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Al Mukhalles - Catholic -Dhour -
Saha
Al Mukhalles - Orthodox - Dhour
Al Saydeh
Mar Boutross
Mar Elias
Mar Jeryes
Mar Takla
Mar Yohanna
Saint Therese
Happy Easter 2008
Easter at Dayr Mar Elias - 50 photos slide show by Samar, samples
below
A night with Jesus at Saydeh, Photo album by Samar
The Great Friday this year was really
special at Saydeh church, it united the people of Shweir, Roum and Catholic, led
by Abouna Johny from Mar Youhanna Catholic Monastery celebrated mass alongside
side with Abouna George:
Click here to see Photos by Samar
Also the Great Friday Mass was held at Mar Takla church in Ain el
Sindyeneh, as usual… Very special indeed...
Photos by Samar
Slide Show of Palm Sunday in Shweir
by Samar and click here > >
for Sabet al Azaar
And Palm Sunday in CALifornia
- 5 Shweiry families meet there by chance..
Click here for more photos.
Happy Easter - Photo Album by Samar Peak below
Easter 2007
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Crucifixion
Reenactment |
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Photos by Riad |
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Sha3neeneh at Saydeh Church -36
pictures by Samar
Mar Boutross Church - 16 photos
Saydeh Church - another 23
pictures
Markakla Church - Breaking Eggs
7 pictures
Darb El Saleeb - 48 pictures
slide show by Samar
Nidal Ashkar in wheel chair waiting for prosthesis
Discussion @
Easter & Nidal on the Bulletin Board
Amazing ... look below at all the activity that took place in April 2006
Emigrants Festival
2006 Committee
Click here to view MOTHERS' DAY PICTURES
HAPPY 100's Birthday Nassib Touma Sawaya
To see all 182 pictures of A3mmou Nassib's 100's Birthday Party, click here
To read a report in Arabic about Jiddo Nassib's B'day on the BB by Samar Kiamy,
Click here
Our
infra-structure and its impact on the Environment
Sabbagh Brothers, Fareed &
Maher, direct & produce musical play, Che Quevera
Al Is3af Mass - 97 pixs by Riad
The Mass was in the Mukhalis Orthodox Church w/Bouna Shalhoub
and Bouna Elie gave an excellent speech.
Good Friday at Saydeh and Dayr Mar Elias, by Riad
Good Friday - Al Jumaa al Azeemeh at Saydeh Church by Samar
Al Hajmeh - Mar Takla Church by Samar
The Lord's Last Supper, click here to see 143 slide show pixs by Riad
Re-enacment of Crucifiction at Mukhliss Church, click to see pixs by
Samar
Palm Sunday 2006 pictures by Samar
Palm Sunday 2006 pictures by Riad
Easter 2006 -Passion Week Recital w/ Jumana Mdawar
Al Mukhallis - Orthodox - Dhour
April 2006
Al Is3af Mass - 97 pixs by Riad
The Mass was in the Mukhalis Orthodox Church w/Bouna Shalhoub
and Bouna Elie gave an excellent speech. Read text below.
It is so wonderful and uplifting to see the Orthodox and Catholic priests
praying together
Good Friday at Saydeh and Dayr Mar Elias, by Riad
Good Friday - Al Jumaa al Azeemeh at Saydeh Church by Samar
And Below, see Palm Sunday for Roum Orthodox
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Anwar, This is the third Easter attended by Vanessa Georges Bou-Zeid at Deir Mar Elias. I am sending you photos attached with this email for Vanessa from Easter 2004 hoping if you could post them in Shweir website. Thanks in advance, Silva Bou-Zeid
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Thank You Nijad Chalhoub for sending us the brochure on Saydeh as we feature it here in. Click on Thumbnails to enlarge. Thank you Nijad.
Read history about the Saydeh in the next pages below written by Raja Shweiri.
Click on any of the small
photos or icon below to enlarge them.
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 The Altar |
 North Side |
 West Side & Stairs |
 Three Angels |
 Abraham Sacrifice Son |
 Halo & Arms to Heaven |
We hope the above information will clear some of the mystery surrounding the history of Al Saydeh. Thank you all who responded to our questions and thank you again Nijad. Well Done.
Posted by Habeeb Nacol on August 20, 2000 at 12:31:09:
In Reply to: Churches by Najib Chalhoub posted by Visitor # 660 on August 15, 2000 at 21:31:16:
: The pictures of the churches are beautiful Thank you Najib. However the
Gallery is not complete without Mar Abda, Mar Giryes, Saydit Ain Sindyaneh, Mar
Tarez, and the three Mikhliss churches in Dhour. Did I forget any? Maybe Mar
Youhanna.
: The Churches pictures brought some wonderful and sad memories back. These are
the Churches where our ancestors, parents, and many of us got married at, That's
where we & they were baptised, these are the places were we tearfully bid
our loved ones farewell.
