Religious Order in Kenya Receives “Mary’s image”, Offers Devotion for “peaceful elections”

“As Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception of Ivrea, we dedicate our country Kenya into the hands of mother Mary for a peaceful election this year, an election that will embrace justice, peace and fairness,” Sr. Leocadia said.

She added, “We pray that through the intercession of Mary, we may overcome selfishness, which will enable us to stop vices such as corruption, especially in the expected 2022 elections.”

The Tanzanian-born Nun said that the reception of the miraculous image of Mary by members of her Congregation has boosted her faith.

Sr. Leocadia pledged to pray for families, which she said have come under constant attack by the evil one as is manifested in increased cases of divorce and same sex unions across the globe.

She said that she will, in front of the miraculous image of Mary, pray that the original grace and goal of the family as God intended it to be at the beginning be safeguarded.

Sr. Leocada told ACI Africa that she is positive that the same way the images of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Joseph were protected through the intercession of Mary, the mother of God will equally protect the family from attacks.

Sr. Leacadia with other sisters of the congregation with the miraculous image on display in their chapel. Credit: ACI Africa.

In a written speech shared with ACI Africa, Sr. Priscilla Isidor who worked at the 7th October Hospital located at 23rd July road in Benghazi in Libya between 1995 and 2014 narrates the history of the miraculous image of Mary.

A missionary in Libya for 19 years, Sr. Isidor says the image of the miraculous image of Mary was among other images Sisters of Charity of Ivrea owned.

Before leaving for Rome in 2014 following insecurity as a result of the civil war, she recalls in the speech shared with ACI Africa, she transferred to Benghazi Cathedral the miraculous image of Mary, which had been copied from the original one in Rome, along with that of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Joseph from their residence in 7th October hospital.

“After we had left in 2014, the Cathedral was bombed and everything including what was within its vicinity was destroyed,” Sr. Isidor says.

She says that after the bombing of the Cathedral, the Libyan government cordoned the area because there was fear of further attacks even after the war.

According to the Catholic Sister, the Priest who later visited the area and retrieved the image from the destroyed Cathedral traced it back to the Sisters of Charity of Ivrea. The image was safely delivered to the headquarters of the Catholic Congregation that was founded by the Italian Catholic Nun, Antonia María Verna, in 1823, in Rivarolo Canavese.

She says that the testimony of the Priest who retrieved the images and the condition they were in indicated that mother Mary protected St. Vincent de Paul and St. Joseph who are both patrons of the Sisters of Charity of Ivrea, also called Vernian Sisters, from harm.

Sr. Isidor recalls receiving the image in Italy in 2019 on behalf of the Mother Superior. 

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She further recalls her experience coming into contact with the miraculous image that she had left in Benghazi Cathedral at the end of her 19 years of missionary work.

The Catholic Nun says in her written speech, “These encounters have gladdened my heart and equally revealed to me that God truly loves me in a very special way and has equally shown me that mother Mary is with me forever together with all the people and also protects us in our missionary journey.”

Meanwhile, in a separate interview with ACI Africa, Sr. Nancy Jeptanui said the history of the miraculous image dates back to 1859 in Turin Italy when it could not be destroyed after being struck three times with an ax, the ax finally breaking into two pieces on the third strike.

Sr. Jeptanui said that the assailants were agitated by the indestructible nature of the image and finally opted to burn it.

The fire could not still destroy the image, instead, a leaping and flickering flame brightened the face of mother Mary on the image, the Kenyan-born Catholic Nun told ACI Africa.

“With a satanic gesture, they took the painting and tossed it into the fire, which had been lit in the fireplace since it was a frigid day,” she narrated in reference to the assailants, and added, “Within seconds, the painting burst into flames, and an extraordinary event took place before the eyes of the amazed by standers.”

Display of the miraculous image in the chapel of the Sisters of Ivrea. Credit: ACI Africa

She further narrated, “The wood and the frame of the painting burned, but the leaping and flickering flames gave a new light to the sweetest face of the Virgin, who looked increasingly beautiful.”

The member of the Sisters of Charity of Ivrea who witnessed the reception of the miraculous image in Kenya expressed joy and extended an invitation to those willing to join them in devotion and prayer in front of the image to do so.

“I would like to encourage and invite all those willing to journey with us for the days we shall be in possession of the image,” Sr. Jeptanui told ACI Africa. 

The Mother Superior of the Ivrea Nuns in Africa, Sr. Jenipher Muga, requested the image from the headquarters to be circulated to all the places where the congregation has members.

The circulation of the image is to take place as the Congregation marks its 10th anniversary since her foundress, Antonia Maria Verna, was declared blessed. The petition during the circulation of the image is to ask Mother Mary to pray for missionary work across the globe.