Adherents of the Legio Maria religious movement in western Kenya gathered on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025, to commemorate the birth of Christ through the lens of their unique “Black Messiah” theology. The celebrations took place in various locations, including Nzoia, where worshippers dressed in white robes offered prayers before images of their founders and spiritual figures.
The religious movement, which originated in the 1960s after breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church, teaches that its co-founder, Simeo Ondeto, was a reincarnation of Jesus Christ sent specifically for the Black race.
Okay News reports that church leaders, including deputy head Timothy Lucas Abawao, emphasized during the festivities that their beliefs are centered on making the message of salvation accessible to Africans in their own cultural context.
During the candlelit services, followers honored the memory of “Mama Maria,” the movement’s female co-founder, and “Baba Simeo Melchior,” whom they revere as the Black Messiah. The group’s leadership has consistently defended its practices against claims of being a cult, asserting that they remain dedicated to the core teachings of Jesus Christ and the Bible while maintaining distinct African spiritual identities.
The Legio Maria movement currently claims a following of millions across Kenya and several other African nations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan. As part of their Christmas observance, the devotees reaffirmed their commitment to the “Theology of Translation,” a doctrine which suggests that God assumes different racial identities to ensure all people can receive spiritual guidance.
