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Subukia shrine set to host 38th National Prayer Day
A mass procession of Catholic priests, bishops and archbishops during the National Prayer Day at the Subukia National Marian Shrine in Nakuru County on October 5, 2024.
Preparations are in high gear for this year’s National Prayer Day at the Marian National Shrine in Subukia, Nakuru County, where more than 50,000 pilgrims are expected on Saturday.
The 38th edition of the annual event will bring together Catholics, Christians from other denominations, Muslims, and people of goodwill under the theme “Pilgrims of Hope: Renewing Our Nation.”
For the first time since the shrine opened in 1987, worshippers will walk through a new ultramodern gate, while a perimeter wall has been erected around the still-under-construction 4,500-seater church. A temporary ablution block has also been built to ease movement during the Mass.
“This year, we expect pilgrims from across the country and beyond, including non-Catholics,” said Wilfred Kiboro, a member of the Shrine Management Committee and former Nation Media Group chairman.
Archbishop Anthony Muheria of Nyeri Archdiocese, who also serves as Vice Chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), will lead the liturgy.
He has urged Kenyans to use the day to pray for peace, unity and good leadership.
“If there is one contribution every Kenyan can make, it is to pray. We must seek God’s face together as a nation and recommit to values that defeat tribalism, corruption, and greed,” Archbishop Muheria said.
Pilgrims from Kakamega Diocese have been trekking 266 kilometres on foot to Subukia since September 24, braving rains and cold nights. They carry rosaries, sing hymns and fetch water from the shrine’s spring, which many believe has healing properties.
“This shrine is our Calvary,” said Fr Linus, one of the leaders of the walking group.
The Kenya National Highways Authority has repaired sections of the Nakuru-Bahati road to ease transport, while the shrine management has tightened security, crowd control and sanitation ahead of the gathering.
Vendors will set up food stalls and volunteers will help guide pilgrims across the 200-acre grounds.
What began in 1987 as a modest Catholic gathering has grown into one of the largest interfaith events in the country, where Kenyans bring their burdens, prayers, and hopes for a better future.
Archbishop Muheria summed up the spirit of the event: “Subukia is our chance to recommit to unity, sacrifice, and the pursuit of a great nation under God.”
