Messiah Simeo: Legio Maria's ties with Homa Bay Prison

Legio Maria is a revered denomination among residents of the Nyanza region.

Most of its clergymen command a lot of respect for what is believed as their ability to foresee touchy issues affecting the lives of individuals and also have powers to pray for the sick and foresee future events earning them the title prophets and prophetesses.

Legio Maria faithful are always seen in religious processions which take about seven hours on July 1 every year in a ceremony commemorating the arrest and suffering of the church founder, the late Simeo Melkio Lodvicus Hosea Messiah. He was famous among the church faithful as Simeo Messiah.

 But what many people have not noticed is that the congregants must hold prayers at Homa Bay Prison during the commemoration.

The question which arouses curiosity among many people is, what is the connection between Legio Maria and Homa Bay Prison?

On July 1, Emmanuel Odongo was among hundreds of Legio Maria faithful who trekked barefooted for more than five hours in a religious procession in various parts of Homa Bay town.

The faithful began trekking at St Peter’s Asego Parish near Asego Hill in the town from 5 am. The procession went to Got Rabuor estate, Pier and Homa Bay Stadium. They prayed at every stopover.

At about midday, the procession arrived at Homa Bay Prison. At the prison, the congregants held the final prayer before they returned to St Peter’s Asego Parish.

What is common is that the congregants must always hold prayers at Homa Bay prison after the procession. Many residents ask the reasons which compel the congregants to hold the final prayers in Homa Bay Prison and the relationship between Legio Maria and the prison.

We met Fr John Stanley Okumu, the Vicar General and the priest in charge of St Mary’s Pap Ndege Legio Maria church. Okumu said the procession is held as a ceremony aimed at commemorating the arrest and release of Simeo.

According to Okumu, Messiah was arrested in his church at God Kweru in Migori County in 1961. He was taken to Homa Bay Prison where he was detained for about one month.

He was released on July 1, 1961.

The church made a policy of celebrating the event on July 1 every year.

According to Okumu, the celebration is observed to commemorate the suffering which the Messiah went through during the arrest and detention.

“The reason for commemorating this occasion is to enable us to remember the suffering which Simeo Messiah went through,” Okumu said.

He added that Simeo was arrested by the colonial government because of people who were against his efforts to start an African church.

“Messiah was doing a good job of proclaiming the word of God. But members of some religions who were envious of his success colluded with the colonial government that arrested and detained him in Homa Bay prison, which was the only prison in South Nyanza by then,” said Okumu.

They thus must visit it every year on July 1 to commemorate the suffering.