Hundreds attend Mass in honour of Blessed Sister Irene Stefani ‘Nyaatha’
The van carrying the relics of Blessed Irene Stefani 'Nyaatha' moves through Nyeri Town on May 24, 2015 in a processing towards St Mary's Boys High School for a thanksgiving Mass. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The faithful started assembling at Mathari Chapel as early as 6am in readiness for the procession amid a chilly and cold weather.
- The procession started off at around 7.20am soon after confirmation that the relics had not been interfered with since Thursday when the tomb holding them inside the Chapel was opened.
- Catholic hymns sang by the faithful were harmonised by instrumental music played by a band that led the procession.
- Motorists using the Nyeri Town-Mathari route and Nyeri-Nyahururu route had to give way to the procession between 7am and 10am.
Hundreds of Catholic faithful Sunday morning turned up for a thanksgiving Mass in honour of Blessed Sister Irene Stefani ‘Nyaatha’ who was beatified Saturday.
The mass was held at St Mary’s Boys Secondary School in Nyeri Town.
The Mass was scheduled to start at 10am and was preceded by a procession from Mathari Mission Centre at Mathari chapel where the remains of Sister Irene were.
Following the beatification, the remains are now being referred to as relics.
The faithful started assembling at Mathari Chapel as early as 6am in readiness for the procession amid a chilly and cold weather.
Young and old each doning Sister Irene’s souvenirs in form of badges, lesos, or umbrellas braved the early morning drizzle which is a common thing in Mathari area especially at this time of the year.
The procession started off at around 7.20am soon after confirmation that the relics had not been interfered with since Thursday when the tomb holding them inside the Chapel was opened.
Members of the committee which had been formed to confirm that the box containing the relics of Sister Irene had had not been tampered with confirmed again Sunday that the box was still intact.
The team led by the Nyeri Catholic Archdiocese legal officer, a representative from the Consolata Missionary Sisters and other committee members confirmed that it had not been interfered with since the tomb was opened last week.
“I confirm that the seal is not broken,” a representative from Consolata Missionary Sisters confirmed amid ululations from the crowd that had gathered.
Jubilation rent the air as the box containing the relics was moved from the church to a waiting van.
Along the seven kilometre distance that the procession followed, the crowd of faithful kept growing.
Catholic hymns sang by the faithful were harmonised by instrumental music played by a band that led the procession.
Motorists using the Nyeri Town-Mathari route and Nyeri-Nyahururu route had to give way to the procession between 7am and 10am.
The Mass started shortly after 10.30am soon after Sister Irene’s remains arrived.
