Smakieh, a small Christian village located about 120km south of Amman and northeast of Karak, is home to one of the largest Latin parishes in the southern region of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The Latin parish was officially established in 1909, following several visits by Fr. Jean Morétain, who first met the Hijazin tribe on the slopes of Shihan Mountain near Smakieh in 1876. Over time, the parish expanded, with a parish school opening in 1912 and a kindergarten in 2001.

Pastoral Activities

• Youth groups (for all age categories: children, middle school, high school, university, and working adults)
• Altar servers
• Choir
• Marian Fraternity

History

The area was originally controlled by Bedouin tribes, leading to property disputes between clans. In 1909, the land was gifted to the Christian community by Sheikh Mohammad Quadri Majali, the head of the Muslim Majali family, in recognition of their strong cooperative relationship.

The village of Smakieh today

Smakieh is home to the Hijazin and Akasha tribes, who live in harmony with the local Christian community. The village has two churches: St. Michael's Latin Church and St. George's Greek Melkite Church. The population of Smakieh is approximately 3,200 people, made up of about 380 families, including 218 Latin families. Fr. Khaled Gammoh is the current parish priest, he cares for the parishioners with the help of the Sisters of the Rosary, permanent deacon Za'al Hijazin, and leaders of various pastoral groups.