Peter Joseph Kairo

The Most Reverend

Peter Joseph Kairo
The Most Reverend ; Peter Joseph Kairo
Archbishop Emeritus of Nyeri
Church	Catholic Church
Archdiocese	Nyeri
See	Nyeri
Appointed	19 April 2008
Installed	14 June 2008
Predecessor	Nicodemus Kirima
Other post(s)	Bishop of Nakuru ; (21 April 1997 – 19 April 2008); Bishop of Muranga ; (17 March 1983 – 21 April 1997)
Orders
Ordination	1 November 1970; by Raphael Simob Ndingi Mwana'a Nzeki
Consecration	21 May 1983; by Raphael Simon Ndingi Mwana'a Nzeki
Personal details
Born	Peter Joseph Kairo; 24 May 1941 (age 83); Nakuru County, Kenya

Last updated January 06, 2025

Peter Joseph Kairo (born 24 May 1941) is a Kenyan prelate of the Catholic Church who is he Archbishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri since his retirement in 2017. He has been a bishop since 1983, serving as ordinary in Muranga Diocese from 1983 to 1997, Nakuru Diocese from 1997 to 2008, and Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Nyeri from 2008 to 2017.

Background and education

He was born on 24 May 1941 at Londoners, Nakuru, in Nakuru County in the Diocese of Nakuru. He isthe first born in a family of nine siblings, four sons and five daughters. He studied at St. Peter's Primary School Elburgon. He then transferred to the Mother of Apostles Minor Seminary, at Moi's Bridge. He studied Philosophy and Theology in St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary, Nairobi.^[1]^[2] He graduated from St. John Fisher University (at that time "St. John Fisher College") in Rochester, New York State, in the United States with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies.^[2]

Priest

On 1 November 1970 Bishop Raphael Simon Ndingi Mwana'a Nzeki, Bishop of Machakos ordained him priest of Nakuru at Nakuru.^[1]^[2]

While priest of Nakuru, he served in several roles including as:^[2]

Priest at Holy Rosary Parish, Nakuru Diocese
Diocesan Education Secretary, Nakuru Diocese
Lay Apostolate Coordinator and Vocations Director
Spiritual Director, St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary, in Nairobi from 1976 until 1981
Administrator of Christ the King Cathedral in Nakuru from January 1982 until March 1983
Vicar General of the Diocese of Nakuru from January 1982 until March 1983.^[2]

Bishop

On 17 March 1983, Pope John Paul II appointed Father Peter Joseph Kairo as the founder bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Muranga, which was peeled off from the Archdiocese of Nyeri on the same day. He was ordained and installed as Bishop of Murangá on 21 May 1983 by Bishop Raphael Simon Ndingi Mwana'a Nzeki, Bishop of Nakuru assisted by Bishop Caesar Gatimu, Bishop of Nyeri and Bishop Silas Silvius Njiru, Bishop of Meru.^[1]^[2]^[3]

On 21 April 1997, Pope John Paul II appointed him the Bishop of the Diocese of Nakuru. He took possession of the diocese in August 1997. He served in Nakuru for 11 years. On 19 April 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Archbishop of Nyeri. He was installed Archbishop of Nyeri at Ruring'u Stadium in Nyeri, on 14 June 2008.^[1]^[2]

After over 8 years of service as the Archbishop of Nyeri, his application for retirement based on his age was accepted by Pope Francis, effective 23 April 2017. He was succeeded by Bishop Anthony Muheria, formerly the Bishop of Kitui, who was appointed the new Archbishop of Nyeri, that same day. Archbishop Peter Joseph Kairo stayed on Archbishop Emeritus of Nyeri, Kenya.^[1]^[3]^[4]^[5]

Related Research Articles

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi is the Metropolitan See for the ecclesiastical province of Nairobi in Kenya, and the Primatial see for Kenya.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri is the Metropolitan See for the ecclesiastical province of Nyeri, one of four in Kenya, Eastern Africa, yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

The Catholic Diocese of Machakos is a diocese located in the Town of Machakos in the ecclesiastical province of Nairobi in Kenya.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nakuru is a diocese located in the city of Nakuru in the ecclesiastical province of Nairobi in Kenya.

The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) is the assembly of bishops of the Catholic Church in Kenya. Its statutes were approved by the Holy See on December 7, 1976.

St.Matthias Mulumba Senior Seminary is Kenya's National Theologicum Seminary for training of Catholic clergy. It is the youngest of four National Catholic Seminaries in Kenya and is owned and run by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops K.C.C.B and the Holy See. As of 2014 it was the biggest theologicum in Kenya, with over 100 students and a capacity for double the number.

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Raphael S. Ndingi Mwana a'Nzeki was a Kenyan bishop of the Roman Catholic Church who served as archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi in Kenya. He also served as the bishop of Machakos and Nakuru.

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References

1 2 3 4 5 David M. Cheney (25 February 2024). "MicroData Summary for Archbishop Peter Joseph Kairo (born 24 May 1941), Archbishop Emeritus of Nyeri". Catholic-Hierarchy.org . Kansas City, Kansas, United States. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Casmir Odundo (7 November 2020). "50 Years As A Priest: Archbishop Emeritus Reflects". Young Catholic Priest. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
1 2 Mwangi Muiruri (17 June 2017). "High-profile bishop Kairu retires at 75". Business Daily Africa . Nairobi, Kenya.
↑ Boniface Mwangi (18 September 2016). "Archbishop Kairo calls it a day". Daily Nation . Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
↑ John Kibet (5 December 2020). "Kairo: The little child who shone a light to humanity". Daily Nation . Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 30 December 2024.

Succession table

Catholic Church titles
Diocese created	Bishop of Muranga 17 March 1983 – 21 April 1997	Succeeded by Peter Kihara Kariuki
Preceded by Raphael Simon Ndingi Mwana’a Nzeki	Bishop of Nakuru 21 April 1997 - 19 April 2008	Succeeded by Cleophas Oseso Tuka
Preceded by Nicodemus Kirima	Archbishop of Nyeri 19 April 2008 - 23 April 2017	Succeeded by Anthony Muheria

External links

History of the Archdiocese of Nyeri

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[1R-1] 1 2 3 4 5 David M. Cheney (25 February 2024). "MicroData Summary for Archbishop Peter Joseph Kairo (born 24 May 1941), Archbishop Emeritus of Nyeri". Catholic-Hierarchy.org . Kansas City, Kansas, United States. Retrieved 30 December 2024.

[2R-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Casmir Odundo (7 November 2020). "50 Years As A Priest: Archbishop Emeritus Reflects". Young Catholic Priest. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 30 December 2024.

[3R-3] 1 2 Mwangi Muiruri (17 June 2017). "High-profile bishop Kairu retires at 75". Business Daily Africa . Nairobi, Kenya.

[4R-4] Boniface Mwangi (18 September 2016). "Archbishop Kairo calls it a day". Daily Nation . Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 30 December 2024.

[5R-5] John Kibet (5 December 2020). "Kairo: The little child who shone a light to humanity". Daily Nation . Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 30 December 2024.

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