As white smoke rose above the Vatican on Wednesday afternoon, signaling the election of a new pope, a wave of emotion spread across the globe — and in a special way, across Kenya. The announcement of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new head of the Roman Catholic Church under the papal name Pope Leo XIV was met with reverence, awe, and a surprising personal connection for Channel 15 News founder Erastus Maleve.
The newly elected pontiff visited Kenya in December 2024, where he spent time with his fellow Augustinian friars at Baba Ndogo Parish in Nairobi and led a solemn Mass at the Order of St. Augustine’s Friary in Karen. During the visit, he officiated the dedication of the Mother of Good Counsel Chapel, blessed a Marian Grotto, and unveiled an Adoration Room to the joy of hundreds of faithful in attendance.
“He walked our land, prayed with us, and consecrated a sanctuary. We felt his humility then; now the world sees his calling,” said a Nairobi-based Augustinian priest who hosted the cardinal.
For Maleve, a staunch Catholic and proud father, the papal announcement struck a deeply emotional chord. His son, named Leo, had just celebrated his first birthday in April.
“My son Leo just turned one. When I heard the new pope had chosen the name Leo, I paused. It felt like a whisper from heaven,” Maleve said. “This isn’t just history being made — it’s spiritual affirmation for my family.”
Then-Cardinal Prevost’s December visit, while low-key, is now being seen as a prelude to his global mission. His words during the dedication ceremony now carry even more meaning. Quoting 1 Kings 9:3, he proclaimed, “I have heard your prayer. I consecrate this temple which you have built as the place where I shall be worshipped forever. I will watch over it and protect it for all time.”
As Pope Leo XIV begins his papacy, Kenyan Catholics remember his presence among them not just as a visitor, but as a spiritual shepherd whose footsteps graced their soil before he took the throne of St. Peter.
