SW News: The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) has reiterated the need to renounce “violence and fanaticism” of any kind and also terrorism and prejudice based on religion, race, color, gender, among others. They made this declaration during the 12th General Assembly of MECC which was held in Egypt from May 16 to 20.

Twenty-one Middle Eastern Churches represented by 17 patriarchs and other leaders also called for solidarity with the marginalized and for help from the international community for displaced Christians in the Middle East to return to their homeland. The council also stressed the protection of freedom of belief, citizenship, and the need to share a common life with Muslim brothers.

For the first time, the meeting was held in Egypt, with the Coptic Orthodox Church as the host, and it was led by Coptic Pope Tawadros II. It was attended by Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of Antioch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II and Jerusalem Latin Patriarch Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa among others.

The prelates requested the international community to help in the release of all kidnapped and missing Christians and also underscored the abduction of Aleppo Greek Orthodox Archbishop Paul Yazgi and Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Gregory Yohanna Ibrahim which remains mired in mystery since 2013.

This year’s meeting theme was taken from the Gospel of St Matthew 14:27, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid”. And towards the end, the ecumenical council released an official statement highlighting 12 points including climate and environment and emigration; making a veiled reference to the exodus of Christian youth from the Middle East. It also touched upon the protection of holy places starting with Jerusalem as its main goal is the protection of the “Christian presence” in the region and securing “peace in the East and the world” as well as “giving the faithful hope in the midst of tragedies and difficulties”.

In 1974, MECC was founded in Nicosia, Cyprus, and presently it has its headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon. Usually, the meeting is held once every four years to discuss issues relating to the Christian presence in the Middle East. The meeting was scheduled to be held in 2020, but owing to the COVID-19 pandemic it was postponed to 2022.