Zweitina or Zuwaytinah ( ar, زُويتينة / ALA-LC: ''Zūwaytīnah'') is a small

Greek Orthodox The term Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also cal ...

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

village located in Western

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

close to the Lebanese borders and administratively belonging to the

Homs Governorate Homs Governorate ( ar, مُحافظة حمص / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Ḥimṣ'') is one of the fourteen governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is situated in central Syria. Its area differs in various sources, from to . It is thus geographic ...

. Its location in the midst of a coniferous mountain makes it a popular and favored summer destination. Its altitude ranges between 400 and 450 meters. It is situated in the area known as

Wadi al-Nasara Wadi al-Nasara ( ar, وادي النصارى / ALA-LC: ''Wādī an-Naṣārá'', Greek: Κοιλάδα των Χριστιανών, ''Koiláda ton Christianón'', which both mean "Valley of Christians") is an area in western Syria, close to th ...

('valley of the Christians'). Nearby localities include

Marmarita Marmarita ( ar, مرمريتا, syc, ܡܪܡܪܝܬܐ, ) is a village in northwestern Syria, located west of Homs. Marmarita is one of the largest villages in Wadi al-Nasara ("Valley of the Christians"), a region north of Talkalakh. In 2004, Mar ...

to the north, al-Huwash to the east, al-Huwash to the east, al-Husn to the southeast,

al-Zarah Al-Zarah ( ar, الزارة, al-Zārah, also spelled Zara) is a village in northwestern Syria, administratively part of the Homs Governorate, located west of Homs. Nearby localities include district center Talkalakh to the south, Aridah to the ...

to the south,

Naarah Ashur, Assur, or Asur may refer to: Places * Assur, an Assyrian city and first capital of ancient Assyria * Ashur, Iran, a village in Iran * Asur, Thanjavur district, a village in the Kumbakonam taluk of Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India * A ...

and

Tell Hawsh Tell Hawsh ( ar, تل حوش; also spelled ''Talhoush'') is a village in northern Syria located west of Homs in the Homs Governorate. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, Tell Hawsh had a population of 1,609 in the 2004 census. ...

to the southwest,

al-Mitras Al-Mitras ( ar, المتراس, also spelled Mtrass) is a village in northwestern Syria, administratively part of the Tartus Governorate, located southeast of Tartus. Nearby localities include Marmarita and Zweitina to the east, al-Zarah to the so ...

to the west and

al-Bariqiyah Al-Bariqiyah ( ar, البارقية, also spelled Barqieh) is a village in northwestern Syria, administratively part of the Tartus Governorate, located southeast of Tartus. It is situated between Safita to the west, Mashta al-Helu to the north and ...

to the northwest. Zweitina is perhaps most famous for its

al-Fawwar spring Al-Fawwar spring ( ar, نبع الفوّار, Nab` al-Fawwar) is a spring found in northern Syria in a town called Zweitina, which is administratively belonging to the Homs Governorate. It is one of the most important landmarks in the town becaus ...

( ar, نبع الفوار), which is named so because it flows sporadically; this spring was called ''Sabte'' during the reign of the Roman emperor

Titus Titus Caesar Vespasianus ( ; 30 December 39 – 13 September 81 AD) was Roman emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death. Before becoming emperor, Titus gained renown as a mili ...

in Syria. The village is also very close to the

Krac des Chevaliers Krak des Chevaliers, ar, قلعة الحصن, Qalʿat al-Ḥiṣn also called Hisn al-Akrad ( ar, حصن الأكراد, Ḥiṣn al-Akrād, rtl=yes, ) and formerly Crac de l'Ospital; Krak des Chevaliers or Crac des Chevaliers (), is a medieva ...

, or Qal'at al-Ḥiṣn. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CNS), Zweitina had a population of 697 in the 2004 census. Its inhabitants are predominantly

Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ� ...

. The village has a

Greek Orthodox Church The term Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also cal ...

and a

Greek Catholic Church The term Greek Catholic Church can refer to a number of Eastern Catholic Churches following the Byzantine (Greek) liturgy, considered collectively or individually. The terms Greek Catholic, Greek Catholic church or Byzantine Catholic, Byzantine Ca ...

Etymology

The name Zweitina is derived from the word ''zeitoun'' which is Arabic for olive. ''Zweitina'' is Arabic for a single olive fruit. Olive trees dominate the forests of Zweitina and are considered the most important crops in the village which produces large amounts of olive product, thus justifying the name. Others argue that the name was derived from the Aramaic language and means "the land where silkworms grow" and refers to the silkworms which live and grow on berry trees found in the village's forests.

Demographics

Zweitina has a fixed population during most of the year, but reaching approximately 5,000 inhabitants in summer. It is a village where

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global popula ...

dominates. Almost 75% of the original population live outside the village. The US state of

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, is home to the largest diaspora of immigrants from the village, approximately 500 families. Zweitina is situated very close to the neighboring village of

, another Christian village.

References

{{Homs Governorate, talkalakh Populated places in Talkalakh District Eastern Orthodox Christian communities in Syria Christian communities in Syria