Kenyan Catholic Church Introduces New Altar Wine After Popularity in Bars

Sat Oct 11 2025 00:33:30 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The Kenyan Catholic Church has launched a new brand of altar wine after the older version gained popularity in local bars, leading to concerns about its sanctity.

In response to widespread use of its previous altar wine in bars and shops, the Kenyan Catholic Church has introduced a new product specifically for sacramental purposes. The new 'Mass Wine' will not be sold commercially but will be imported and distributed solely to dioceses, aiming to restore the sanctity of the Eucharist. Archbishop Muheria emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards for the wine used in Mass.

The Kenyan Catholic Church has introduced a new brand of altar wine for Holy Mass after the previous one became widely available in local bars.

Simply labelled Mass Wine, the new sacramental drink bears the coat of arms of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) and an official signature to certify its authenticity.

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.

The move has been welcomed by the Catholic faithful, who believe that the previous brand had lost its sanctity due to its widespread use outside the church.

Wine is used at Mass to symbolize the blood of Jesus Christ and is normally drunk by the priest. On some occasions, it is given to the congregation as well.

The composition of the wine is regulated by the Catholic Church's Canon Law, according to Archbishop Muheria.

After exploring several options, the Catholic Church in Kenya settled on a South African vintage as the new altar wine. This new product was introduced earlier this month during the National Prayer Day at the Subukia National Marian Shrine.

Archbishop Muhatia Makumba confirmed that the new wine would be the only one used in Mass celebrations across the nation and urged all Catholic churches to discontinue the old version.

The introduction of the Mass Wine aims to preserve the sacred nature of the Eucharist while ensuring only properly prepared wine is used in religious ceremonies, as previously there were concerns about the former wine's casual distribution diminishing its significance.

Over 80% of Kenya's population identifies as Christian, with a significant portion being members of the Catholic Church, making this decision impactful on a wide scale.