The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Military Ordinariate, under the leadership of Rt. Rev. Wallace Ng’ang’a observed the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul on 29 June 2025, alongside the administration of the Sacrament of Confirmation. This dual celebration integrated the military community into the global Catholic Jubilee Year 2025 (Pilgrims of Hope) and emphasized spiritual renewal through sacramental initiation.
St. Peter and Paul Cathedral at the Defence Headquarters in Nairobi served as the primary site for the feast day Mass. The cathedral is the episcopal seat of the Military Ordinariate of Kenya, making it a focal point for KDF spiritual activities. The feast honors the martyrdom of the Apostles Peter and Paul, considered “the solid rock on which the Church is built.” The Ordinariate designated St. Peter and Paul Cathedral as a pilgrimage site for the Jubilee.
For 2025, this solemnity superseded the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, highlighting its importance in the liturgical calendar. The Mass included renewal of baptismal vows and profession of faith, special prayers for unity and missionary zeal, echoing the Apostles’ roles in evangelization, and a partial indulgence for devout use of religious articles blessed by a Bishop, aligning with universal Church practices.
The celebration of Confirmation during this feast ties into the Jubilee Year’s emphasis on sacramental renewal. The Ordinariate facilitated Confirmation for catechumens, including military personnel and families, who had completed Christian initiation.
As per Pope Francis’ 2013 modification, Catholics lacking full sacraments of initiation (Eucharist, Confirmation) received them through the Ordinariate’s evangelizing mission. This provision supports the KDF Ordinariate’s role in ministering to service members with incomplete sacramental journeys. Bishop Ng’ang’a anointed confirmands with chrism oil blessed during the annual Chrism Mass (April 2025). This oil, consecrated at St. Peter and Paul Cathedral, symbolizes the Holy Spirit’s gifts and is essential for Confirmation.
Participation in Mass and devotional prayers lies in tandem with the theme of the Jubilee year 2025 “Walking Together in Faith,” thus enabling the faithful to obtain a plenary indulgence, remitting all temporal punishment for sins.
Bishop Ng’ang’a launched the Jubilee Year at this cathedral on January 5, 2025, framing 2025 as a period of “hope and reconciliation.” The June 29 feast extended this theme, connecting the Apostles’ witness to the Jubilee call for spiritual renewal.
In his spiritual sermon, Bishop Ng’ang’a emphasized communal unity in his homily, perseverance, hope and trusting in God, interaction with communities, respect of those in power, invoking the Apostles’ contrasting backgrounds (Peter the fisherman; Paul the scholar) to reflect the KDF’s diversity. Further Bishop Ng’ang’a officiated the launch of St Michael prayer group at the Defence Headquarters which will be instrumental in offering devotional prayers for KDF personnels and their families.
The KDF Military Ordinariate’s observance of the SS. Peter and Paul feast and Confirmation Sacrament exemplifies its integration of military life with Catholic sacramental and jubilee spirituality. Bishop Ng’ang’a’s leadership anchors these celebrations in the Apostles’ legacy, offering spiritual resilience and communal unity to Kenya’s defence community. The events also highlight the Ordinariate’s adaptability in administering sacraments to personnel at various stages of faith formation, which are critical ministry in the Jubilee Year’s focus on hope and reconciliation.
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