Bishop Boyd Installs Two New Canons at Christ Church Cathedral During Patronal Feast
Inside St. Peter’s & St. Anne’s Youth Retreat
The Diocese of The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands will gather this Sunday, June 29, to observe its Annual Patronal Festival in honour of Saint John the Baptist, the Patron Saint of the Diocese. This occasion will begin with a procession from Saint Agnes Church on Baillou Hill Road at 3:30 p.m., culminating in a Solemn Eucharist at Christ Church Cathedral at 5:00 p.m. Bus transportation will be provided following the service to return participants to Saint Agnes.
This year’s celebration falls in a time as the Church recalls the life and witness of John the Baptist—one who lived humbly in the desert, called his people to repentance, and boldly prepared the way for Christ. “He must increase; I must decrease,” John once said (John 3:30), embodying the self-emptying spirit that marks true Christian discipleship. Jesus Himself affirmed John’s pivotal role in salvation history: “Among those born of women, there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist…” (Matthew 11:11).
The Most Rev’d and Rt. Hon. Laish Z. Boyd, Bishop of the Diocese, will preside over the evening service. The liturgy will be marked by stirring hymns, Scripture, and solemn praise, with musical selection by the Choir of Holy Cross, New Providence, under the direction of Cleo Spence and accompanied by Dr. Sparkman Ferguson.
This day also serves as the Diocesan Gift Day, an opportunity for the faithful to show tangible support for the mission and ministry of Family Island churches throughout the Diocese. The Bishop has called on all Anglicans to give generously, reminding us that our gifts allow the work of the Church to thrive in places where resources are often limited, yet the faith remains strong and alive.
The evening will conclude with Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament, devotional hymns, and the singing of the Divine Praises, a final act of worship before the congregation processes out to the timeless refrain of “How bright these glorious spirits shine.”
