A former Catholic priest has traded his clerical collar for a wedding suit, marrying a Kenyan woman in a colourful traditional ceremony that has captured the imagination of many.
Italian born Father Sandro Ferretto, who once served as a Catholic parish priest in Kasiela and Mochongoi in Baringo County, married Sharon Jepng’ok, daughter of former councillor John Wendot, through a Koito ceremony at Seretion Village in Kasiela, Baringo South.
Sandro’s journey to this moment is one that few would have predicted. He is said to have first encountered Sharon while conducting missionary work in the Baringo region, a connection that would eventually lead him to step away from the priesthood entirely in order to pursue the relationship and build a family.
The ceremony, known as Koito, a cherished Kalenjin tradition centred on formal dowry negotiations and family blessings, brought together relatives, community members, local leaders and Sharon’s colleagues to witness the union.
Sandro immersed himself fully in the proceedings, embracing Tugen customs in what observers described as a genuinely warm and inclusive celebration.
The wedding stood out as a rare blending of Italian and Tugen cultures, with the former priest navigating a world far removed from the one he had known inside the Church.
The gathering at Seretion Village was a testament to how fully Sandro has planted roots in the Baringo community he once served in a spiritual capacity. The ceremony attracted considerable attention on Kenyan social media, where users found both charm and humour in the story.
Several commenters joked that Sandro had chosen Mursik, the beloved Kalenjin fermented milk, over the sacramental altar wine of his priestly days.
