Catholics and people of goodwill from across Kenya are expected to converge at the Subukia Marian Shrine on October 3, 2026, for the annual National Prayer Day, with the Church placing peace, unity and reconciliation at the centre of this year’s gathering.
The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has announced that the 2026 National Prayer Day will be celebrated under the theme “Blessed are the Peacemakers,” urging the faithful to embrace their responsibility as agents of peace in their families, communities and the country at large.
KCCB Chairman Most Rev. Maurice Muhatia has called on Kenyans to begin preparing spiritually for the pilgrimage to the “Village of Mary” in Subukia, saying the annual gathering provides an important opportunity for the nation to unite in prayer and thanksgiving.
“Every year in the month of October, we congregate in the Village of Mary, Subukia, our National Shrine, for the National Prayer Day. This year, it will be on October 3, 2026,” Archbishop Muhatia said.
The Archbishop said the choice of the theme comes at an important time, particularly with Kenya preparing for the 2027 General Elections.
According to Muhatia, the call to become peacemakers also coincides with the observance of the year of Saint Francis, a figure widely associated with peace within the Catholic Church.
“We are being invited to become peacemakers, and it is providential because this year is the year of Saint Francis, one of the well-known personages in the Catholic Church who promoted peace and is a patron of peace,” he said.
With the country heading towards another electoral period, the Church is expected to use the National Prayer Day to intensify prayers for peace, stability and a peaceful electoral process.
Archbishop Muhatia appealed to the faithful to make the occasion an opportunity to intercede for Kenya and other parts of the world, particularly as the country prepares for the elections scheduled for next year.
“We want to pray for peace in our country, especially as we are preparing for the elections next year. This year’s National Prayer Day is the prayer day that comes before the elections,” he said.
The gathering will also offer Kenyans an opportunity to give thanks for the peace and blessings the country has experienced while seeking God’s guidance, protection and continued peace in the years ahead.
The KCCB chairman said prayers will specifically focus on national cohesion, with the Church calling on Kenyans to rise above divisions and work towards a united nation.
“We will be thanking God for the good peace and good things He has given us. Now we are asking Him and praying to God to bless our country, that we may have national cohesion,” he said.
Muhatia further urged Kenyans to look beyond ethnic, political, social and religious differences and recognise their shared humanity and common identity as children of God.
“We pray that all the communities, all the leaders, all the citizens and the various faiths in our country may bond together as children of God, people of the same family, to move together in peace,” he said.
The 2026 National Prayer Day will be animated by the Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kisumu, bringing together the dioceses that make up the Kisumu Metropolitan Ecclesiastical Province.
The province comprises the Catholic Dioceses of Lodwar, Kitale, Eldoret, Kapsabet, Bungoma, Kakamega, Homabay and Kisii, alongside the Archdiocese of Kisumu.
Their participation is expected to give the pilgrimage a distinctive spiritual and cultural character, bringing together faithful from different communities and regions while showcasing the diverse traditions of the Catholic Church within the Kisumu Metropolitan Province.
Those attending the pilgrimage will have an opportunity to experience different cultural and liturgical traditions represented by the dioceses, while joining together in a common programme of prayer, worship, thanksgiving and reflection.
The Church is also expected to use the gathering to reinforce its message of peaceful coexistence and responsible citizenship, particularly as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
Archbishop Muhatia has encouraged Catholics from across the country to travel to Subukia and take part in the national gathering, describing it as an important moment for the faithful to unite in prayer for the country and its people.
“I invite all of you to Subukia National Shrine. Come one, come many. We will be happy to be with you,” he said.