: This Gallery should be completed, I am calling on a volunteer from Shweir to
post pictures of all our Churches, inside and outside.
: Web Master this is not a deviation from the Web page Mission Statement. On the contrary this is our heritage and will enrich our page. I also recommend having a dedicated page Titled "CHURCHES" that we can visit when we have the need to be closer to our spritual self in our little churches of Shweir.
: Once again Thank you Najib for the Idea.
:
For those of you who missed Easter 2005 at Mar Elias, here are some pictures of Good Friday and Easter Sunday
| Eastern Good Friday April 29, 2005 |
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Thanks to Silva Awad Bou Zeid for sending the pictures |
| Eastern Easter Sunday May 1, 2005 |
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Visiting the recently discovered church below Dayr Mar Elias...
| My cousin George Saadallah Samaha took me on a special tour... | Entry to Dayr |
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painting above entry |
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 My friend Milad Ataya... was working on the Dayr... |
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| Sometime ago, they discovered a church below the existing church |
 Entrance |
 Prayer room |
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and a series of chambers w/entrances getting narrower and lower as a form of defense against invaders who would have to enter bowing their heads |  |
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Dayr Mar Elias - Poetry and Song
Aug. 16, - 2001 Thursday 9:00 p.m.
Poetry night led by the poet Shawki Amar with his gifted poets
Roula Zaidan, in a setting that rivals 1001 nights, eloquently presents the
program
A Report by Hanadi Adel Abdel Ahad
Poetry is one of the most widespread
arts in our beautiful country, Lebanon. Through this art, poets express their
feelings of sadness or happiness and describe the beauty they see around them.
The Shweirieh, like their fellow Lebanese citizens, adore poetry. For this
reason, they dedicate at least one day of the “Emigrants’ Festival” they
hold annually to honor poetry and its masters.
This year, such an occasion was
held on Thursday August the 16th at “Deir Mar Elias- Chouaya” at
21:00 o’clock, where the scene is fascinating, overlooking from above the Metn,
Kesrwan and Beirut; in fact, you feel breath taken as you simultaneously listen
to the poems and watch outside in the darkness and silence of the lonely night.
It began with the national
anthem, as the Shweirieh stood respectfully to proudly honor their country. Then
the bishop “Elias Najm” gave a speech, and “Rima Bou Kheir” gave
another, in the name of the committee organizing this year’s “Emigrants’
Festival”. After that, some girls and boys said a few poems. Later, the same
girls and boys sang some poems, accompanied by “Marcel Nasr” who was playing
the “ Oud or عود ” (a
musical instrument). Consequently, the announcer“ Roula Zeidan” introduced
“Chawki Amar”. Chawki is a poet from the village of Ain Anoub in the Chouf.
He has written many books, including “Talinar” and “Falej Ma Taalej”,
and he is soon going to sign a book under the title “Defending
Reincarnation”. In addition, he has put together in one book 17000 popular
proverbs. That night, he said some poems and 70 of those proverbs, each starting
with the last word of the preceding one. He finalized them by saying something
about Dhour El Shweir, our beloved village.
Indeed, that was one other
splendid and pleasurable evening everybody spent, enjoyed and will remember as a
souvenir forever.
Why everybody? Simply because
the” Emigrants’ Festival” has succeeded in gathering and satisfying all
the Shweirieh with their different age categories, taking into consideration
their various interests and aspirations. Of course, we are thankful and grateful
for that, and we do hope and pray a similar thing will take place next year. We
will need God’s blessings for that!
Looking forward to seeing all the emigrants by
then present at least for some time in their lovely, favorite, irreplaceable and
dearest Shweir…
Thank You
for a great report
Hanadi Adel Abdel Ahad
 Entrance lined with candle lit white bags |
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 Layal & Manal discussing Festival strategy |
 Church from upper balcony |
 Audience on the open air rooftop of Dayr Mar Elias |
 Mitran Najm |
 Roula Zaidan |
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 Rima Abi Kheir |
 Young & inspiring poets
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 Dr. Shawki Omar |
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 There is young Helen Ataya in the purple sweater |
 Alternating poetry recitals |
 Roula with 2 Shawkis |
 Cynthia Samaha & Family from Jouwaar |
 Antoine Abdu Saar Family from Doowaar |
 Still lit candles lit the pathways to the exit... |
The poetry recital, setting, music and production were professional and impressive.
The audience expressed their gratitude, enjoyment, appreciation and accolades.
And in particular, there was one "poette" that stood out... some attendees wondered... "Who is that young lady in Red? Where is she from? She looks like a young Fairuz. Is she related to Fairuz?
