Professor Michel Abs

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

Your Beatitudes, Eminences, Graces, and Honored Guests,
Esteemed Associate Secretary Generals,
Respected Colleagues,

The Executive Committee convenes today while the region is passing through a transitional phase marked by a difficult and painful struggle. The major transformations taking place in the region will inevitably have profound effects on its social and cultural structures and its future.

Amid this regional turmoil that places our societies in the eye of the storm, the Church strives to remain steadfast, both in its institutions, which are struggling greatly to continue as much as possible, and in its parishes, the people of the Church, who face daily living hardships on all levels. The least of these difficulties is economic; the most severe is the uncertainty of the future and the aspirations of rising generations.

Migration is affecting all segments of our societies, especially in the Antiochian Levant, as well as the Nile Valley and North Africa. Poverty is spreading, drought and climate change are sweeping across the region, and day after day we grow more certain that we do not control our destiny nor the course of our lives, neither in the everyday sense nor in the long term.

It is in such a psychological, social, and economic atmosphere that we work, an atmosphere in which nothing promises good except what the global powerholders, the architects of the “deep state,” have written for us. These are the actors who determine our destinies, even in our misery. The recent decisions regarding funding for humanitarian institutions, which have negatively affected our work, fall squarely within this framework and represent only the tip of the iceberg of a now-visible domination over the world’s resources…

Arabic Translation of the 1997 Aleppo Statement and Details of the Proceedings of the Global Symposium “Easter 2025: Celebrating together to strengthen unity”

As part of its mission in promoting Theological dialogue, strengthening the Ecumenical spirit, and addressing Ecclesial issues related to unity, the Theological and Ecumenical Department (TED) at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) releases a new publication for the 1997 Aleppo Statement related to the common date of celebrating Easter/Resurrection. This publication responds to a renewed Ecclesial and intellectual need in our region and reflects ongoing discussions on this issue at the local, regional, and global levels.

This publication comes at a highly significant Ecumenical context, coinciding with the 1700th Commemoration of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325) and the unified date of Easter in all Churches in 2025. This has revived the old-new hope that the common celebration of the Feast can become a permanent rule, not a fleeting exception. It also reflects the desire of the MECC to actively contribute to a deeper understanding of the roots of the existing differences surrounding the date of Easter, the Biblical, Theological, and historical foundations that have governed its emergence and development, and the serious Ecumenical efforts made over the decades to address it.

Secretary General Professor Michel Abs “If faith is not in the service of the human being and society, then what is its role?”

Believing in the importance of raising awareness about various social and humanitarian issues, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) has released a new publication entitled "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."

This publication culminates a series of seminars and roundtables organized by the Middle East Council of Churches, featuring speakers, experts, and academics from diverse fields and sectors of life across the Middle East.

In its pages, the publication includes all lectures, presentations, and speeches delivered at these seminars, addressing topics that affect every human being on this earth.

The publication’s introduction is written by the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, who said: “If faith is not in the service of the human being and society, then what is its role? This is the fundamental question we posed at the Middle East Council of Churches when we launched, three years ago, the Human Dignity Seminars. We, the children of the Church and of society, have a particular sensitivity to the needs of our community, its crises, and the aspirations of its people, rooted in our deep belief that the Lord became incarnate and redeemed us so that we may have life, and have it more abundantly”…

On the occasion of the Anniversary of His Election as Patriarch of the See of Antioch

On the occasion of the Anniversary of the Election of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Successor of the Apostles Peter and Paul, the Thirteenth of the Holy Apostles, as Patriarch of the See of Antioch and All the East for the Greek Orthodox, the Secretary General Professor Dr. Michel Abs, the Secretary General Professor Dr. Michel Abs extends, in the name of the family of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), his warmest congratulations to His Beatitude, President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox family, asking the Lord to grant him strength and health to lead the Church to safety in light of the difficult circumstances that the region is passing through, as well as more graces and bless his service and contributions in the field of the Lord.

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) also wishes His Beatitude Patriarch John X many years with the power of the Holy Spirit, and continued health and holiness in his pastoral mission so that he may remain a faithful leader of the Holy Church and a model in his love for Christ.

