Vatican official sent to Nyeri ahead of historic ceremony

A grader levelling a section of Mathari Mission Complex ahead of Sr Irene Stefani ''Nyaatha'' beatification ceremony to be held between May 22 and 24. She was buried in Mathari Cemetery in October 31, 1930. aged 39 years. [PHOTO: KIBATA KIHU/STANDARD]

Nyeri, Kenya: As Kenya prepares for the beatification of Sister Irene ‘Nyaatha’ Stefani in Nyeri, the Vatican will this week send the coordinator of the cause at the Catholic Church headquarters, Rev Pasqualetti Gortado, to Nyeri Country.

Gortado, the postulator of the cause of the beatification in Rome, has been instrumental in organising the event at the Vatican, and has been coordinating with the local coordinator, Father Peter Githinji.

Gortado is also a professor of Liturgy at the Pontifical Urban University in Vatican City, and is also charged with delivering recommendations from the Congregation of the Causes of Saints the Vatican.

“He will deliver the approved liturgical beatification prayers and hymnos (hymns) for the day of beatification,” said Father Githinji.

“He will help in ensuring everything goes on as scheduled, including inspecting the main dais and every venue of the beatification.”

Githinji told The Standard on Sunday that Gortado confirmed his visit last week.

The head of the Tanzanian Catholic Church, Polycarp Cardinal Pengo, who will deliver the papal decree on the beatification of Sister Nyaatha, will arrive in Kenya on the morning of May 22. There will be a night vigil at Gikondi Catholic Parish the same day.

Nyaatha lived and worked in Gikondi in the early 1900s and died in 1930 of bubonic plague, which she contracted from a patient identified as Ngare. “Gortado has already acquired an air ticket and will be received by the Pope’s representative to Kenya, Charles Daniel Balvo, as well as other Catholic Church leaders and State officials,” said Githinji.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has declared the beatification a State function, and State officials have been visiting Nyeri ahead of the event to be held on May 22 to 24. Among those who have visited the area are Internal Security Secretary Joseph Irungu and the Brand Strategy and Events Director at the Presidency, Ted Kwaka, popularly known as Big Ted. Queries, however, abound on whether Nyeri town can accommodate the estimated 300,000 visitors expected. Already, the town has started to feel the heat of the oncoming event, with Nyeri County chief of staff Simon Wachira saying an estimated 1,000 visitors have been visiting every day since last month. “We have seen a tremendous change in the number of visitors coming to Nyeri, and this is helping us prepare for the main event.

“We expect huge numbers to flock the area during the three days of the beatification, and we are confident we will be able to handle them and provide the necessary services,” said Wachira.

Mathari Central Chapel, which host the relics of the late nun, has become a major tourist attraction, with hundreds of people visiting it to view the sarcophagus and hold prayers by the tomb. “The pilgrimages are a good indicator of the excitement that has gripped the town. There is an increased volume of business in the hospitality and souvenir businesses,” said Wachira. Pilgrims are coming from far and wide. Take three Italian nationals, Raffaela Zanon, Simone Ferretto and Andrea Palu, who have visited Gikondi Catholic Parish, Mathari Mission Complex and Our Lady of Consolata Catholic Cathedral in Nyeri as part of their pilgrimage dedicated to the late nun. “We were in Kenya last year with my mother and the Consolata sisters invited us to the beatification,” says Zanon. Consolata Sister Linda Hills says the nephews and nieces of Sister Nyaatha are also expected to jet into the country a few days before the ceremony and will be hosted by the Catholic Church.

The national government has issued tenders for improvement of roads leading to the three venues of the beatification; Mathari Mission Complex, Gikondi Catholic Parish and Dedan Kimathi University of Technology.

At the same time, Kenya Power employees have been installing street lights in Nyeri town, and a similar project will be undertaken in Mukurweini, Gikondi and Karatina towns.

Last week, the company deployed tens of technicians to replace dilapidated street lights along Kimathi Way, where the relics of Sister Nyaatha will pass on May 24, on the way to St Mary’s Boys’ Secondary School for a service. Afterwards, the relics will be placed in a bullet-proof sarcophagus at Our lady of Consolata Catholic Cathedral.

“Every party, the national and county governments and also the church, have set their own targets and timelines. As the county government, we are progressing well. We want to create a tourism product that will make every pilgrim return to Nyeri every year,” said Wachira. He added that at least 100 people had registered themselves to offer home stays to pilgrims, and inspection of their homes is ongoing.

“We have also started registering traders who will offer hotel services to ensure they abide by the necessary public health and hygiene standards, to avoid outbreak of diseases,” he added.