A meeting with His Grace Anba Antonios in Beirut

As part of his visit to Lebanon, His Grace Anba Antonios, Metropolitan of Jerusalem and the Near East for the Coptic Orthodox Church and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Eastern Orthodox Family, received MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs on Thursday, 11 June 2026, at the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate in Beirut. Attendees included Archimandrite Father Arsanius Al-Orachalimi, Father Athanasius Resto, the Coptic Orthodox Church's lawyer in Lebanon Mr. Abdallah Moussallem, and Mr. Albert Jonki. Both sides discussed MECC affairs and the latest developments in its theological, ecumenical, humanitarian, social and media work, and emphasized the importance of ecumenical work and building bridges between the different church families and components of society, affirming the need to strengthen the ecumenical spirit and the values of love, fraternity and mutual respect. Discussion also centered on the situation in the Middle East, the crises facing the region, and the urgent needs of its people.