(ZENIT News / Nairobi, 10.13.2025).- At the foot of the Subukia hills in Kenya’s Rift Valley, where thousands of pilgrims gathered on October 4 for the National Prayer Day, a significant reform in the country’s Catholic Church was announced.
From now on, all wine used at the altar in Kenya must carry the official coat of arms of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) and the personal signature of its chairman. The directive, unveiled on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, marks the end of a troubling chapter in which the same wine consecrated at Mass was being casually poured in bars, hotels, and supermarkets across the country.
“This is the only wine to be used in Holy Mass throughout Kenya,” Archbishop Muhatia told the gathered pilgrims. “The faithful should ensure that the bottle they see on the altar bears both the bishops’ insignia and the chairman’s signature. This guarantees its authenticity and sacred purpose.”
Behind the decision lies a practical and pastoral concern: the need to protect the Eucharist’s sanctity in a country where religious and secular lines sometimes blur. For years, a locally produced altar wine, originally made for liturgical use, found its way into liquor shops and restaurants, losing its symbolic and spiritual character. “It had become too common,” admitted Archbishop Anthony Muheria of Nyeri. “When what is consecrated as the Blood of Christ is also sold over the counter, something essential is lost.”
The new policy not only introduces a distinctive label but also shifts control of production and distribution entirely to the KCCB. According to Archbishop Muheria, the new wine—sourced from a South African vineyard—is imported and distributed exclusively through diocesan channels. “It is not available for sale anywhere,” he emphasized. “It belongs to the bishops’ conference, ensuring purity from the source.”
Each diocese will regulate how the wine is procured and stored, depending on its size and local needs. Some will appoint designated purchasers; others will allow parishes to handle orders directly. The aim, Archbishop Muhatia said, is unity of practice without compromising local flexibility.
Kenya’s bishops are careful to stress that the reform is not about elitism or control, but reverence. Canon law strictly governs the composition and quality of both altar wine and Eucharistic bread, requiring that the wine be “natural, made from grapes, and uncorrupted.” The Church periodically reviews these standards, Archbishop Muheria noted, to ensure that what is offered on the altar meets both spiritual and canonical requirements.
The faithful have largely welcomed the reform. For many Kenyan Catholics—who number roughly 10 million, about one-fifth of the population—the move represents a long-overdue effort to restore dignity to the Eucharist. “It was painful to see altar wine sold like any ordinary drink,” said one parishioner from Nairobi. “This new measure brings back the sense of holiness we need.”
The label of the new wine bears a phrase familiar from the offertory prayer: “The fruit of the vine and work of human hands will become our cup of joy.” It’s a poetic reminder that the Church’s concern is not merely about packaging or control, but about protecting the mystery at the heart of Catholic worship.
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