Abdallah Zakher
Encyclopedia
Abdallah Zakher (1684–1748) was a leading Melkite
Christian at the time of the Church's re-establishment of Communion
with Rome and among other accomplishments he set up the first printing press
in the Middle East
.
His printing press used Arabic
movable type
s and was installed in 1733 in the motherhouse of the Basilian Chouerite Order
, the monastery of Saint John the Baptist
at Choueir (or Dhour El Shuwayr
, near Khinchara) in Mount Lebanon
, where it still can be visited.
Zakher was also an accomplished writer and craftsman.
Melkite Greek Catholic Church
The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See as part of the worldwide Catholic Church. The Melkites, Byzantine Rite Catholics of mixed Eastern Mediterranean and Greek origin, trace their history to the early Christians of Antioch, Syria, of...
Christian at the time of the Church's re-establishment of Communion
Full communion
In Christian ecclesiology, full communion is a relationship between church organizations or groups that mutually recognize their sharing the essential doctrines....
with Rome and among other accomplishments he set up the first printing press
Printing press
A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium , thereby transferring the ink...
in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
His printing press used Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
movable type
Movable type
Movable type is the system of printing and typography that uses movable components to reproduce the elements of a document ....
s and was installed in 1733 in the motherhouse of the Basilian Chouerite Order
Basilian Chouerite Order
The Basilian Chouerite Order of Saint John the Baptist is a religious order of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. The Latin name of this order is Ordo Basilianus Sancti Iohannis Baptistae, the French name is Ordre Basilien Chouerite de St...
, the monastery of Saint John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
at Choueir (or Dhour El Shuwayr
Dhour El Shuwayr
Dhour El Choueir is a mountain town in Lebanon . It lies slightly north of the main Beirut Damascus highway. It overlooks the city of Beirut and the Mediterranean sea. It is 30 km from Beirut and 42 km from Beirut International Airport.It is one of Mount Lebanon's most favored summer...
, near Khinchara) in Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon , as a geographic designation, is a Lebanese mountain range, averaging above 2,200 meters in height and receiving a substantial amount of precipitation, including snow, which averages around four meters deep. It extends across the whole country along about , parallel to the...
, where it still can be visited.
Zakher was also an accomplished writer and craftsman.