Visits the MECC General Secretariat Offices in Beirut

A Meeting Emphasizing the Importance of Strengthening the Ecumenical Spirit

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs received, Father Ioannis Nikolaou, and Mr. Michael Spyrou, Members of the MECC Executive Committee, on Friday, December 12, 2025, at the MECC headquarters in Beirut

This visit took place within the framework of their participation in the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches, which was held on Wednesday, December 10, and Thursday, December 11, 2025, in Beirut.

At the beginning, the Secretary General Professor Abs welcomed the visiting delegation, commending the efforts of the Executive Committee Members in strengthening the mission of the Middle East Council of Churches and its role each from their position, country, and field of work.

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) have now issued its online Ecumenical calendar for the month of December 2025. It includes the Ecclesiastical and Liturgical Feasts of the various Families of Churches in the Middle East. In addition to international days identified by the United Nations, and which are related to the MECC identity and its spiritual and human mission.

Produced By MECC

of the Executive Committee Meeting of the Middle East Council of Churches

Beirut, 10–11 December 2025

Produced By MECC

of the Executive Committee Meeting of the Middle East Council of Churches

Beirut, 10–11 December 2025

The Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches held its regular meeting in Beirut, Lebanon, on Wednesday and Thursday, 10 and 11 December 2025, under the presidency of His Eminence Anba Antonios, Metropolitan of Jerusalem and the Near East for the Coptic Orthodox Church and President of the Council for the Oriental Orthodox family, represented by His Eminence Anba Hermina, General Bishop of the Churches of East Alexandria; and His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East for the Greek Orthodox Church and President of the Council for the Orthodox family, represented by His Eminence Metropolitan Antonios Al-Soury, Metropolitan of Zahle, Baalbek, and their dependencies; and His Eminence Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East and President of the Council representing the Evangelical family; and His Beatitude Patriarch Raphael Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos-Patriarch of the House of Cilicia for the Armenian Catholic Church and President of the Council for the Catholic family.

Your mission is to strengthen the Christian presence in the East so that it may be active, influential, and steadfast in serving the cause of humanity, its present, and future

President Joseph Aoun affirmed that the visit of Holy Father Leo XIV was not only for the Church of Lebanon or for the Lebanese, but for all the Christians of the East who are the sons and daughters of this land in which they are embodied. He called on the delegation of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), which he received on the morning of Thursday 11 December 2025, at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, to work to ensure that the Christian presence in the East is active, influential and steadfast in serving the cause of humanity, its present and future.

Please click here to read word delivered by the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, during the meeting of the MECC Executive Committee with the President of Lebanon General Joseph Aoun, on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at the Presidential Palace in Baabda.

During the Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), members of the Committee emphasized the importance of holding onto hope despite all the challenges that the region is facing, and the necessity of continuing the work to strengthen the Ecumenical spirit and serve every person with dignity.

The second part of the second day of the meeting was presided over by Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), President of Haigazian University in Lebanon, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Evangelical Family.

During the sessions, the strategic framework for the work of the Middle East Council of Churches and its future vision were presented.

In a spirit full of Ecumenism and hope, the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) continued its meeting being held on Wednesday, December 10, and Thursday, December 11, 2025, in Beirut.

The first session began with a Prayer and Biblical Reflection delivered by His Eminence Metropolitan Antonios Al Soury, Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Zahle, Baalbek and their Dependencies, representing His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox Family.

Then, the attendees discussed many administrative, financial and technical matters related to the workflow and the development of its mechanisms, emphasizing the necessity of cooperation and coordination to enhance the sustainability of the Middle East Council of Churches in order to solidify its Ecumenical and humanitarian mission through all fields and sectors in the region.

Produced by MECC

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) launched two new publications at its Executive Committee meeting, being held on Tuesday, December 10, and Wednesday, December 11, 2025, in Beirut.

The first is “Towards a Common Date for Easter” – the 1997 Aleppo Statement, in Arabic.

The second is “The Middle East Council of Churches: Complete Record of 23 Symposiums, Round Tables, and Webinars of the Dialogue, Social Cohesion, and Human Dignity Rehabilitation Program”

Both publications will be released soon.

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) launched two new publications at its Executive Committee meeting, being held on Wednesday, December 10, and Thursday, December 11, 2025, in Beirut.

The first is “Towards a Common Date for Easter” – the 1997 Aleppo Statement, in Arabic.

The second is “The Middle East Council of Churches: Complete Record of 23 Symposiums, Round Tables, and Webinars of the Dialogue, Social Cohesion, and Human Dignity Rehabilitation Program”

Both publications will be released soon.