An endoscopic stitching device, comprising: a tool assembly (120, 420) including: a pair of juxtaposed jaws (130, 132) pivotally associated with one another, each jaw defining a needle receiving recess (130a, 132a) formed in a tissue contacting surface thereof; a drive assembly including a pair of concentric, individually rotatably and translatably supported barrels (442a, 444a), each barrel defining a central lumen (442b, 444b) therethrough; and a pair of axially translatable needle engaging blades (150, 152, 450b, 452b) slidably supported, one each, in a respective jaw, each blade having an advanced position wherein a distal end of the blade (150a, 152a) engages a suture needle when the suture needle is in the respective jaw to thereby secure the suture needle to the jaw, and a retracted position wherein the distal end of the blade (150a, 152a) is out of engagement with the suture needle to thereby permit the suture needle to be removed from the jaw, wherein a proximal end of each blade (150, 152, 450b, 452b) is rotatably connected to a respective barrel; and a center rod (136, 436) slidably and rotatably disposed through the lumen of the barrels, a distal end of the center rod (136, 436) being operatively engaged with the pair of jaws (130, 132) via a camming pin (138, 438) mounted at the distal end of the centre rod (136, 436), such that axial or longitudinal movement of the centre rod (136, 436) causes jaws (130, 132) to be cammed between open and closed positions. a tool assembly (120, 420) including: a pair of juxtaposed jaws (130, 132) pivotally associated with one another, each jaw defining a needle receiving recess (130a, 132a) formed in a tissue contacting surface thereof; a drive assembly including a pair of concentric, individually rotatably and translatably supported barrels (442a, 444a), each barrel defining a central lumen (442b, 444b) therethrough; and a pair of axially translatable needle engaging blades (150, 152, 450b, 452b) slidably supported, one each, in a respective jaw, each blade having an advanced position wherein a distal end of the blade (150a, 152a) engages a suture needle when the suture needle is in the respective jaw to thereby secure the suture needle to the jaw, and a retracted position wherein the distal end of the blade (150a, 152a) is out of engagement with the suture needle to thereby permit the suture needle to be removed from the jaw, wherein a proximal end of each blade (150, 152, 450b, 452b) is rotatably connected to a respective barrel; and a center rod (136, 436) slidably and rotatably disposed through the lumen of the barrels, a distal end of the center rod (136, 436) being operatively engaged with the pair of jaws (130, 132) via a camming pin (138, 438) mounted at the distal end of the centre rod (136, 436), such that axial or longitudinal movement of the centre rod (136, 436) causes jaws (130, 132) to be cammed between open and closed positions. a pair of juxtaposed jaws (130, 132) pivotally associated with one another, each jaw defining a needle receiving recess (130a, 132a) formed in a tissue contacting surface thereof; a drive assembly including a pair of concentric, individually rotatably and translatably supported barrels (442a, 444a), each barrel defining a central lumen (442b, 444b) therethrough; and a pair of axially translatable needle engaging blades (150, 152, 450b, 452b) slidably supported, one each, in a respective jaw, each blade having an advanced position wherein a distal end of the blade (150a, 152a) engages a suture needle when the suture needle is in the respective jaw to thereby secure the suture needle to the jaw, and a retracted position wherein the distal end of the blade (150a, 152a) is out of engagement with the suture needle to thereby permit the suture needle to be removed from the jaw, wherein a proximal end of each blade (150, 152, 450b, 452b) is rotatably connected to a respective barrel; and a center rod (136, 436) slidably and rotatably disposed through the lumen of the barrels, a distal end of the center rod (136, 436) being operatively engaged with the pair of jaws (130, 132) via a camming pin (138, 438) mounted at the distal end of the centre rod (136, 436), such that axial or longitudinal movement of the centre rod (136, 436) causes jaws (130, 132) to be cammed between open and closed positions.