Kenya’s Catholics to use new sacramental wine after old vintage became popular at bars

The Catholic Church in Kenya is using new wine after the previous vintage became popular for sale and secular consumption.

On Oct. 4, following a day of prayer at a Marian shrine in Subukia, Kenya, Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba, chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, held up one bottle of the old wine and one bottle of the new and announced the change, according to the BBC.

The old wine, made locally, was available for sale in shops and bars. Catholics make up about 20% of the Kenyan population according to the BBC, and other Kenyan clergymen approved the decision.

The Rev. William Kambo, who serves a parish in Nakuru, Kenya, told the country’s Daily Nation newspaper that “it had been reduced to secular use rather than church use, because of its lower-than-average alcohol content and its labelling as ‘grape wine with natural flavours.’ It was being sold casually in wine shops like any other drink. That undermines its purpose.”

“It reached a point where even non-Catholics were using it. Catholics prefer to keep what is sacred exclusive to Catholic practice,” said the Rev. Kibaki Robert, who serves at a church in California, to Kenya diaspora news site Mwakilishi.

The old wine was made by Kenya Wine Agencies Limited, and had an alcohol percentage by volume of 18%; the new 750 milliliter bottle of wine is imported from Lutzville Vineyards in South Africa and has an alcohol percentage by volume of 17% according to Mwakilishi.

“The newly approved wine is not for sale at any business outlet, but is imported and owned by the KCCB, and only distributed to the dioceses,” Archbishop of Nyeri Anthony Muheria told the BBC.

Others said they will miss buying the old wine.

“I used to buy the old wine on the streets of Nairobi at [700 Kenyan shillings, $5.44]. It was sweet. I started sipping it when I was an altar boy. Now I guess that chapter is closed,” layman John Kamande told the Daily Nation.