Week of the Bible 2026
Before the start of the Week of the Bible (WOB) 2026, Bible Society Lebanon, together with its partners – the Biblical Federation, the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops (APECL), and APECL Jeune – coordinated three press conferences in January at the Catholic Information Center with church and education partners. The gatherings reflected on the theme, “The Holy Bible: Two Testaments in One Book,” and presented the upcoming activities for the Sunday of the Word of God (January 25) and the Week of the Bible (January 25–February 1).
The Week opened with a celebration in Maghdouche on January 25, featuring Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai, President of APECL, who emphasized the centrality of God’s Word in the life of the Church. Dr. Mike Bassous, CEO of Bible Society Lebanon, Sr. Bassima Khoury, Board Member and Biblical Federation coordinator, and Dr. Maryse Saghbini, shared insights on the “Book of Life” initiative, uniting participants in a moment of faith, reflection, and renewed commitment to living and sharing Scripture.
On January 26, the Online Bible Knowledge Competition was officially launched with schools across Lebanon. This annual initiative brings students together in a journey of learning, faith, and Scripture, engaging the next generation in meaningful Bible-based activities. This year, about 9,300 students are currently enrolled in the competition, which will bring the final teams together in May 2026.
The Week concluded with an inspiring Youth Assembly at La Sagesse University in Furn El Chebbak, organized by APECL Jeune and the National Committee for Youth Pastoral Affairs. Youth from apostolic movements, scout groups, and Catholic communities participated in over ten interactive workshops. A participant shared a testimony in one of these workshops, led by Bible Society’s Psychosocial Support Coordinator, clinical psychologist Rita Zakhour, that explored the theme “How do I forgive? How do I move forward?” that created a safe space for honest reflection and healing:
“Something happened between me and my dad, and I couldn’t move past it. I was carrying so much anger and guilt at the same time, and I felt ashamed for even feeling that way. When I heard that anger can be part of the forgiveness journey… something shifted in me, and I started seeing things differently. Thank you for the session!” – 32-year-old participant.
During the gathering, Bible Society distributed more than 700 copies of the New Testament and Bible-based books, planting seeds of faith in the next generation.
Events like these remind us why Scripture matters, why it should be celebrated, and why sharing it with youth is essential.
The Bible Society’s mission is to spread the Holy Bible’s message and culture to all generations through translating, publishing, and distributing the Scriptures using visual, audio-visual, readable, and digital formats, encouraging people to read and engage with God’s word, advocating the Bible cause to uphold human dignity, and partnering with all Churches and Christian institutions.
