Two key artefacts to be moved to city for Pope's mass

Newly released poster of Sr. Irene Stefani Nyaatha during her beatification at the Kimathi grounds on 23rd May ,2015. [photo/Jacob Otieno/Standard]

A canvas with a portrait of Blessed Sister Irene Nyaatha Stefani will be hanging at a dais where Pope Francis will conduct a mass in Nairobi.

The portrait was unveiled by Polycarp Cardinal Pengo of Dar-es-Salaam who represented the Pope during the Italian nun's beatification at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology grounds on May 23, this year. It was painted by an Italian artist from Anfo, the village where Blessed Nyaatha was born.

And a source close to the organising committee of the papal visit told The Standard that the portrait and a 100-year-old altar that was used during the beatification will be collected today for use during the mass.

The altar, which is stored in one of the halls at the Mathari Pastoral Centre in Nyeri, is a tourist attraction.

According to the source, the two artefacts will be transported today under tight security to the Holy Family Basilica in Nairobi.

When contacted, Father Peter Githinji, the Postulator of the Cause of Beatification of Blessed Sister Nyaatha said: "Blessed Nyaatha's beatification committee and Nyeri's Catholic Archbishop Peter Kairo, will hand over the altar and the canvas and we have information that county commissioners from Nyeri and Nairobi will be involved in transporting it. We will also have faithful from Nyeri and part of Blessed Nyaatha's beatification committee escorting them."

Father Peter Githinji of Nyeri Catholic Archdiocese, said faithful in Nyeri were honoured by the announcement that the two artefacts would be used by the Pope.

He said using the altar and the portrait was symbolic and a gesture that Pope Francis had Blessed Sister Nyaatha in his heart.

Pope Francis is also expected to recall the beatification and Catholic faithful are optimistic that he will revisit the beatification in his sermon.

This comes at a time when Catholics are awaiting a miracle attributed to Blessed Nyaatha for her to ascend to sainthood, which is the highest level in the Catholic faith.