Bura Catholic Church

Historic Churches in Taita Taveta

Bura Catholic Church: Our Lady of Good Hope

In the hill country below Taita Hills on Bura Valley, 16 km from Mwatate and 6 km off A23 Voi-Taveta Road north of Mlegwa, Bura Mission Church, a muted, simple, goodly, sandy-gray coloured block holding appears custom-made for its bucolic setting. At the brow of a hill where the winding roadway makes a sharp curve, in beautiful surroundings overlooking Taita Hills, the old church slumbers away the years amid quiet village life. Bearing minimal architectural distinction, it’s easy to scurry past it without noticing its presence, ergo it is impossible to disregard how it enshrines a sense of Christian heritage in Kenya. A nexus of the modern gospel!

It was in this rural village of Bura that missionaries first introduced Christianity to the remote hinterland and built the Catholic Church christened Our Lady of Good Hope. Founded by the Holy Ghost Fathers in 1892, Bura Mission Church merits its commendation as the first inland Catholic Mission in Kenya. More proper, it was founded by Monsignor De Courmont, an Apostolic Vicar, and Father Jean Flick of the Holy Ghost Fathers in the depths of Taita a decade before the general wave of European missions entering hinterland Kenya from Mombasa, seeking a foothold inland, now made easier and faster by the completion of the Uganda Railway.

Prior to the establishment of Bura Mission, Mombasa Mission had been used as a settlement house for the Kilimanjaro Mission (in German East Africa) to transport construction materials, Church furniture, and house requisites to Kilema via large caravans assembled in Mombasa. The porters for the caravans were chiefly from the Taita sub-tribes. It was from the Wataita porters that the missionary Fathers learnt of Bura Valley and from whom the first invitation to found a mission to Bura came. Chief Mbogholi, an influential local leader and elder, also approved of this.

Monsignor De Courmont decided to move up from Mombasa, and build a Mission at Bura, which would serve as an excellent “halfway house’’. So, they travelled for eleven days and nights to Bura with a party consisted of 1 Muslim cleric, 6 askaris and 16 Taita porters, who carried a 40 kg load each. Note: current distance from Mombasa to Bura by road presently 193 km. On arrival De Courmont and Father Flick had a look-see of the area courtesy of Chief Mbogholi. They chose a lovely spot near the mountain stream as the site for the Mission and named it Our Lady of Hope from the reasoning that the stream was a sacrosanct sign from Our Lady.

On October 18, 1892, Chief Mbogholi proclaimed the handing over 250 acres of land to the Bura Mission as a gift, but later demanded payment. He was given bales of calico cloth as payment. The initial buildings were a community house and chapel with the mission hospital following later in 1892. On September 30, 1896, Bura Mission Church was unveiled and its very first mass was celebrated on the same day. The first baptism also took place and many soon followed including the Chief’s wife. Introduction of the mission saw many Taita traditionalists convert to Catholicism. It also opened doors for the local populace to acquire education.

When the First World War broke out, tragedy struck the mission and despite their gainful community initiatives, the German priests and nuns came under suspicion of likely sympathies with German infiltrators. The Mission was closed by military decree on September 2, 1914. The priests were interned in a civilian camp in South India, the mission natives were sent to Lamu and the nuns were made to walk the 140 miles to Mombasa as punishment for allegedly hosting and caring for several saboteurs during the opening days of the war. On the perilous journey to the coast most of the nuns died after contracting typhoid fever from drinking water out of a contaminated well. When the hostilities ended, the military hospital closed and the mission was allowed to re-open. In the same year, 1919, all the native mission staff and followers who had been in Malindi and Lamu were allowed to return.

The building of 125 years still stands, resolute; however, the rusty roof and rotten timbers have known prolonged neglect. Some of the iron roofing sheets are still inscribed “to Bura via Zanzibar” as they were originally shipped from Antwerp in Belgium then came by dhow (ship) to Mombasa. The weather-beaten walls with patches of peeled plaster revealed small sun-fired adobe bricks, vouching for its age. The grey, metallic statue of the Virgin Mary still faces approaching visitors.

the still functioning church bell, dated 1897, came from Salzburg in Austria and that the glass, most of which is still intact, came from Alsace. The interior is not elaborate at all but has old paintings depicting the life of Jesus and the Virgin Mary alongside the Stations of the Cross as well as statues of Jesus, Joseph, the Virgin Mary and a unique old sanctuary light. The focus point is the altar with a crucifix hanging above it. A new church has since been built to the right of the old one.

From Bura Mission, now made easier and faster by the Uganda Railway, Catholism spread fast to Tana River, Ukambani and Mombasa, before reaching Nairobi – the capital, Meru, Nyeri and regions further north. Today, the Catholic Church in Kenya has 24 dioceses, including an apostolic vicariate and a military ordinariate. Based on the 2019 national census, 10.6 million Catholics in Kenya are strict adherents and attend Mass regularly, making up about 23.3% of the country’s population.

You don’t have to be religious, or even spiritual, to enjoy a beautiful old church. The architecture, the stained glass, the history, and the famous graves all make visiting historic churches a fulfilling activity on any trip. Kenya has a lot of very old and lovely churches, and you can enter most of them free of charge, at any time.

