During the week 15–19 February 2016, the College hosted two special programs for clergy from the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.

Between Monday morning and Wednesday afternoon, the College Dean led a retreat program for three candidates preparing for ordination as Deacons: Jamil Khader, Faris Naoum, and David Roche. The three were ordained by Archbishop Suheil Dawani, assisted by Bishop Munib Younan, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.

We wish the three new Deacons every blessing in their new ministries, in Jordan (Faris and Jamil) and in Beirut (David).

As the service ended, clergy gathered with the two Bishops and the three new Deacons for a photograph at the Nave Altar.

The following day, the clergy from the Diocese, including the three new Deacons, began a two day retreat program, which also included two Bible studies on the theme of sowing and reaping, led by the College Dean.

The retreat program included a visit to the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem (seen here with some of our clergy with the great dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the background), before prayers at the Tomb of Christ in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and then a visit to the Princess Basma Centre on Mt Olives.