Archbishop Of York in Jamaica

The plaque at the portico where abolition of slavery was proclaimed in Spanish Town

Archbishop Sentamu recalls what went in his mind when he stood at the spot where abolition of slavery was proclaimed 200 years ago.

I said to myself why humanity did such a thing to another person. Sell them like chattels, sell them like slaves.

What is it that went into their brains, you can say that they were liberated, but they were not slaves from birth. So the proclamation came and stopped the trade it left a sour bitterness.

In my thoughts, I recalled when I went to Zanzibar, I went to a place where the slaves were actually shackled, in a room where 5 of us couldn’t fit in 70 were put in there…three days no water, no food no toilet…if they wanted to go they mess themselves out.

After seven days their souls and hearts were broken so they were brought out. I went in there and thought to myself these were my brothers and sisters. The thing that went through me was almost like when I went into Zanzibar, the port where the slaves were being sold out.

It wasn’t hurray as I stood there…why, why did they ever sell people like things, my stomach turned actually just turned…I just thought humanity just stopped.
 

Archbishop and Mrs. Sentamu at the steps of the portico where proclamation of slavery was read out 200 years ago

Rev. Canon George Thomas, Rector of the Cathedral of St. Jago de la Vega awaits the arrival of Archbishop Sentamu

The Archbishop of York made a trip down history, when he visited Spanish Town. His first stop was the Cathedral of St. Jago de la Vega; here he sang hymns and interacted with those present.

A plaque was unveiled in the honour of Archbishop Sentamu’s visit to the Cathedral, which he graciously acknowledged. ‘May god bless you all’, he wrote in the vistor’s book.Arcbishop chose to walk to the Spanish Town Square from the cathedral, a ‘traffic stopper’ he had all the traffic trailing behind him as he made his way.

As he toured the town square, he shared a piognant moment as he stood at the steps of the building where the proclaimation to abolish slavery was read out 200 years ago.

Archbishop Sentamu returned to Kingston where he addressed the Anglican Youth Assembly at the National Indoor Sports Centre.

Archbishop Sentamu signing the guest book at the Cathedral of St. Jago de la Vega