Video - A Special Christmas Episode with the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs, and Father Charbel El Khoury, Parish Priest of Our Lady - Amchit in Lebanon

Prepared and Presented by the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary

Produced By MECC

The MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs Participates in the Mass

From Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, President of Haigazian University in Lebanon, and MECC President for the Evangelical Family

His Eminence Metropolitan Antonios Al Soury, Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Zahle, Baalbek and their Dependencies, and Member of the MECC Executive Committee

His Eminence Archbishop Mor Clemis Daniel Kourieh, Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Beirut, and Delegate of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches to the Diakonia and Social Service Department

From Reverend Nadi Labib, Head of the Media Council of the Evangelical Synod of the Nile and Member of the MECC Executive Committee

From His Eminence Archbishop Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, the Syriac Orthodox Bishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, and Member of the MECC Executive Committee

An Episode Entitled “The Warmth of the Family at Christmas”

Produced by "The Platform of the Word" at the Middle East Council of Churches

As part of its program network, “The Platform of the Word” at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) presents an episode within the program “And the Family Remains”, under the title “The Warmth of the Family at Christmas”.

The program raises issues related to the family, motherhood and childhood, in addition to the Church’s view and response to the challenges, especially in light of the difficult living conditions that the region is passing through.

A New Workshop Within the “Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling for Church Ministers” Program

As part of its commitment to supporting those most affected by the difficult social and security conditions in the region, the Theological and Ecumenical Department of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) continues the implementation of its two-year program, “Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling for Church Ministers” (THSC).

Within this framework, a new THSC workshop was held at Saydet el Bir Monastery in Lebanon from 7 to 12 December 2025. The workshop brought together participants from different Church Families and diverse contexts marked by conflict and suffering. Participants came from several regions of Lebanon, including the South—particularly Rmeich—as well as religious sisters from Syria currently residing in Lebanon.

The group also included individuals who had lived through multiple wars in Lebanon, including participants directly affected by the 4 August 2020 Beirut Port explosion. Among the participants were a nun from Iraq, sisters engaged in healthcare ministries in Lebanon—particularly in the care of cancer patients—and nuns serving in hospitals who experienced the events of 4 August firsthand. By bringing together these diverse experiences, the workshop created a rich Ecclesial space of encounter, Prayer, and mutual support.

The Middle East Council of Churches Participates

What Are the Details?

The Lebanon Forum of the international ACT Alliance held its Yearly meeting on Monday, December 15, 2025, hosted by the Protestant Compassion Society at its headquarters in Rabieh, Lebanon.

The meeting brought together participants both in person and online, representing ACT Alliance member organizations in Lebanon from diverse Church families, associations, and local, regional, and international institutions. Among the attendees was the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), represented by Ms. Nina Hallak, Director of the Lebanon Office of the Diakonia and Social Service Department, and Dr. Laudy El-Khoury, Financial Director.

Participants reflected on the increasingly challenging living conditions in Lebanon and across the Middle East, and explored ways to strengthen their humanitarian responses to address the urgent and growing needs of affected communities. Discussions also highlighted recent achievements, alongside opportunities to further enhance coordination and collaboration among members for the implementation of joint humanitarian and social initiatives in the future.

Amidst the rising incidence of breast cancer, which poses a serious health issue in societies, the Diakonia and Social Service Department, Lebanon’s Office, at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in partnership with MCC (Mennonite Central Committee), held breast-awareness sessions at the community center of the Armenian Orthodox Archdiocese in Bourj Hammoud.

2 groups of 74 women were brought together in a warm and supportive environment where they were given the opportunity to learn about the subject and discuss the subject openly.

The sessions emphasized the importance of early detection, regular screenings, and recognizing physical changes related to breast health. The purpose of the session was to also address the emotional and psychological journey that many cancer patients and survivors experience, highlighting how fear, resilience, and hope often intertwine.

With MECC and Kerk in Actie

In Lebanon there is a great need for healthcare personnel, as many have left the country during the country’s infamous economic collapse.

In cooperation with the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Daikonia and Social Service Department, Lebanon’s Office, Kerk in Actie organization organized a course for home care workers and nurses’ aid. The course took place at Saint George Hospital in Beirut, which also provides the professional trainers.

One of the 18 participants, Aurore, came from a small village in the mountains and got up early every morning to attend the course. In the past, she worked in childcare and home care. Now that her children are grown up, she would like to return to work.

When interviewed, Aurore spoke enthusiastically about the program. “I have acquired practical skills, such as lifting and turning a patient. I discovered that I had always been doing some things incorrectly. The social aspects were also covered. How do you actually deal with a client? Where are your professional boundaries?”

Produced By MECC

Middle East Socioeconomic Overview

Report: November 2025

News of the Pope’s historic visit to the Middle East breathed hope into a region that has been struggling with plethora of problems such as war, economic stagnation, poverty, and displacement. His arrival is based on a promise that his predecessor had made but was unable to fulfill them due to health reasons.  Pope Leo celebrated the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which took place in modern-day Iznik, northwestern Turkey.  As for Lebanon, his trip aimed to focus on dialogue and unity between the different branches of Christianity and to give hope to the country that has been struggling with war and economic turmoil.