Videos and photos of former Catholic priest Father Sandro Ferretto marrying his Kenyan partner, Sharon Jepng’ok, have taken social media by storm after the Italian-born former missionary exchanged priestly life for marriage in a colorful traditional ceremony in Baringo South, Kenya.
Ferretto, who spent years serving Catholic communities in Kenya, married Sharon on September 6, 2026, during a traditional Koito ceremony at Seretion Village in Kasiela, an area where he previously served as a parish priest.
The ceremony brought together relatives, community elders, local leaders and friends as the couple celebrated their union according to Kalenjin and Tugen traditions. Koito is an important customary marriage ceremony involving dowry negotiations, family participation and blessings for the couple.
Photos and videos circulating online show Ferretto enthusiastically embracing his bride’s culture, dressed in traditional attire and joining guests in dancing and celebrations. The scenes have generated widespread reactions, with many social media users fascinated by his remarkable journey from Catholic missionary to married man.
Ferretto was ordained for the Diocese of Padua in Italy before beginning missionary work in Kenya. Reports say he spent about 12 years serving communities in Baringo County, including Kasiela and Mochongoi, where he became deeply connected to local residents.
It was during his years in the region that Ferretto reportedly met Sharon, a Tugen woman and daughter of former councillor John Wendot. Their relationship eventually developed, and Ferretto later stepped away from active priestly ministry as he pursued a new life centered on marriage and family.
Reports indicate he had returned to Italy after his missionary assignment and continued performing pastoral duties before ultimately leaving active clerical ministry.
His return to Baringo was therefore dramatically different from the years when residents knew him as a priest. This time, he arrived not to celebrate Mass—but to become a groom.
The unusual love story has sparked both admiration and debate online, particularly because celibacy is a central requirement for priests in the Latin Catholic Church.
While reports widely describe Ferretto as having left the priesthood, details about his formal canonical status within the Catholic Church have not been publicly clarified.
For Sharon and Sandro, however, the viral wedding images captured one clear message: a chapter once defined by missionary service has now given way to marriage, culture and a completely new beginning in Kenya.
