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The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) is an active co-convener of the Feast of Creation ecumenical process. This builds on over three decades of ecumenical celebrations of the feast, since the 1989 invitation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to pray together on September 1. Below are some resources for non-Byzantine Eastern churches, complementing those for Byzantine churches.
MECC INTRODUCTORY VIDEO (IN ARABIC)
“The Feast of Creation in the global ecumenical calendar”
“عيد الخلق ينضمّ إلى الرزنامة المسكونيّة العالميّة”
1. RESOURCES FOR SEPTEMBER 1 AS ECUMENICAL DAY OF PRAYER
MECC ecumenical prayer, SoC 2023 (Kaslik, Lebanon)
In recent decades, our churches have celebrated the Feast of Creation as an ecumenical observance or day of prayer, which is the start of the extended Season of Creation (which runs until October 4).
For parishes planning to celebrate the Feast of Creation on September 1 or the following weekend, various ecumenical resources are available here (English and Arabic).
2. RESOURCES FOR SEPTEMBER 1 AS A LITURGICAL FEAST
In recent years, MECC and other Christian bodies have convened various theological dialogues about the potential of the Feast of Creation to be formally added to the liturgical calendar of non-Byzantine churches. Liturgists have recommended “Feast of Creation in Christ” as its formal name, with many churches already adopting it. For more background, see:
(I) "Theological Overview of the Feast of Creation":
Presentation by MECC’s Director of Theological Department, Rev Dr Antoine Al Ahmar
(II) Theological papers about the Feast of Creation:
by the ecumenical committee in which MECC participates
Theological Overview of the Feast of Creation
The report outlines four interrelated themes contained in the Feast: (1) Creation as God’s creative act (the feast’s core), (2) Creation as a Christological mystery (the feast’s entry point), (3) Creation as a Trinitarian mystery, and (4) Creation as a sacramental and covenantal gift.
The ‘Feast of Creation in Christ’: Rationale for its Christological Title
The report outlines the rationale for the enhanced Christological title, ‘Feast of Creation in Christ’ (as adopted by the Revised Common Lectionary, for example).
To propose the adoption of the Feast to your church synod, various resources are available;
please contact MECC or CreationFeast [at] gmail.com for support.
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