FROM CATHOLIC PRIEST TO GROOM: ITALIAN MISSIONARY MARRIES KENYAN WOMAN

FROM CATHOLIC PRIEST TO GROOM: ITALIAN MISSIONARY MARRIES KENYAN WOMAN

After more than a decade serving as a Catholic missionary in Kenya, 55-year-old Sandro Ferretto has left the priesthood and married Sharon Jepng’ok, a Tugen woman from Baringo South.

Ferretto, who was ordained for the Diocese of Padua in Italy, began his missionary work in Kenya in 2008, serving communities in Kasiela and Mochongoi, Baringo County. It was during those years that he reportedly met Sharon. 

The couple tied the knot on September 6, 2026, at Seretion Village in Kasiela — the same community where Ferretto once served as a parish priest. They celebrated their union through a traditional Koito ceremony, a Kalenjin customary rite involving family participation, dowry negotiations and blessings from elders. ❤️

Ferretto later returned to Italy, where he was overseeing a pastoral unit in Saletto, Borgo Veneto, before stepping down from the role in 2023 for a period of reflection. He subsequently returned to Kenya and reunited with Sharon. 

His journey from “Father Sandro” to husband has attracted attention in both Kenya and Italy, marking a dramatic new chapter after years dedicated to missionary service.

Sometimes life takes you somewhere you never expected