SCNs Philomina Hembrom and Reema Tigga joined the Catholics of Gongoni Parish to make a spiritual journey to Subukia Marian Shrine at Nakuru Diocese for the National Prayer Day & pilgrimage organized by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB). The long journey of 22 hours by road was tiresome but for a good cause. The blessings of inner joy and peace they experienced wiped away their fatigue and the inconveniences of the long journey. The theme of the National Prayer 2024 was “Journeying together in integrity as the family of God through Small Christian Communities.”

The “Village of Mary” is the National Marian Shrine located at Subukia in Nakuru, about 850 kilometers from Malindi. The shrine belongs to the Kenya Episcopal Conference and is entrusted to the care of the Conventual Franciscan Friars. KCCB organizes the national prayer day at the Marian Shrine every year on the first Saturday of October. Thousands of pilgrims from Kenya and its neighboring countries, including bishops, clergy, religious, Catholics, and even non-Catholics, gather to pray. SCNs Philomina and Reema were privileged to be part of this multitude of pilgrims and received the blessings.

The Shrine, spread over more than 500 acres, is known for its landscape beauty and serenity and creates a conducive environment for personal and communal prayers. From the site of the main shrine church, which is at the foot of the hill, a stone-paved path known as the Way of the Cross leads pilgrims to the miraculous spring at the top of the hill. No pilgrim returns home without going up the hill to the spring. They climb the hill individually or in small groups, remembering the Passion of Christ at Calvary. There are crosses symbolizing the Stations of the Cross all the way up the hill to the spring. The water from the miraculous spring is channeled to different small ponds where pilgrims can drink, refresh themselves, and even collect water to carry home. There is also a small pond for those who wish to take a dip. Everyone who drinks the water testifies that their tiredness vanishes, and they experience a sense of peace they can’t explain. There have been several physical cures and healing testimonies after drinking the spring water or taking a dip in the pond.

People walk down the hill through another paved path known as the Path of the Rosary, marked by the 20 mysteries of the Rosary, which begins in the spring and ends at the grotto of Our Lady at the base of the hill. A multitude of people—yet all are praying and engaged in different devotional activities. It was overwhelming.

The 2024 annual prayer day also marked the Golden Jubilee of the Small Christian Communities in the AMECEA (Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa) region, consisting of nine member countries: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. The pilgrims also talked on SCCs, which was followed by a night vigil on Oct. 4.

The highlight of the event was the Holy Eucharist on Oct. 5, where Rt. Rev. Charles Joseph Kasonde, Archbishop of Solwezi, Zambia, the chairman of AMECEA, was the main celebrant and concelebrated with around 21 bishops and hundreds of priests. It was estimated that around 50,000 pilgrims gathered for prayers. This year’s event was animated by the Ecclesiastical Province of Mombasa, consisting of the Dioceses of Garissa, Malindi, and the Archdiocese of Mombasa. The singing was mesmerizing, attracting the participation of the whole crowd in the vicinity. Everyone sang and danced according to the rhythm of the songs. The choir was estimated to have around 3,000 members. Though there was a sense of festivity, all experienced peace and serenity during the Eucharist and the adoration and benediction that followed. All, including SCNs Philomina and Reema, returned home with such an overwhelming experience.