An Anglican church in Barbados drew an overflowing congregation on Sunday for what organizers described as the Caribbean debut of the Bob Marley Emancipation Mass, blending reggae classics with Eucharistic liturgy during the island’s Season of Emancipation.
The service at St Barnabas Anglican Church featured seven of the reggae legend’s songs, including _Coming in from the Cold, War, Exodus, Redemption Song, Three Little Birds_ and _Get Up, Stand Up_, woven into a liturgy focused on themes of justice, liberation, peace and hope.
The idea was conceived by retired Anglican priest Rev. Canon Dr. Stephen Fields, who first wrote the Marley Mass while serving at St James Cathedral in Toronto. Fields said the inspiration came while planning a service around Canadian singer Leonard Cohen’s music.
“Here I was planning an event about the work of a white composer when Bob Marley has done some amazing music, and much of his lyrics relate to the Bible and the teachings of the church,” Fields told _The Gleaner_.
He arranged Marley’s songs to follow the structure of the Eucharist. Worshippers sang _Coming in from the Cold_ as clergy processed in, and the service ended with _Get Up, Stand Up_.
Fields dismissed claims that Marley’s music was too “secular” for church, arguing that its messages of justice, equity, love and freedom mirror Christian teachings.
“Who defines what is secular? His songs are about justice and equity and peace and love and affirmation and dignity and freedom. Those are sacred words,” he said.
The current rector, Rev. Canon Dr. Monrelle Williams, said the church embraced Marley’s music because of its theological resonance, not celebrity.
“We felt there is a theology embedded in Bob Marley’s music. He spoke of liberation. He spoke of love. He spoke of justice. He spoke of peace, and these were themes that Jesus himself emphasised,” Williams said.
The service was not without controversy. Williams noted objections from some in Barbados’ Rastafarian community who argued the Anglican Church, as a colonial institution, had no authority to present Marley’s work in a Christian setting.
“We were not trying to deal with his religion. We were trying to take from his music the positive things that can be found there and use them in a different way,” Williams said.
Despite the criticism, the event was well attended. The church was filled beyond capacity, with additional worshippers seated under tents outside watching on screens.
“It was well received, really well received. People were saying we need to do it again,” Williams added.
Sunday’s service followed the inaugural Marley Mass held in Toronto last year and marks the liturgy’s first staging in the Caribbean as Barbados marks its Season of Emancipation ahead of Emancipation Day on August 1.
