Smakieh Parish
Smakieh is a small Christian village located about 120 km south of Amman in a semi-desert area, about 10 km southeast of Shihan Mountain. The name Smakieh, which means sunny land, is derived from the overall shape of the village that is said to resemble a fish. The land of Smakieh was a gift from the head of the Muslim Majali family, Sheikh Mohammad Quadri Majali, who gave it to the Christians because of their good relationship in co-operating with him.
Infrastructures of the Latin Patriarchate
The original school, founded in 1910, was for girls and run by nuns, the boys attended one run by men from the village. In the 1960s both were joined together to become a mixed school and children studied up to Grade 9. Many public figures at the time were educated in the school. One of the past pupils, who later left the village to live in Jerusalem, was elected to the Government there and became chairman of the department responsible for the Christian Church schools in Palestine. The Kindergarten was built in 2002, on the outskirts of the village. It is a spacious building but very much in need of up-to-date equipment. The outside play area is large but its ground surface is in poor condition. The climbing apparatus and other equipment are metal and unsafe for small children; consequently, this area is not in use.
