13 July 2010 – The Rt. Rev. Suheil Dawani, bishop the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, today honored Mr. Jamil Habiby, deceased former diocesan lawyer, with re-interment of his ashes in Jerusalem. Mr. Habiby’s remains were removed from their original burial site and moved to Jerusalem to be placed alongside his wife in the historic Mt. Zion Cemetery next to the Old City.

Mr. and Mrs. Habiby were leading members of the Anglican Palestinian Church, beginning in Haifa until 1948 when they had to leave. Though their children settled in the US to begin their lives anew, Mr. and Mrs. Habiby chose to make their new home in Jerusalem where they could continue to be strong, active members of the diocese which their family had helped to build from its earliest years.

Bishop Dawani noted that a strong family bond between his family, who were also early members of the Anglican Church in this region, and the Habiby family had continued since the mid 1800’s. The Dawani and Habiby families were among the first in the region to welcome the Anglican tradition. The Christian roots of both families date back into through the centuries as Arab Christians are mentioned among the people of the first Pentecost.

The Mt. Zion Cemetery is the final resting place for early bishops of the Anglican Church in this region, as well as members of the Palestine police, and renowned archeologists.