Christianity in Simakiyya Menu

Richard Jones, Ph.D. Assistant Professor  of Anthropology Lee University

The Melkite Catholics

Fr.² Boulos Baqain is the parish priest of the Melkite Catholic Church in Simakiyya.  He came to the village of Simakiyya and celebrated his first church service in 1989. Fr. Boulos, his wife³, and his children are respected and loved members of the community. Since coming to Simakiyya, Fr. Boulos has worked hard to: increase access to education for all the villagers, get equipment from the government for the health center, help establish a kindergarten program, get the village involved in the agricultural program, and helps some students financially. Fr. Boulos was also instrumental in our study of the village of Simakiyya, by introducing us to other key people in the community.

The current head of the Melkite Catholic Church is His Beatitude Gregory III Laham Patriarch of Antioch and all the East. The Patriarchate of Antioch was established in 325 A.D. at the Council of Nicaea. Since the seventh century, the Antiochean Patriarchate and its member churches have been dominated by the rule of Islamic governments. In the eighteenth century, the Antiochean Patriarchate underwent a schism into "Catholic" and "Orthodox" branches. The Catholics developed stronger ties with Rome, while the Orthodox committed more firmly to Constantinople. Both groups observe the Byzantine rite. In Simakiyya, it is the 'Akasha tribe that is primarily associated with the Melkite Catholic Church.

• The Churches in Simakiyya

• The Melkite Catholics

• The Latin Church

• Weddings in Simakiyya

• Tribal Christianity in the Karak Region of Jordan

²Priests in the Orthodox Churches of the Middle East are usually addressed as "abuna" (sometimes spelled "abouna"), which literally means "our father." We usually addressed Fr. Boulos Baqain as simply "Abuna," or as "Abuna Boulos."

³In the Melkite Catholic Church, priests are not ordained until age 35. During a time of testing, from ages 25-35, a man who is desirous to be a priest may get married and establish a household. A married priest will become a parish priest for the rest of his life. Unmarried priests are chosen to serve as bishops and, one, as patriarch. The Eastern Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church of Egypt have similar practices.