2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free

The sisters of the Italian Contemplative Missionary Movement Father de Foucauld were kidnapped in November.

NAIROBI, Kenya (Zenit) - Two Italian nuns who were kidnapped late last year in Kenya have been released.

The Missionary International Service News Agency reported today that Maria Teresa Olivero and Caterina Giraudo, 67 and 61, have been freed after 102 days of imprisonment.

The sisters of the Italian Contemplative Missionary Movement Father de Foucauld were kidnapped in November in Elwak, located in northeast Kenya, and then taken to Somalia.

The religious were freed Wednesday night in Mogadishu, Somalia. They were immediately transported by plane to the Italian embassy in Nairobi.

MISNA reported that both religious "have gone through a difficult time, but they affirm that they have been treated well."

Sister Giraurdo told the news agency: "Our faith sustained us. This helped us to not be disheartened, but rather to continue to pray and to hope."

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said in comments to Vatican Radio that he was happy to hear of the nuns' release. He said there "was worry about the lack of news, and the Pope himself recalled the situation more than once."

Since the November kidnapping, both the Italian government, through its embassy in Kenya, and the Vatican through its apostolic nuncio in the country, had worked for the nuns' release.