Our Lady of Kibeho in Rwanda

Origin of Our Lady of Kibeho

Our Lady of Kibeho is about the Catholic church-approved apparitions of the virgin Mary to young girls in Kibeho, Rwanda. The apparitions began on 28th November 1981 and went on to 1989 at Kibeho college; secondary  school for girls. The three girls that witnessed the apparitions were Alphonsine Mumureke, Nathalie Mukamazimpaka and Marie Claire Mukangango.

Kibeho is a small town, others look at it as a small village situated in the southwestern Rwanda. Rwanda is a beautiful, land locked, mountainous central African country bordered in the north by Uganda, south by Burundi, east by Tanzania, and in the west by the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Spiritual and Cultural Significance

The site of Our Lady of Kibeho has both spiritual and cultural significance to both the local and the international community. Kibeho is fast becoming an important pilgrimage site to those of the catholic faith and anybody who believe in spiritual powers. For the African communities religion is part of their lives as argues John Mbiti, Charles Nyamiti and other African theologians.

For Catholics and even those other faith who believe in scriptures profess Mary as the mother of Jesus. She conceived Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit; this teaching for Catholic is an official church doctrine. For Christians there is one God with three persons also known as the holy trinity; Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the second person of the holy trinity. Therefore, Mary is the mother of Jesus the second person of the holy trinity, who is part of one God, thus Mary is the mother of Jesus who became human through the birth to Mary; Mary is the mother of God.

Through this teaching Kibeho where the apparition of Mary took place several times in a span of several years becomes an important pilgrimage site for pilgrims and tourists to go for pilgrimage and learn from the message that was given to the three young ladies. Those who go to our Lady of Kibeho go with petitions, requests to our lady, the mother of Jesus so that she may send their requests to Jesus just as what happened at the wedding in Cana, John 2: 1-12.

Tourists / Pilgrims Attraction

At Kibeho the visitors are attracted by a number of facts. While the pilgrims flock for prayers, however, the most attracting factors include the story of the apparitions, the message from the apparitions and the shrine of Our Lady of Kibeho.

The Apparitions

The history of the apparitions of Mary are the most important attractive factor that witness pilgrims and tourists coming from different parts of the country and across the borders. When Mary appeared to the three girls she introduced herself as “NYINA WA JAMBO” – “Mother of the Word” in the native Kinyarwanda. The “Word” here is what is referred in the gospel according to John 1: 1-18. In this apparition it is interesting to hear that Our Lady used the local language for communication; this is great respect of people’s culture.

The visions

During the apparitions, there were specific message that Our Lady gave the three young ladies. Mary asked them to do penance, fast and pray the rosary as many times as possible. All this message meant to help the people seeks for God’s mercy through those acts of faith and humility. The message is still pertinent today; you and I are called to do what those three young ladies were told then.

The shrine

At the pilgrimage site of Kibeho a shrine to Our Lady of Kibeho has been erected. The shrine attracts up to about 30,000 pilgrims and the number keeps on growing. The big number of pilgrims is observed on 15th August which is the Assumption of Our Lady, and on 28th November which is the anniversary of the apparitions at the site.

Services to pilgrims and/or tourists

Being a known pilgrimage site in Rwanda, there are tour guides to help visitors find their way out. Moreover, for pilgrims at the site have an opportunity to visit the church of our lady of Sorrows, there are prayer services, mass and pilgrims have an opportunity to ponder on the message of peace and reconciliation that was passed during the apparitions.

Economic benefits to the local population

Our Lady of Kibeho being a pilgrimage site attract pilgrims and tourists from different corners of the world. These visitors pay for their transportation, for the food they consume and other services that visitors may need when they are in Rwanda. The purchase of goods and services from the pilgrims and tourists no matter how small it is, it contributes to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

At Kibeho there are many opportunities that the local community can actualize them. There can be built some decent hotels that visitors can afford, there can be establishment of more businesses such as decent coffee shops, souvenir shops, church articles of devotion and prayers. Improvement of the provision of services will attract more visitors to Our Lady of Kibeho.

Conclusion on Our Lady of Kibeho

Our Lady of Kibeho is a religious site that attract faithful who want to rekindle their spiritual life and be at peace with God. Those travelling to Kibeho should know that it is a small town/ village and that those with capital can invest to benefit of economic potential at Kibeho but also improve or upgrade their services provided at the site.  The Kibeho message of peace and reconciliation is valid today in community as it was then.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Lady of Kibeho is increasingly becoming an interesting site to visit. The pilgrims and tourists who want to visit the place ask themselves questions of interests. Some of those questions have been captured by search engines on the internet and here are some of them:

1. The pilgrims want to know what the Our Lady of Kibeho messages?
2. The pilgrims and tourists want to know about Our Lady of Kibeho miracles?
3. What is Our Lady of Kibeho feast day?
4. Where can one get the Our Lady of Kibeho story with its facts?
5. Some curious minds asked what did Our Lady of Kibeho look like?
6. Who Did Our Lady of Kibeho appear to?
7. Who can give the best of Our Lady of Kibeho summary?
8. Where can one get the Our Lady of Kibeho facts in all truth?