By Deng Ghai Deng
Bishop Emeritus Nathanial Garang Anyieth Jangdit has been discharged from the hospital following successful treatment for severe malaria.
The 84-year-old bishop was initially admitted to Nile Kings Specialist Hospital in Juba before being transferred to a Nairobi facility for specialized care.
Philip Maluak Deng, the Secretary for Information for Jonglei Internal Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS), confirmed the discharge.
“Bishop Nathanial Garang has been taken home where he will rest before returning to South Sudan,” Deng said. “We expressed gratitude to all who supported and prayed for the bishop during his hospitalization, we call for continued prayers for his full recovery.”
Current Bishop of Bor, Ruben Akurdid Ngong Akurdid, has also called on the faithful worldwide to keep Bishop Garang in their thoughts and prayers.
Bishop Garang, a notable figure in the Dinka community, has had a distinguished career in the church since his ordination in 1975.
Born in 1940 in Werkok Village, Makuach Payam of Bor County, Bishop Garang has had a notable and influential career.
His education journey began at Akol Ajak Bush Primary in 1954, followed by Malek Primary School in 1957.
He earned a diploma in theology from the Nairobi Pentecostal Bible College in 1974 and was ordained a full pastor the following year.
In 1984, he was consecrated as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Bor, making history among the Dinka community.
He later served as Dean of the Province in 2006 and became the acting Archbishop of the Episcopal Province of Sudan following the death of Joseph Marona.
He retired in April 2011 and was succeeded by Akurdid, having won an election in Juba against Nathanial Bol Nyok by 88 votes.
The then Great Bor Dioceses, comprising Bor, Twic East, and Duk, faced critical challenges in 2004-2005 when some church leaders, including bishops Philip Angony Chol, Daniel Dau Deng, and John Machar Thon, defected from the Episcopal Church of Sudan, advocating doctrinal reforms.
Bishop Garang’s legacy remains deeply felt within the church and broader community.