Bishop Javier Echevarría, Prelate of Opus Dei, arrived in Nairobi on Thursday 24 August. He was given a warm welcome from several families that gathered at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to receive him.

He is the Chancellor of Strathmore University and he presided over the Graduation Ceremony on Friday, 25th August. During the ceremony, he was awarded the Honoris Causa  Degree of Letters.

On Saturday afternoon there was an open-air get-together at the Strathmore University Graduation Square. Some 3,000 people were in attendance at the get-together which took on a very family-like tone. Bishop Javier answered some questions put to him by people from the crowd. Before giving his final blessing, he reminded all Christians to pray for Pope Benedict XVI and his intentions.

On Sunday he went to Kampala where the apostolic work of Opus Dei was started in 1996. About 1,000 people attended a get-together with him at the Kampala Serena Hotel, Nile Conference Centre.

He departed for Rome from Entebbe on 29th August in the evening.

Bishop Javier is the second successor of St Josemaría, founder of Opus Dei. He last visited Kenya in 1995. His predecessor, Bishop Alvaro del Portillo was in Kenya in 1989. The apostolic work of Opus Dei in Kenya was started in 1958. Through the inspiration of St Josemaria institutions such as Strathmore University, Kimlea Girls’ Technical Training School, Eastlands Centre, Kianda School, etc. have grown and helped to spread the message of Opus Dei: all Christians all called to be saints in the middle of the world.