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Thousands gather in central Kenya to attend beatification ceremony of Italian nun

Associated Press
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Descendants of Blessed Sister Irene Giovanni Zeccnini, left, Gabriella Guerni, second left, and Patrizia Guerini right, attend her beatification ceremony in Nyeri. Nairobi, Kenya Saturday, May. 23. 2015. Tens of thousands of people have gathered in the central Kenyan town of Nyeri to attend the beatification ceremony of a beloved Italian nun who worked for many years in the East African nation. Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper reported Saturday that up to 100,000 people from all over the world were in Nyeri Saturday to witness the ceremony during which Sister Irene Stefani was declared “Blessed Irene.” Irene, who belonged to the Consolata Missionary Sisters, first came to Kenya in 1915 and died there in 1930 at the age of 39, according to a website dedicated to her beatification. (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi) (The Associated Press)

Descendants of Blessed Sister Irene Gabriella Guerni, left, Patrizia Guerini, second left and Stefenia Guerini attend her beatification ceremony in Nyeri. Nairobi, Kenya Saturday, May. 23. 2015. Tens of thousands of people have gathered in the central Kenyan town of Nyeri to attend the beatification ceremony of a beloved Italian nun who worked for many years in the East African nation. Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper reported Saturday that up to 100,000 people from all over the world were in Nyeri Saturday to witness the ceremony during which Sister Irene Stefani was declared “Blessed Irene.” Irene, who belonged to the Consolata Missionary Sisters, first came to Kenya in 1915 and died there in 1930 at the age of 39, according to a website dedicated to her beatification. (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi) (The Associated Press)

Descendants of Blessed Sister Irene Stefani Giovanni Zeccnini, left, and Gabriella Guerni right, attend her beatification ceremony in Nyeri. Nairobi, Kenya Saturday, May. 23. 2015. Tens of thousands of people have gathered in the central Kenyan town of Nyeri to attend the beatification ceremony of a beloved Italian nun who worked for many years in the East African nation. Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper reported Saturday that up to 100,000 people from all over the world were in Nyeri Saturday to witness the ceremony during which Sister Irene Stefani was declared “Blessed Irene.” Irene, who belonged to the Consolata Missionary Sisters, first came to Kenya in 1915 and died there in 1930 at the age of 39, according to a website dedicated to her beatification. (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi) (The Associated Press)

Tens of thousands of people have gathered in Nyeri in central Kenya to attend the beatification ceremony of an Italian nun who worked for many years in the East African nation.

Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper reported Saturday that up to 100,000 people from all over the world were in Nyeri Saturday to witness the ceremony at Dedan Kimathi University in which Sister Irene Stefani was declared "Blessed Irene."

Millions more watched the event live on television, according to the newspaper.

Stefani, who belonged to the Consolata Missionary Sisters, first came to Kenya in 1915 and died there in 1930 at the age of 39, according to a website dedicated to her beatification.