Okay, her name is Cynthia Samaha... full name is Cynthia Tanios Sami Asaad Girgi Tannous Samaha. How is that for knowing your family roots that far back... quite impressive. She recites poetry masterfully, sings with an angelic voice, I do not know if she is related to Fairuz but... with that voice and mannerism... she may very well be the young and upcoming new "Fairuz". I would like to say that Cynthia is my distant cousin since my grandmother is from the Samaha Family... but that may be jumping the gun (means rushing to quick conclusion). I will wait to hear from her brother Elias who is in the process of building the family tree on the new program many of us are using, (see family tree web page) and compare how distant of cousins we are. Cynthia and her family live in Jouwaar close to the flower shop. When Cynthia becomes a big star, remember you heard about her on Shweir.com.
Click here to get back to Eid al Mughtaribeen
Click here to get back to August 2001
New Subdeacon Rabih Abou Samra
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Congratulations |
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احتفلت كنيسة مار جرجس _ الشوير بقداس الهي تم خلاله سيامة الأخ "ربيع وجيه ابو سمرا" شماساً رسائلياً بحضور الأهل والاًصدقاء .
ترأس المطران جورج خضر _ مطران جبل لبنان _ الذبيحة الإلهية بمشاركة عدد من الكهنة ، وكان ذلك يوم السبت الواقع فيه 27 آب 2005 .
Parent - Teacher - Student Music forum at Mar Jeryes
| Author | Topic: Join us to the Bisantic music at Shweir | ||
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If you like to read folow up comments or post a response, go to: http://www.shweir.com/cgi-bin/bboard/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=001702#000002
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Thank you to all who helped put this event together.
Thank you Samar for the above report and taking and sending the pictures.
Easter 2006 - Al Hajmeh - Mar Takla Church Pictures by Samar
Christmas Evening in Mar Takla w/Shweir Music
| Author | Topic: A Christmas night with the music group in Shweir | ||
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Anwar Member Member # 327 |
posted 01-03-2006
02:36 PM 
Thank you Samar for a great report and for sending the pictures. Your report above gives excellent details about the event and lists the main participants. That is the best example of providing factual information about any event. It is so nice that we can list the members of the Shweir music and the instruments they play(ed). These players and the band leaders spend countless hours in practice sessions to entertain and enchant the community with their creativity and artistic abilities. It is great that we can recognize them individually and collectively. Wishing all of you a very happy, healthy and successful 2006. Anwar Posts: 35 | From: San Francisco, California | Registered: Sep 2005 | IP: Logged |
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Ain El Sindyaneh - Summer
2003
Mar Takla Expansion and Renovation
Thank you George Samaha
of Alsad Restaurant for making this data possible
A new Bell Tower in Ain Sindyaneh
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 300 degreeView from Mar Takla Roof |
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It is hard to tell where the expansion section started because
we still have some of the best craftsmen to build "akd" (coved stone
ceilings)...
This whole area behind where Edmond Rahbani placed his hand is the new addition.
Many Thanks to all the people who made the great effort possible.
| Author | Topic: 3eed Mar Takla | ||
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And here are some pictures...
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Tank you Samar for the report and the pictures. :)
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October 2000: The following are from Souheil Khonaysser, Texas, USA
Click on the photo to enlarge it... click on "Back Arrow" to return to this Photo Page.
 Mar Elias on Hill |
 Mar Yohanna Buildings 1696+ |
 Chapel & Antara |
 Shweir & Ain El Assis |
 First Printing Press 1734 |
 Mar Yohanna Altar |
 Al Ain |
 Old Engraved Books |
 Print Press Display |
Thank You Souheil Khonaysser for clearing the exact date for the first printing press in the Middle East
Eid Saint Therese
Ain El Sindyaneh who celebrated the last week 3eed Mar Takla, continue this week on celebrating 3eed Saint Therese that date in the first of October.
Saint Therese church differ from the other churches in our town by its children that every Sunday when Abouna Mkhayel arrive to the village coming from Mar Yuhana convent, they hurried to ring the bell.
These children, that their eyes and bodies are full of life, are gathered in this church with love and faith.
On this evening, they was proud to become a part of “Chevalier de Marie” society, and swear in front of God and their parents and all who came to visit this church in this evening, to follow Mary’s steps by working, serving and giving with love as a duty for their belonging to this society.
These happiest moments was clearly appearing in their smile faces.
After the Mass they invited people to share them the sketches they prepared and that is took from stories from the bible.
And I can’t tell how much Abouna Boulos Bou Rjayleh, who is one of the founders of “Chevalier de Marie” society before the war, was happy of seeing it born again.
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End of the first day | |
The second day, a songs party was decided near the church with the singers “Nabil Abou Chibel” and “Chady el Reef” who spent the night singing and people didn’t stop the “dabkeh” and oriental dances, and of course not to forget the “mana’eesh 3al saj” and drinks that are ready in every party.
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End of the second day | |
In the third day, 2/10/2005 a Mass took place in the church with the presence of the fathers from Mar Yuhana convent, nuns from Khonshara and Shweir and people who came from the different regions to pray in this occasion to the “Saint Therese”.
Mabrook for our real “Chevaliers de Marie” w yin3ad 3al jamee3.
Samar
posted
11-26-2005 08:28 AM 
