Catholic bishops attend Kenya beatification ceremony
Nyeri, Kenya, 23 May - (ANA) - Tens of thousands of Catholic pilgrims have attended the beatification in the Kenyan town of Nyeri of Italian-born nun Irene Stefani. Sister Stefani went to Kenya in 1915 and worked as a nurse at British military hospitals during WW1. She then settled near Nyeri where she was known as "Nyaatha", meaning "mother of mercy" in the Kikuyu language. Nyeri has held three days of beatification ceremonies, taking the nun a step closer to becoming a saint. Tanzanian Cardinal Polycarp Pengo on Saturday read a letter of beatification in Latin from Pope Francis, declaring that the sister "from now on will be called Blessed". Kenya's Daily Nation said up to 100,000 people were in attendance, with millions more watching on live television. (ANA)

FA/ANA/23 May 2015---------