Sandro Ferretto, 55, married Sharon Jepng’ok in a traditional Koito ceremony held on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at Seretion Village in Kasiela, Baringo South.
The ceremony brought together the couple’s families, elders, local leaders and Jepng’ok’s colleagues, as they took part in traditional proceedings that included family meetings, dowry discussions and blessings.
Ferretto, who spent about 12 years serving as a Catholic missionary in Kenya, was ordained for the Diocese of Padua in Italy before travelling to the country in 2008.
He served under the Diocese of Nyahururu, working as a parish priest in Kasiela and Mochongoi in Baringo County, where he became known locally as Father Sandro.
His work extended beyond parish duties, with Ferretto taking part in pastoral activities, youth programmes and community projects. It was during his years working in Baringo that he met Jepng’ok.
From Kenya back to Italy
Ferretto returned to Italy in December 2020 alongside fellow missionary Father Mariano Dal Ponte, according to Italian newspaper Il Gazzettino.
By 2023, he was overseeing a pastoral unit covering eight churches in Saletto, Borgo Veneto, in the Diocese of Padua.
Later that year, however, Ferretto stepped away from parish duties after celebrating what was reported as his final Mass.
At the time, Il Gazzettino reported that he wanted to take a break from parish work. The Diocese of Padua clarified that he remained a priest and that his decision was not connected to any controversy.
He subsequently volunteered with the Levante cooperative in Padua, an organisation involved in supporting migrants.
A return to Kenya
Ferretto eventually returned to Kenya, where he reunited with Jepng’ok, the woman he had met during his missionary years in Baringo.
Their relationship eventually led to marriage, with the couple choosing to formalise their union through a traditional Koito ceremony.
The ceremony featured traditional attire, family gatherings, negotiations over dowry and blessings from elders, with Ferretto taking part in the proceedings alongside his bride and their families.
Images from the event showed the former priest embracing the celebrations and participating in the traditions of his bride’s community.
The unusual journey has attracted attention on Kenyan social media, with many users commenting on Ferretto’s transformation from a Catholic missionary known as Father Sandro to a groom returning to Kenya to marry the woman he met during his years of service.
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