On 24th April, there was great celebration at St George’s, as the Feast of St George’s was celebrated along with Archbishop Suheil’s birthday. In commemoraction of the 101st Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide prayers were said and the Archbishop wore an Armenian Cross.
The Archbishop attended the Atlanta Summit of Churches in the USA and the Holy Land, Pursuing Peace and Strengthening Presence, from 19 to 20 April 2016.
All Saint’s Episcopal Church, Beirut was delighted to receive Archbishop Suheil over the weekend of Sunday 10 April 2016. He was accompanied by his wife Shafeeqa who leads the Diocesan Women’s Ministry, the Revd. Canon Victor Diab, his wife Leila and the Revd. Fouad Dagher from St. Paul’s Church, Shefa’amr.
The Archbishop met St Thomas', Seattle, Medina, Washington. Led by The Rev. Jane Maynard. Also present were Fred and Mary Pneuman who served in the Diocese in 2006.
On Monday, 4th April 2016, the Archbishop of Melbourne, and Primate of Australia, the Most Reverend Dr Philip Freier was installed as Episcopal Canon in the seat of Mount Hermon by the Dean of the Cathedral, The Very Reverend Hosam Naoum.
On 1st April 2016, The Greek Orthodox Patriarch, His Beatitude Theolphilos III made a courtesy visit to Archbishop and Mrs Dawani at St George’s following Easter. Also present were Archbishop Aristarchus, Dean Hosam Naoum, Dr Hisham Nasser and Canon David Longe. The Patriarch also met Archbishop Dawani’s new Personal Assistant, Pauline Collier.
The Archbishop attended at reception, with other heads of churches, at the invitation of the Latin Patriarch. Following the Latin Patriarch’s address, the Archbishop also addressed those attending the reception.
The Archbishop preached and presided in a full Cathedral on Easter Sunday. The choir sang again Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus. The cathedral clergy were joined by the Reverend Dr Yazeed Said, and the Right Reverend Dinis Sengulane DD (previously bishop of Lebombo, Mozambique).
The Easter Vigil commenced at 8pm with the Archbishop preaching and presiding. St George’s choir sang Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus. The cathedral clergy were joined by the Reverend Dr Yazeed Said, and the Right Reverend Dinis Sengulane DD (previously bishop of Lebombo, Mozambique). The Dean sang the Exultet.
At 6am, The Most Reverend Suheil Dawani, Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, with The Right Reverend Dr Munib Younan, Evangelical Lutheran in Jordan and the Holy Land, Reverend Páraic Réamonn, Minister of St Andrew’s Memorial Church (Church of Scotland), and The Right Reverend Wolfgang Schmidt, Propst, led the stations of the cross in the Old City. This was followed by ‘Good Friday Devotions’ in the Cathedral at midday, accompanied by St George’s Choir. The Dean of the Cathedral, the Very Reverend Hosam Naoum, preached.
At the annual Chrism Mass, local clergy from the Diocese gathered at St George’s Cathedral to renew their ordination vows, the blessing of the oils, and the Eucharist. The service was followed by a Lenten lunch. The Archbishop preached and presided.
At 6pm there was a Eucharist with foot-washing at St George’s Cathedral. The Archbishop presided at the Eucharist and the Very Reverend Canon Dr Gregory Jenks preached. St George’s choir sang, among other things, “God is love”. Following the service the Dean of the Cathedral, the Very Reverend Hosam Naoum, led a vigil on the Mount of Olives. Also in attendance were Reverend Páraic Réamonn, Minister of St Andrew’s Memorial Church (Church of Scotland), Jerusalem; the Reverend Dr Yazeed Said; the Reverend Canon Dr Lawrence Hilditch and the Reverend Canon David Longe.
The Archbishop Preached and presided on Palm Sunday.
Under the patronage of his beatitude the Archbishop Suheil Dawani, and the Minister for Jerusalem Affairs, Mr. Adnan Al-Husseini, Sheikh Azzam Al Khatib General Manager Administration of Islamic Affairs and Al-Aqsa Mosque and a Representative from the Jordanian Embassy the Jerusalem Princess Basma Center celebrated the opening of the newly renovated Princess Basma Kindergarten.
On 14th March Archbishop Suheil met Bishop Richard Cheetham and Sheikh Ibrahim who were leading the Sharing Perspectives’ Course at St. George’s College. Sharing Perspectives is a course run a the college for Christian and Muslims from the UK.
On March 8th , Archbishop Suheil met with Peter Rand, Vice Chair of the Friends of Holy land (FHL), Rev. Lynn Boyle, Vicar of the Diocese of Chester and FHL representative and her husband Michael Boyle. Mr Rand, Rev Boyle and Mr Boyle accompanied Sawsan Aranki-Batato, the Diocesan Programs Development Officer, Ramallah to visit the Medical Centre and the Arab Evangelical School . The Archbishop expressed his thanks to FHL for all their help in the Diocese, particularly their help with Saint Luke’s hospital, Nablus,; the Medical centre as well as the Arab Evangelical School in Ramallah.
Archbishop Suhail Dawani visited St. Matthew's Episcopal Church- Zababdeh. The Archbishop preached and presided at a wonderful service. After that, the Archbishop met the congregation in Church Hall and toured the Penman Clinic.
Archbishop Suheil greets Anba Antonias Metropolitan of Jerusalem and the Near East for the Coptic Orthodox Church at Jaffa Gate with the fellow Heads of Churches.
Archbishop Suheil met with the Reverend Brian Jolly, chair of Embrace Middle East, and Mr Jeremy Moody, CEO of Embrace Middle East. The Archbishop expressed, on behalf of the Diocese, his gratitude to Embrace Middle East for the support it provides to Diocesan institutions and parishes.
The Archbishop visited St Peter’s Church, Beirzit, where he inspected the construction of St Peter’s House. It is hoped that St Peter’s House will on completion provide a space for the community to meet as well as provide sheltered housing for the elderly and students from Beirzit University. The Archbishop then preached and presided at a Eucharist in St Peter’s Church. Members of the community were present, along with Reverend Fadi Diab and the Reverend Canon David Longe.