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The Churches in Simakiyya There are two churches in Simakiyya: a Melkite Catholic Church and a Latin Church. In spite of their differences, however, there is a great deal of cooperation between them. Both churches play an important and central social role in the village by; officiating over weddings, funerals, and church services; by providing religious instruction and counsel; by connecting Simakiyya to other villages in the region; by connecting Simakiyya to the nation; and by connecting the Simakiyya to the rest of the world. The hierarchy of both churches and the technology of the information age have made the integration of Simakiyya into the larger world possible. Cell phones, computers, the Internet, and FAX machines are part of everyday life for the priests in Simakiyya and for a number of the other villagers as well. The contrast between old and new in the village can be quite striking.  
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