The Catholic Church of Rwanda on Monday, November 29 celebrated the 40th anniversary of Kibeho apparitions at the holy land of Kibeho in Gikongoro diocese of the Southern province.
Kibeho was declared a holy land after the apparitions of St Mary who visited three young Rwandan ladies on November 28, 1981 and the months that followed.
The ceremony was attended by Cardinal Antoine Kambanda, Archbishop of Kigali Diocese, Philip Rukamba, the Bishop of Butare Diocese and the President of the Catholic Episcopal Conference.
Members of Catholic congregations from other countries were also present, including those from US, Brazil, Portugal, Zambia, Mozambique, Angola, South Sudan, Nigeria, DRC, Uganda, Tanzania and Sierra Leone.
Addressing the congregation, Cardinal Kambanda indicated that St Mary’s message of repentance (brought during apparitions) was needed, because people have abused the freedom of God.
"God granted freedom to people but they are misusing them. People are destroying the environment, others are violating our sisters and mothers. These are all creatures of God which should help us to complement one another, not for abuse,” he said.
Thousands of catholics church members who turn up for the Assumption Day Mass at Kibeho (File)
Cardinal Kambanda added that this anniversary is unique because biblically 40 years has a significant meaning.
"Moses spent 40 years before starting his mission to rescue the Israelites, and he has also been their leader for a term of 40 years, so this is a unique anniversary that we have to give more attention as well as thinking on why the Virgin Mary chose our country,” he wondered.
Philip Rukamba, the Bishop of Butare Diocese and President of the Catholic Episcopal Conference urged the Christians to try to imitate the life of Virgin Mary who took on all the burdens to become "a way through which people will see God.”
"We have to imitate the life of Mary, who was very humble and accepted God’s plan to give the saviour of the world through her. The journey was tough, but she was humble and bore all the consequences to fulfil the plan of God,” he emphasized.
Speaking to the media, Nathalie Mukamazimpaka, who was among the three girls who received the apparitions, reminded people of the message they received from Mary and asked the Christians to uphold them.
"My wish is that Christians of the world may abide by Virgin Mary’s message on us because her message is always new and she asked us to spread it. Her message was to exercise true love for Good through faithfulness, repentance and helping the needy and vulnerable,” he added.
In November 1981 and the months that followed, St Mary appeared to three young ladies at Groupe Scolaire Marie Merci of Kibeho in vision.
The first apparition was directed to Alphonsine Mumureke who currently lives in Italy, days after the Virgin Mary appeared to Nathalie Mukamazimpaka when she was in a dining room serving lunch to other students. The third to see the apparition was Marie Claire Mukangango who passed away in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
Later on, the Catholic Church became interested and conducted investigations to prove the authenticity, which ended 20 years later, declaring the land as holy.
Apart from Rwanda, other apparitions recognized by the Catholic Church took place in Portugal, France and Germany.