Irene Stefani beatification

Tens of thousands of Catholic pilgrims have attended the beatification in the Kenyan town of Nyeri of Italian-born nun Irene Stefani. Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person’s entrance into heaven and their ability to intercede on behalf of believers who pray in their name. It is the third of the four canonization stages and an individual is given the title “blessed” following their beatification.



Sister Stefani went to Kenya in 1915 and worked as a nurse at British military hospitals during WW1.
She then settled near Nyeri where she was known as "Nyaatha", meaning "mother of mercy" in the Kikuyu language.Nyeri has held three days of beatification ceremonies, taking the nun a step closer to becoming a saint. Tanzanian Cardinal Polycarp Pengo on Saturday read a letter of beatification in Latin from Pope Francis, declaring that the sister "from now on will be called Blessed".