Former Catholic Priest Marries Kenyan Woman in Traditional Ceremony After Leaving Clergy

An Italian-born former Catholic priest, Father Sandro Ferretto, has married a Kenyan woman in a colourful traditional ceremony in Baringo County after leaving the priesthood.

Ferretto, who previously served as a Catholic parish priest in Kasiela and Mochongoi, Baringo County, married Sharon Jepng’ok at Seretion Village in Baringo South.

Reports indicate that Ferretto met Jepng’ok during his missionary work in the area, where he was serving as a priest.

The two reportedly developed a relationship, after which Ferretto left the Catholic priesthood and chose to pursue family life.

Their traditional wedding has attracted attention in Kenya, largely because of Ferretto’s previous role as a Catholic priest and the unusual transition from religious ministry to marriage.

Photographs and videos from the ceremony have circulated on social media, showing the couple participating in traditional wedding activities.

Jepng’ok is reportedly a member of the Tugen community and the daughter of former councillor John Wendot.

The ceremony also drew interest because of its cultural dimension, with the couple embracing traditional customs as they formally began their married life.

Ferretto’s decision represents a major personal and vocational transition from his previous role in Catholic ministry to family life.

In the Latin Church, priests ordinarily observe a commitment to celibacy as part of their clerical ministry. A priest who chooses to leave active ministry and marry therefore undergoes a significant change in his religious and personal status.

The couple’s story has since generated reactions online, with members of the public discussing their relationship, Ferretto’s decision to leave the priesthood and the cultural dimension of their marriage.

For Ferretto and Jepng’ok, the ceremony in Seretion marks the beginning of a new chapter after a relationship that reportedly began during his missionary service in Baringo County.