Monstrance to preserve Nyaatha’s relics in Gikondi church

A relic of Sr. Irene Stefani Nyaatha is placed on the table during a beatifcation ceremony at the Kimathi grounds on Saturday. [Photo: Jacob Otieno/Standard]

Nyeri, Kenya: The monstrance – the shiny trophy-like vessel – handed over to Gikondi Catholic parish priest during Saturday‘s beatification contained some relics of Blessed Irene.

Father Charles Ndirangu will store the monstrance at Our Lady Divine Providence, Gikondi Catholic Parish.

“The monstrance will be a pronunciation of the blessedness of Sister Irene Nyaatha in the Church. It will also be of significance since she lived and worked for the people of Gikondi and because she died while treating the population of a disease that threatened to wipe them,“ said Father Peter Githinji, the coordinator of the beatification event in Kenya.

A monstrance is a sacred artifact used, especially during adoration of the Holy Eucharist. And the use of a monstrance in storing the relic is a sign of the holiness of the Blessed Irene. The monstrance contained a relic, believed to be drawn from the spinal cord of the late nun who was yesterday promoted from Venerable to Blessed.

“A monstrance, when used in preserving relics usually contains first degree relics of the human anatomy,“ said Father Githinji.

It was brought to Kenya and first displayed at the Catholic University of East Africa, during a three-day missionaries conference which preceded the beatification. Consolata missionaries sister handed over the monstrance to John Cardinal Njue and the same was presented to Father Ndirangu by Nyeri Catholic Archbishop Peter Kairo.