobre los poderosos.

Cuarenta declararon su afiliación al credo del Maestro Encarnado, y se apresuraron a mantenerse firmes en el martirio. Sin embargo, cuando uno de ellos se debilitó y ganó la parte de los serviles, los que no se dejaron amedrentar por la crueldad de los tiranos le apoyaron.

El testimonio de los cuarenta de Sebaste no es más que la punta del iceberg de las epopeyas de fe, valor y sacrificio. Algunos fueron ejecutados por granizo en la nieve, otros murieron entre los caninos de los depredadores, otros murieron quemados, sacrificados o descuartizados, y la lista continúa.

The story of the martyrs of Sebastia is one of the examples of the victory of the powerless over the mighty.

Forty declared their affiliation to the creed of the Incarnate Master, and they rushed to stand firm in martyrdom. However, when one of them weakened, and gained the share of the subservient, those who were not deterred by the cruelty of tyrants supported him.

The testimony of the forty in Sebastia is only the tip of the iceberg of the epics of faith, courage and sacrifice. Some were executed by hailing on the snow, others were killed between the canines of predators, others were put to death by burning, slaughtering, or cutting up, and the list goes on.

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs headed a delegation from the MECC General Secretariat in a visit to His Beatitude Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East for the Maronites, today, Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at the Patriarchal edifice in Bkerki, Lebanon.

At the invitation of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, Dr. Abs asked His Beatitude to participate in the 12th General Assembly of the Middle East Council of Churches, which will be held in Egypt under the title of “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27), between 16 and 20 May 2022.

Rev. Rifaat Fikri: The Evangelical Conference of Cairo is Part of the Evangelical Synod of the Nile

The MECC 12th General Assembly in Egypt Is a Blessing

Last week, the Evangelical Church in Egypt witnessed new elections. The Associate Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Rev. Rifaat Fikri was elected as a new president by acclamation of the Evangelical Conference of Cairo in its 159th session, which was held on February 25, 2022. Thus, we can ask many questions; what is the Evangelical Conference of Cairo? and what is the mission of the new president?

Youth Renewing the Beauty of Earth with the Middle East Council of Churches

The Middle East Council of Churches launched its environmental activity for this year with an afforestation campaign in the Lebanese town of Anjar and the lands of the Evangelical School, on Saturday, March 5, 2022, in partnership with Danmission organization and in cooperation with the youth of the Armenian Evangelical Church.

The activity was part of the environmental international campaign “Season of Creation” launched by the Middle East Council of Churches for the first time in the region in September 2021, and included many youth environmental segments that were filled with joy and friendship.

You can find a video presenting experts and speeches from the MECC 11th General Assembly, held between 6 and 8 September 2016 in Amman, Jordan, under the title of “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 136: 1).