NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – Prime Minister Phillip Davis is leading the country in bidding farewell to one of the Bahamas’ finest sons of the cloth, after His Grace, The Most Reverend Drexel Wellington Gomez, died on Tuesday. He was 88 years old.
“We give thanks for his life, a life that began in the quiet corners of the Berry Islands and stretched across the world, anchored always in faith,” Prime Minister Davis said in a statement.
Archbishop Gomez served as Archbishop of the West Indies from 1996 to 2009, and his influence extended beyond The Bahamas, shaping theological discussions throughout the Caribbean and the global Anglican Communion.
In March this year, there had been calls for prayers for him after he was hospitalized suffering from stomach cancer.
In a statement, the Anglican Diocese of The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands said the Diocese shares “with immense sorrow that His Grace, the Most Reverend Drexel Wellington Gomez, Archbishop Emeritus of the Province of the West Indies and former Bishop of The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands, passed away this morning.
“We give thanks for Archbishop Gomez’s life of devoted service to God, the Church, and the people of this Diocese and beyond. His ministry, as Bishop of Barbados, then as Diocesan Bishop here in The Bahamas, and as Archbishop and Primate, bore witness to a faithful shepherd, a principled teacher, and a stalwart voice for the Gospel.”
The Anglican Diocese of The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands said during this time of mourning, it was inviting all clergy, congregations, and faithful friends to join in prayers of thanksgiving.
“May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace,” it added.
Prime Minister Davis recalled that the late Archbishop was not born into privilege, but into purpose, adding that it carried him from the classrooms of Western Senior to the hallowed halls of Codrington College in Barbados, and later to St. Chad’s College at Durham University. There, a young Bahamian priest in training absorbed the traditions of the Anglican Church, preparing for a life of service that would span nearly six decades.
“He carried himself with quiet authority, never loud, never seeking the spotlight, yet his presence commanded attention. When he spoke, you listened. Not because he demanded it, but because truth and conviction lived in his words,” Davis said.
“For me, and for many Bahamians, Archbishop Gomez was a steady hand and a moral compass. He reminded us that leadership is service, that faith must be lived, and that a man’s greatness is measured by his humility.”
“To the Anglican family, and to his loved ones, I offer the sympathy of my wife Ann, my family, and the people of The Bahamas. We give thanks for his life, a life that began in the quiet corners of the Berry Islands and stretched across the world, anchored always in faith.”
The leader of the Free National Movement (FNM), Michael Pintard, had said when the Archbishop was first hospitalized throughout his life, Archbishop Gomez had been a unifying voice within the Anglican Community,” and a devoted servant of God whose impact reaches far beyond the Church.”
Long Island parliamentary representative, Adrian Gibson, in a post on social media on Tuesday, described Archbishop Gomez as “a guiding light across the Caribbean, a voice of conviction and unity, and a shepherd to many.
“From his consecration as Bishop of Barbados, to his leadership as Bishop of The Bahamas and the Turks & Caicos Islands, and later as Archbishop and Primate of the Church in the Province of the West Indies, he guided the Anglican Church through defining moments in its history.”
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