Nyeri residents set to host visitors at nun’s fete

Nyeri Catholic Archbishop Peter Kairo at a past event. FILE PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI |

What you need to know:

  • 300,000 expected at beatification ceremony.
  • County starts listing locals keen to provide housing for the guests.

The Nyeri county government has started registering residents who wish to host international visitors set to attend a Catholic nun’s beatification ceremony.

Sister Irene Stefani lived and worked in Nyeri in the early 1900s.

The registration comes after several residents showed interest in hosting visitors during the international event that is scheduled to take place in Nyeri between May 22 and 24. The event is expected to attract more than 300,000 people.

“Since we are expecting thousands of people to attend the function, hotels may not be enough to accommodate all of them. Individuals are, therefore, volunteering to host the visitors at their homes,” said Senator Mutahi Kagwe.

He spoke on Monday during a breakfast prayer meeting at the Nyeri Catholic Secretariat offices.

MPs Esther Murugi (Nyeri Town), Mary Wambui (Othaya) and Priscilla Nyokabi (County Woman Representative), and representatives from the county government attended the meeting.

MIRACLE

Last month, a Vatican City representative overseeing the ceremony, Fr Gottardo Pasqualetti, said a miracle attributed to the nun took place at the Diocese of Nipepe in Mozambique on January 10, 1990.

A tribunal was later formed by the Vatican to investigate whether claims of the miracle having happened were true or false. It established that the miracle had indeed taken place.

The nun was a member of the Consolata Missionary Sisters and she assisted the wounded in Kenya and Tanzania during the First World War. She died at Gikondi Parish on October 31, 1930.

Beatification is a tradition in which the Catholic Church declares a person blessed on his or her way to sainthood.

Beatification is usually presided over by the Pope or his representative.

Nyeri Catholic Archbishop Peter Kairo said church leaders felt it was necessary to come together and pray for the unity of the county, as well as preparations for the beatification.

“We are happy that MPs and elected county leaders responded to our request that we work together,” said the archbishop.

His sentiments were echoed by New Life Church Bishop Paul Wanjohi, who said they intend to hold such breakfast prayer meetings with the county leadership regularly.

The political leaders who attended the meeting said they were taking the beatification ceremony seriously.

They promised to ensure the infrastructure required to make the event a success was in place and on time.