Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter
AFTER MUCH pomp and pageantry the Reverend Canon Dr. Robert McLean Thompson was officially weighed, measured and found worthy to be named the new Anglican Bishop of Kingston.
The ordination and consecration service was held yesterday at the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle, more popularly known as the Kingston Parish Church.
Traffic in the vicinity of St. William Grant Park in downtown, Kingston came to a crawl, as motorists were not allowed to drive by the church.
This preference was given to the Anglican community so as to facilitate their pontifical procession, which saw a host of clergy forming a queue from the entrance to the church into the middle of the street.
The Rev. Dr. Kortright Davis, professor of Divinity at Howard University, delivered the day's sermon.
The consecrating bishop was the most Reverend Drexel Gomez, Archbishop of the West Indies. After being presented with a Bible by Archbishop Gomez, Bishop Thompson, 57, was anointed and vested according to the order of bishops.
He was then given the pectoral cross, the Bishop's ring, mitre and a staff. After receiving the various artefacts, there was fanfare and then the Archbishop officially presented him as Bishop Robert McLean Thompson.
Among the first duties performed by the newly consecrated Anglican Bishop of Kingston were a blessing of the people and a blessing of the city of Kingston.
After the ritual-filled service, many flocked the new bishop and bowed before him and kissed his ring as they seemingly sought a blessing.
WELL ATTENDED
The three-hour plus service was well attended. The pews were filled to capacity with clergy, laymen and politicians.
The head of state, Governor-General Sir Howard Cooke and Lady Cooke were among those in attendance. Opposition Leader, Bruce Golding was also present while Robert Pickersgill, Minister of Transport and Works represented Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.
Bishop Thompson, who is a Jamaica College old boy, is the son of James Thompson, retired Custos of Westmoreland.
He is married to Charmaine (née Bunting), the union has produced two sons.
