Before becoming Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was an important leader in the Vatican. In December 2024, he visited Kenya to lead a special ceremony for a new chapel in Nairobi as a cardinal.
This visit became even more important after he was elected pope on May 8, 2025.
On December 10, 2024, Prevost, who is part of the Order of Saint Augustine, blessed the Our Mother of Good Counsel Chapel at the Augustinian Theology House in the Karen area of Nairobi.
This was part of a plan to create a place for worship and training for Augustinian seminarians in Kenya.
Many local priests, seminarians, and Catholic followers attended the event. Prevost spoke about how the chapel would serve as a spiritual centre for the growing Augustinian community in East Africa.
Moses Wetangula, the Speaker of the National Assembly, said after Prevost became pope, “Kenya is truly a blessed nation,” highlighting how special the visit was.
Kenyan users on X shared photos and expressed happiness about the cardinal’s presence, noting how quickly he became the first American pope just months later.
Local news outlets like Taifa Leo reported on the event, showing Prevost’s strong connection to the Augustinian order, which he led from 2001 to 2013.
During the ceremony, he spoke about the importance of faith and community.
These ideas were also present in his first speech as pope, where he asked the Church to “build bridges”.
Cardinal Prevost’s visit to Kenya, though short, is seen as very important for the people. Now, many Kenyans look forward to what Pope Leo XIV will do for the Catholic community in Africa.
