On the 28th November 2024, at the Shrine of Kibeho, known as the "City of Mary" in Rwanda, the 43rd anniversary of the apparitions of Kibeho was celebrated.
In 1981, in fact, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three Rwandan girls revealing herself as "Nyina wa Jambo" (the Mother of the Word), giving them the message to pray incessantly for the conversion of sinners and to recite the Rosary frequently, in particular the Rosary of her Seven Sorrows.
The newborn Custody of Rwanda and Burundi was entrusted to the patronage of Our Lady of Kibeho, so the celebration, which was attended by many people from all over the world, was a celebration for the whole Custody: many faithful flocked from the Franciscan parishes, some even on foot, accompanied by the friars and guided by the Custos, Br. Théoneste Twahirwa.
The celebration began with the recitation of the Rosary; Afterwards, Mgr. John Bosco Ntangungira, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Butare, shared a reflection on the apparitions, recalling that the "Yes" of our Mother Mary to the holy will of God should be our daily "password" to know better, serve better and get closer to his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.
Subsequently, during the Mass, Cardinal Anthony Kambanda invited us to reflect deeply on the name that the Blessed Virgin Mary revealed to the three women in her apparitions: "Mother of the Word", a name that carries within itself the entire message of God's unfathomable love for humanity.
May Our Lady of Kibeho always intercede for our Custody and for the whole world!
With the contribution of the Secretariat of the Autonomous Custody of Our Lady of Kibeho (Burundi – Rwanda)
