SUWAJR. - A Lebanese village where the monastery of St. John stands, the cradle and still the motherhouse of the Melkite Basilian Order (v. BASILIANI MELKITI SUWAJRITI). It was founded in 1710. In recent years a new section and a small seminary have been added.
Altogether there are two shrines: the church of St. John the Baptist, which predates the monastery, containing some very ancient icons and others brought there around 1710, and the church of St. Nicholas (1718), famous for its iconostasis decorated with carved wooden images, probably the work of the monks. The monastery still preserves the first printing press in Lebanon, founded by the heroic deacon 'Abdallah Zahir (1680-1748), who rendered incalculable services to the Church for 150 years.