On September 5, His Holiness Aram I and his delegation left for Amman to attend the Assembly of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC). Catholicos Aram I, is one of the four Presidents of the Council representing the Oriental Orthodox Family. The 11th session of the Middle East Churches Council opened In Amman on Tuesday. The conference brought together all 22 Leaders of Middle East churches from Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Cyprus, Lebanon, Egypt and Iran in addition to the four main eastern church families and other participants from Western churches and international institutions.
Catholicos Aram I, the head of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, urged speedy action to “confront challenges” expressing hope that the conference would come up with recommendations to ease the plight of the oppressed and the Christians in countries under the scourge of war.
Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III Yonan of Antioch and all the East of the Syriac Catholics said the current situation is a historic moment that requires action through effective dialogue, moderation and mercy as well as a serious stand in cooperation with “our Muslim brothers in the face of all attempts to uproot us from our land”.
During a meeting in Al Husseiniya Palace on Wednesday with members of the Middle East Council of Churches His Majesty King Abdullah II said that Arabs, whether Muslims or Christians, face the same challenges in light of the current situation in the region, and share the responsibility in addressing these challenges. Members of the council stressed that Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah, represents a unique model for co-existence between Muslims and Christians.
During its three-day meeting in Amman, the council discussed issues pertaining to Christians’ presence in the region, challenges facing them in light of the current situation in the Middle East, as well as the role and future message of the council.
During the last session Catholicos Aram I was elected Honorary President.
Since its foundation in 1974, the Middle East Council of Churches has continuously sought to bring closer the theological and ideological views that led to the historic divisions among the churches.
Member churches of Middle East Council of Churches
Oriental Orthodox Churches
• The Coptic Orthodox Church
• The Armenian Apostolic Church – Catholicosate of Cilicia
• The Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch and all the East
Eastern Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Churches
• Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa
• Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch and All the East
• Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem
• Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus
Catholic Churches
• Maronite Church of Antioch
• Greek Catholic Melchite Church of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem
• Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia
• Syrian Catholic Church of Antioch
• Coptic Catholic Church of Alexandria
• Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
• Chaldean Catholic Church of Babylon
Evangelical Churches
• The Evangelical Synod of the Nile
• Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East
• National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon
• National Evangelical Union of Lebanon
• Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan
• National Evangelical Church in Kuwait
• The Synod of the Evangelical Church in Iran
• Evangelical Church in Sudan
• Episcopal Church in the Sudan
• Presbyterian Church in the Sudan
• Protestant Church in Algeria
• Eglise Reformee de France en Tunisie
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