Italian Priest Sandro Ferretto Marries Kenyan Woman

Sandro Ferretto, a 55-year-old Italian priest, has left the priesthood after more than a decade of missionary work in Kenya, marrying Sharon Jepng'ok, a Tugen woman from Baringo South, on September 6, 2026, in a traditional ceremony in Kasiela. The wedding followed the Koito tradition, which involves dowry negotiations.

Ferretto was ordained for the Diocese of Padua in Italy and served under the Diocese of Nyahururu from 2008, becoming well-known in Baringo County for his community development efforts. He returned to Italy in December 2020 and later oversaw a pastoral unit in Saletto, Borgo Veneto.

By 2023, he had stepped down for personal reflection and returned to Kenya, where he reconnected with Jepng'ok. The marriage raises questions about canonical implications, as Catholic law requires priests to remain celibate unless they undergo laicisation.

It remains unconfirmed whether Ferretto completed this process before marrying.