Franciscan Family in Rwanda celebrates the 800th anniversary of the Death of St. Francis

From 6 to 8 March, in Nyamasheke, the 800th anniversary of the Death of St. Francis of Assisi was celebrated in the new Poor Clares’ Monastery, inaugurated on 1 May 2025, near the waters of Lake Kivu: a quiet, peaceful place, well-suited for prayer, marked by a spirit of fraternity and joy.

The gathering as a Family was an event that held a special place in the history of the Franciscans in Rwanda. The three days unfolded under the theme: “St. Francis of Assisi: the Seed of Fraternity and Peace”. This Jubilee theme was not a phrase to be hung on a page, on a poster, or repeated in speeches and ceremonies; rather, it was a message that challenged hearts and hands, especially in the countries of the Great Lakes, namely Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

They experienced the celebration as an invitation to change their lives, to undertake works of peace and fraternity, and to care for them until they bear visible fruits in homes, in parishes, and throughout the Great Lakes region.

With the contribution of Br. Diacolas Nsabimana