Bishops from the eight Dioceses in the Province of the West Indies will be concelebrants at a historic recognition service for The Most Reverend Howard Gregory, Archbishop of the West Indies, on Thursday, at the Cathedral of St Jago de la Vega, Spanish Town, starting at 3:30 pm.

Also scheduled to attend will be three Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United States.

Highlight of the service will be the passing of the Primatial Cross by retired Archbishop, The Most Reverend, Dr John Holder, to Archbishop Gregory, signifying his authority as leader and guide of the Province.

This will be preceded by the reading of the Deed of Recognition which ratifies Bishop Gregory's election and appointment to the office of Archbishop of the West Indies, Primate and Metropolitan.

Archbishop Gregory will also be presented with other symbols of his office. These include the Bible which represents the Word of God, which he is called to proclaim; a prayer book; Chrism; Bread and Wine; as well as, the Constitution and Canons of the Province.

The congregation will be led by the custos of St Catherine, Reverend Jeffrey McKenzie, representing the governor general; and will include clergy and laity from across the Province of the West Indies; civic leaders and members of the ecumenical fraternity.

Archbishop Gregory, who began his pastoral journey in 1973, when he was ordained a Deacon, is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Jamaica Council of Churches.

He was elected as the 13th Archbishop of the province of the West Indies in May; and he is the first native-born Jamaican serving as Bishop of Jamaica and The Cayman Islands to hold this office.

As Archbishop, he is the primary minister of the Church's Liturgy, he chairs meetings of the Province and he is its link with the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The eight Dioceses of the Province are: The Diocese of Barbados; the Diocese of Belize; the Diocese of Guyana; the Diocese of Jamaica & The Cayman Islands; the Diocese of Northeastern Caribbean and Aruba; the Diocese of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands; the Diocese of Trinidad and Tobago; and the Diocese of The Windward Islands.