Remarks from the Opening Session of the Twelfth General Assembly of MECC (May 2022)

Gerges Mounir Hanna – Editor of Coptic Affairs – OCP News Service – 18/5/22

Monastery of St. Anba Bishoy, Wadi El Natroun – Egypt: A number of remarks were made by the Primates of various Churches during the opening session of the 12th General Assembly of the Council of Churches of the Middle East (MECC) which is being held at the monastery of Abba Bishoy, Wadi Natroun, Egypt.

Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria stated that: “We condemn day after day wars, persecution and terrorism, and wonder Christians, discounts come from? Those that come from the greedy human soul, those ambitions that made her fall prey to greed and envy. We find ourselves with responsibility within us voices of our conscience, to be with the voice of truth, and tell the world to prepare the way of the Lord, and that the Church is the guardian of morality and the altar of education”.

Patriarch John X stated that “We share unit in Jesus Christ, and today what unites us as Christians is more than what divides us, and this meeting confirms that we want to be one family, despite the deposits of history. Our call is to look for further regeneration, and to approach the Christian presence in terms of the role and leadership rather than in terms of number, and I stress that we the Christians of the East remain strong, regardless of the terrorism and murder”.

Patriarch Mor Ignatius Ephrem II remarked that “the fear, anxiety, worries and famine dominate the lives of our children. It has given us lessons in Christian witness and that the Church in the East Church encounter pain and suffering. We condemn all kinds of violence and war, and pray for peace”.

Patriarch Mar Luis Raphael Sacco said that “We must not succumb to despair today because we are children of hope, and I hope that this meeting concludes with a roadmap to enhance the spirit of ecumenism. We must promote Islamic-Christian dialogue on the basis of citizenship, and work on the moral commitment and dedication of human rights principles and the development of strategies that work in order to achieve social justice and human dignity”.

Rev. Habib Badr stated that “Ecumenism is one of the most important movements in the Church, and my experience has taught me that patience is ecumenical, and I assure that the Council of Churches has a bright future”.

Source:
OCP News Service