By Sandra Kenneth
A former Italian Catholic missionary, Sandro Ferretto, has officially stepped away from clerical life to marry his long-time acquaintance, Sharon Jepng’ok, in a traditional wedding ceremony in Baringo County.
Ferretto, 55, wed Jepng’ok on September 6 in Seretion village, Kasiela—the same locality in Baringo South where he previously served as a parish priest for over a decade. Known affectionately across the community as “Father Sandro,” Ferretto was united with Jepng’ok through the Koito, a traditional Kalenjin rite that includes formal dowry negotiations and family blessings. The celebration was attended by family, village elders, and local officials.
Photos and videos from the event show the couple clad in matching traditional orange-and-blue attire and beaded garments, actively participating in customary dance rites surrounded by community well-wishers.
Originally ordained under the Diocese of Padua in Italy, Ferretto arrived in Kenya as a missionary in 2008, serving the Kasiela and Mochongoi areas within the Diocese of Nyahururu for 12 years. He returned to Italy in late 2020 and was eventually tasked with leading a pastoral unit of eight churches in Borgo Veneto.
However, in December 2023, Ferretto abruptly stepped down from active ministry following a final Mass. At the time, church officials in Padua acknowledged his exit as a personal pause from pastoral duties rather than a disciplinary matter. Shortly after, he returned to Kenya to reunite with Jepng’ok, whom he had met during his mission years.
Under Catholic canon law, Latin Rite priests are bound by vows of celibacy and cannot marry while in active ministry. Clergy seeking marriage must typically complete a formal Vatican process called laicisation, which grants a dispensation from celibacy and formally removes clerical status.
Neither the Diocese of Padua nor the Diocese of Nyahururu has released an official statement regarding the marriage.
