27/02/2026
A few brief remembrances of the life of Rt. Rev. Nathaniel Garang Anyieth Jangdit, Bishop Emeritus of the Episcopal Diocese of Bor, our father in God who have died on Tuesday, February 24, 2026 in Nairobi due to his long illness. Bishop Nathaniel was born in 1940 in the village of Werkok, Makuach in Bor County of Jonglei State. He was priested into Episcopal order in 1975. He was consecrated in 1984 as Assistant Bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Rumbek and based in Bor Area. He was enthroned in 1997 in Narus, Eastern Equartoria as diocesan Bishop of Bor and retired in 2011.
I have a unique bond with him, just like any other priest in the Episcopal Church who was directly supervised by him, and he has instilled in me a spirit of fortitude, tolerance, and tenacity. Nathaniel was a man who was faithful, pious, and obedient to his calling. When it came to administrative things, he was calm and gentle. Under his leadership, we had both beneficial and detrimental effects. He was able to gently lead the church till his dignified retirement. He loves us, knows us inside and out, and has treated us like his own children and servants of God not just as church employees.
He was a talented vocalist and a powerful speaker of the Word. He undoubtedly fought a good battle because, according to the apostle Paul, "Fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12) refers to actively enduring in spiritual life by abiding by God's Word, opposing sin, and clinging to convictions in the face of emotions, situations, or resistance. Nathaniel has done exactly that. A few of his accomplishments among others that come to my mind are listed below.
1. Nathaniel has essentially succeeded in spreading the message of Christ and evangelizing the Sudanese, particularly the Jieng and Nuer communities. Following the sons of Archibald Shaw, who made every effort to reach out to many places to save souls but were hampered by circumstances that affected their efforts due to a lack of strong evangelis