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Father Sandro Ferretto, an Italian missionary priest who served in Kenya’s Baringo County, has married Sharon Jepng’ok after stepping away from the Catholic priesthood.
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Ferretto reportedly met Sharon while serving in the Kasiela and Mochongoi Catholic parishes, and their relationship eventually led him to abandon clerical life.
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The couple exchanged vows through a Koito ceremony, a major Kalenjin traditional marriage rite involving dowry negotiations and family blessings.
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The unusual marriage has generated intense debate, admiration and humour on social media, with many commenting on the former priest’s dramatic life transition.
September 07, (THEWILL) — A former Catholic parish priest, Father Sandro Ferretto, has stirred widespread reactions in Kenya after marrying Sharon Jepng’ok, a Kenyan woman he reportedly met while serving as a missionary priest in Baringo County.
Ferretto, who previously served in the Catholic parishes of Kasiela and Mochongoi in Baringo South, exchanged marriage vows with Sharon, the daughter of former councillor John Wendot, during a colourful traditional Koito ceremony held at Seretion Village in Kasiela.
According to Kenyan news platform Tuko, Ferretto’s decision to leave the Catholic priesthood followed the relationship he developed with Sharon during his missionary work in the region.
The relationship eventually grew into a commitment to build a family together, prompting him to leave active ministry.
The Koito ceremony, one of the most significant marriage traditions among the Kalenjin people, involved formal dowry negotiations, family blessings and traditional rites attended by relatives, community leaders, friends and Sharon’s colleagues.
Ferretto embraced the customs of the Tugen community throughout the celebration, participating fully in the cultural rituals in a ceremony described by attendees as warm, colourful and inclusive.
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The wedding symbolised a rare blend of Italian and Kenyan traditions, reflecting the former priest’s deep connection with the Baringo community where he spent years carrying out missionary activities.
News of the marriage quickly spread across Kenyan social media, where it attracted thousands of reactions.
While many congratulated the couple and praised their decision to follow love, others expressed surprise that a former Catholic priest had chosen marriage after years in ministry.
Under the Catholic Church’s Latin Rite, priests ordinarily take a vow of celibacy and are not permitted to marry while serving in active ministry.
A priest who intends to marry must first leave the priesthood and be released from his clerical obligations in accordance with Church procedures.
Several social media users responded with humour, joking that Ferretto had traded the sacramental altar wine of the Catholic Church for Mursik, the traditional fermented milk cherished by the Kalenjin community.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
