Born in 1943 in Awasi, Muhoroni, Kisumu county, Gaudencia Aoko was quickly adopted into the Roman Catholic Church as was the norm at the time.
However, in 1963, she did the unthinkable, engineered a walkout from the church and into the newly-formed Legio Maria church which is now an international denomination.
However, she landed into controversy when she demanded among others, the ordination of women into the priesthood, which was rather weird at the time.
To many, the lady whose main job was baptizing new members from other churches and casting out demons is considered the founder of the church.
However, the church has laughed off the narrative, saying that she joined months after it was formed.
The church maintains that it was founded by (Messiah) Simeo Ondetto, who some witnesses, however, maintain appeared after Aoko had done the job.
According to former area lawmaker Ayiecho Olweny, Aoko was the one who baptized Ondetto into the church.
“In 1963 when Aoko baptised Ondeto, I was about 10 years old. She was set for a bigger role in Legio Maria when she was toppled and decided to form her own church.
Her job was to baptise and convert people from Catholic and other denominations to Legio,” he told the Sunday Standard.
Despite all the efforts, the church would not accept Aoko's ideologies and demoted her from nun to Sister General in 1966.
Consequently, she walked out in protest.
Her attempts to form the Legion of Mary Orthodox Church in 1968 and the Church of Africa in 1969 were thwarted after the government refused to register them.
In 1971 she formed the Communion Church where she worshipped until her death two weeks ago aged 75.
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