Index of Historic Churches in Kenya

Baringo County - St. Swithin's Church, Elgeyo Marakwet County - Wewo Catholic Church, Homa Bay County - SDA Church Gendia, Asumbi Catholic Church, Isiolo County - St. Eusebius Cathedral, Kericho County - AIC Kericho, The Sacred Heart Cathedral, ACK Kericho, Kiambu County - St. Mary's of the Angels Church, All Saints Limuru, Watson Scott Memorial Church, PCEA Thogoto Mission Church, Kilifi County - Thomas Wakefield Memorial Methodist Church, The Portuguese Chapel, ACK Rabai Church, Kisumu County - St. Theresa’s Cathedral, Kitui County - AIC Ikutha, Lamu County - Lamu Catholic Church, Machakos County - AIC Mumbuni, Makueni County - AIC Kalamba, Kyale Catholic Church, Meru County - St. Joseph's Cathedral, Kaaga Methodist Church, Migori County - Komotobo Mission Church, Mombasa County - The ACK Mombasa Memorial Church, Holy Ghost Cathedral, ACK Emmanuel Church, Muranga County - Muranga St. James & All Martyrs Church, Tuthu Catholic Church, Nairobi County - St. Stephen Cathedral, St. Austins Cathedral, The All Saints Cathedral, Nakuru County - The Church of Goodwill Elementaita, Remembrance Church Njoro, Nyandarua County - Knessiah 7th Day Jewish Main Synagogue, Nyeri County - Tumu Tumu Hill Church, The Consolata Nyeri Cathedral, PCEA St Curthbert Church, Italian Memorial Church, Samburu County - Baragoi Catholic Mission, Siaya County - Rangala Catholic Church, Taita Taveta County - St. Marks Anglican Church, The Bura Mission Catholic Church, ACK Trinity Church Mahoo, Tana River County - Ngao Neukirchen Church, Hola Methodist Church, Tharaka Nithi County - PCEA Chogoria Church, Trans Nzoia County - St. Lukes Anglican Cathedral, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Vihiga County - Kidundu Friends Church, Kima Church of God, African Divine Church, West Pokot County - The Holy Cross Church Kacheliba, The Dini ya Roho Mafuta Pole ya Africa

Situated in south-western Kenya, and part of the Coast Region of Kenya, Taita-Taveta County is known for its stunning landscapes, rich biodiversity, and cultural heritage. The county features diverse landscapes, including the Taita Hills, which are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains, and the vast plains of Tsavo, which are part of Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks – Kenya’s largest wildlife preserve.

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85 Destinations in Taita Taveta County, arranged as one would visit these - north, west then south - with aid of in-depth narratives, images, strip maps and distance chart:

Chyulu Hills National Park, Kisula Caves, Kampi ya Kanzi Lodge, Tsavo West National Park, Kamboyo Lodge, Mzima Springs, Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge, Ancient Roaring Rocks, Ngulia Hills, Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary, Kitchwa Tembo Hill, Chaimu Crater, The Five Sister's Hills, Shetani Lava, Finch Hattons Camp, Mount Kilimanjaro, Lake Chala, Crystal Lake Chala Caves, Voyager Ziwani Tented Camp, Sniper Tree, Gicheha Ziwani Farm, The Njoro Springs, Grogan’s Castle, Mokine Hill, Lake Jipe, Lake Jipe Eco-lodge, Salaita Hill, The Taveta Military Cemetery, Maktau Indian Cemetery, Maktau Railway Station, Taita Hills Game Lodge, Taita Hills Museum, Sarova Salt Lick Lodge, Mwashoti Hill, Maili 27 Bridge, Mwakitau Hill, Lumo Game Sanctuary, Lions Bluff Lodge, Lualenyi Camp, Ndolwa Game Sanctuary, Dembwa Falls, Bura Mission Church, Vuria Hill, Taita Hills, Wesu Rock, Taita Rocks Hotel, Malowa's Shrine, Taita Skull Caves, Taita Research Station, Kilangarenyi Falls, Ngangao Forest, Kenyatta Caves, Mount Sagalla, Rev. Wray Memorial Museum, Ngutuni Wildlife Sanctuary, Volunteer International Camp Tsavo, Mount Kasigau, Kasigau Base Camp, The Maungu Plains, Rukinga Wildlife Sanctuary, Wushumbu Conservancy, Teita Sisal Estate, Mbulia Conservancy, Tsavo East National Park, Ithumba Elephant Nursery, Yatta Plateau, Tsavo Springs, Emusaya Wilderness Arc, Galdessa Little Camp, Lugard's Falls, Mudanda Rock, Voi War Cemetery, Lion Hill Lodge, Kanderi Swamp, Voi Wildlife Lodge, Aruba Dam, A. Aruba Lodge, Nyiri Desert

Know More About Taita Taveta County: Geography, Land-Use, Highlights, Population, Roads - including distance chart, Airports, Climate & National Monuments

The mean temperature in Taita Taveta is 23 Degrees Celsius, cooler around the hills and hotter on the Nyika where the Tsavos sit. Rainfall distribution is uneven, with the highlands receiving higher rains than the lowland areas.