Catholicism in Kenya

The first Catholic missionaries from Portugal appeared on the territory of modern Kenya at the beginning of the XVI century. In 1498, Vasco da Gama built a small chapel near Malindi and erected a coral pillar that has survived to this day with a cross in sign of an agreement with local rulers. From the end of the 16th century, the systematic Christianization of the local population began, which began to be carried out by monks from the Order of the Augustinians . In 1599, there were about 600 baptized Kenyans in Mombasa ^[2] . In 1631, the Mombasa Sultan, Geronim Chingul (al-Hassan), who had previously adopted Catholicism for political reasons, returned to Islam and began to persecute Catholics. On August 21, 288 people were killed by his decree, who were beatified by the Holy See as martyrs from Mombasa. After this event, the activities of the Catholic Church stopped until the middle of the XIX century.

In 1863, monks from the Congregation of the Holy Spirit arrived in Kenya, which founded several missions in Nairobi, on the Tana River, in Bure and Mombasa. Since 1902, the monks of the missionary institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Comforter began their activities among the Kikuyu and Meru peoples. In 1903, missionary activity among the Luo people began, which was carried out by members of the Society of Missionaries of St. Joseph of Mill Hill . Since 1916, Catholicism began to spread among the Kururi .

In 1906, the first Catholic church structure was established under the name “Apostolic Prefecture of Kenya”, which in 1909 was transformed into an apostolic vicar .

In 1916, the first Catholic seminary was founded in Nyeri. In 1927, the first two Kenyans were ordained a priest.

In 1930, the Holy See established an apostolic delegate in Mombasa, which extended its jurisdiction to all Catholic missions in the English colonies north of tropical Africa all the way to Saudi Arabia. In 1959, the apostolic delegate was moved to Nairobi and in 1965 it was transformed into an apostolic nunciature.

In 1953, the first three Catholic dioceses were created with the subordination of the archdiocese in Nairobi. In 1973, there was the first Kenyan cardinal, Maurice Michael Otung .

In Kenya there are 4 archdiocese, 20 dioceses, 1 apostolic vicar and military vicar. All dioceses of the country are united by a single administrative structure, the “ Conference of Catholic Bishops of Kenya ”.

• Archdiocese of Kisumu
  • Diocese of Bungoma , Diocese of Kakamega , Diocese of Kisii , Diocese of Kitale , Diocese of Lodwar , [Diocese of Homa Bay]] and Diocese of Eldoret
• Archbishopric of Mombasa :
  • Diocese of Garissa , Diocese of Malindi
• Archdiocese of Nairobi :
  • Diocese of Kericho , Diocese of Kitui , Diocese of Machakos , Diocese of Nakuru and Diocese of Ngong
• Archdiocese of Nyeri :
  • Diocese of Maralal , Diocese of Marsabit , Diocese of Murangi , Diocese of Nyahururu and Diocese of Embu
• Apostolic Vicariate Isiolo
• Kenya Military Ordinary

• The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 2, ed. Franciscantsev, M., 2005, pp. 971–972, ISBN 5-89208-054-4

• Information (English)