Did you know? (Sunday, February 18, 2024)

Although the English arrived in Jamaica in 1655, it took them five years to completely defeat the Spaniards, from whom they took the island. In 1660, the English established civil administration on the island. It is unlikely that any priests arrived before 1664, when four came, one of whom became the first rector of St. Andrew Parish Church. Thus, Anglicanism has had a presence in Jamaica for at least 360 years. Initially, the Bishop of London had oversight of the English Church in the colonies, making oversight challenging. On the ground, the Church in colonies such as Jamaica was controlled by slaveowning interests. However, things began to change in July 1824, when the Diocese of Jamaica was created, and Christopher Lipscomb was consecrated at Lambeth Palace as its first bishop. The Diocese then included the Bay Islands of Honduras (Belize), the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. This year, our Diocese celebrates its 200th anniversary.