OUR LADY OF KIBEHO -Research and compilation by Matsiko Kahunga

On June 29, 2001 the Catholic Church in Rwanda, Africa and the world added another blessing to its milliard others: the confirmation of the apparition of Mother Mary to three primary teacher college students. Of particular importance to Africa is the fact that this is the first and so far, only apparition site confirmed by the Vatican. Not only does this blessing position Rwanda among pilgrimage lands in the Church, but also augments Africa’s new role in evangelization to the world: the message given at Kibeho is to the entire world and mankind, beyond Rwanda and Africa. Kibeho is one of the oldest parishes in Rwanda, founded in 1934, and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is located in the southern province of Rwanda, near the border with Burundi. 

It all started at 12.35 pm, 28^th November 1981. While serving her tablemates during lunch, 16-year old Alphonsine Mumureke received the very first apparition. ‘Mwana’, was the word she heard from a voice whose source she could not immediately determine. She was to remain the sole one receiving private and public apparitions for 8 years until 28^th November 1989. Alphonsine is today Rev. Sister Dr Alphonsine Mumureke, of the Glorious Cross Congregation, in Ivory Coast, and later Italy. The other two voyantes (ababonekyerwa, variously called ‘seers’ or ‘visionaries), whose apparitions were authenticated and confirmed by the Vatican are Marie Claire Mukangango and Anathalie Mukamazimpaka. In the various literature so far written about the Kibeho apparitions, each of these was given a specific task and message to deliver to mankind. Alphonsine was given the general message to mankind, while Marie Claire had the singular task of reviving the Seven Sorrows Rosary, including specific messages to the Ordinary of the diocese then. 

Before she was murdered alongside her husband during the 1994 genocide, Marie Claire had fulfilled her assignment of teaching thousands of Christians how to say the Seven Sorrows Rosary (see related article in this publication). 

On her part, Anataliya was tasked to cooperate with Mother Mary in praying for the salvation of the world. She underwent mortification and pain, including fasting for two weeks (8 days of which involved neither eating nor drinking, save Holy Communion), till Jesus allowed her to drink. Anataliya, who still lives at the Kibeho Shrine, is the only one of the three authenticated voyantes that had apparitions from Jesus, besides the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Mother Mary’s Message to Mankind

On 28^th November, 1989 Alphonsine, then working a secretary in the Education Commission of Gikongoro Diocese, travelled to Kibeho to receive her last message. At exactly 12.30 pm, she received a private apparition for 15 minutes and Mother Mary promised her to come back at 4.00pm the same day. And so, on that day, Nyina wa Jambo (Mother of the Word), the name by which she identified herself to Alphonsine at the beginning of the apparitions eight years earlier, bade the world farewell, in the public apparition that lasted 90 minutes from 4 pm to 5.30 pm. Both Father Casimir Ruzindaza and Bishop Kizito Bahujimihigo refer to this apparition as being an address to the world, not merely to Alphonsine. Writes Father Ruzindaza ‘…at certain moments of the dialogue, Alphonsine [says] to have had the impression that the Virgin Mary was not speaking to her alone. She directed her attention over Alphonsine’s head as if addressing herself to a faraway group…she heard Mary mentioning the youth, the sick, the people consecrated to God, political leaders and others. According to Alphonsine, the Virgin Mary addressed herself to all these groups of people in a motherly way, beginning with ‘My Children…’   

Here in summary, is the message to mankind as summarized by Father Casimir Ruzindaza:

1. To the Whole World:

‘My Children, the fact that I say bye to you does not mean that from now on, I have forgotten all about Africa and the entire world; it does not mean as well that I have forgotten Rwandans’.

‘Alphonsine has been my instrument and not your God’

‘I remind you that you should never forget such long journeys as you have made from your homes to come here in Rwanda….’ (talking mainly to foreign pilgrims)

‘My Children, pray hard, pray hard, follow the Gospel of my Son, and put it in practice; doing that will surely benefit your souls’

‘My Son has suffered a lot; He was despised. But that did not hinder him from being the King of Heaven and Earth’

‘Courage, you all who are treated as fools because of your love for prayer! You, who are considered egoists or forsaken because you have offered your life to God, be strong, I tell you the truth, one day you will be filled with joy’

‘My Children, my children! I bless you all! My blessing goes beyond you who are present here at Kibeho, to all people in the entire world. (the crowd clapped in jubilation)

2. To the Sick and those in Suffering 

‘You the sick, suffering from all sorts of incurable diseases, know that a good heart is better than anything else. There is nothing better than a pure heart’.

‘You who have all sorts of difficulties in your lives, there is nowhere on earth where man can do away with problems. When they persist, do remember to present them to God as an offering. From all Christians, a sacrifice is necessary’

‘For you who have family problems, think of the Holy Family which lived in dire poverty, without looking somewhere for help. In all your family problems, do put yourselves under the Holy Family’s patronage’

3. To the Consecrated People

‘You who have consecrated your life to God; such a condition of life is always very demanding and hard; it requires you to remain faithful and engaged’

4. To the Youth

‘You the youth, at your age, you may think that you can achieve all. But be careful not to fall into incorrigible habits’

5. To Political Leader

‘All of you in power, that makes you in the first place, people’s representatives. Do not kill but save life. Do not be gluttonous; know how to share with others. Be faithful to your word. Do not be furious to those who point out your mistakes. I tell you this and stress it: when you mistreat someone because of his or her love for people, because of his or her fight for the dignity of man, because he or she works for the wellbeing of others, because of his or her goodness, or because of his or her love of God, all the measures you take [against] such a man, will eventually be in vain’

6. To all People Again

‘My children, in fact, I don’t intend to stay with you longer than usual, because what is essential, I have just communicated to you right now. As I have already told you, I would like to repeat to you once again that I am so happy with you. I am happy with the results which are gradually coming out of my coming to you. As for the calamities which do befall you, do not be over troubled. God is great’

7. To those Present at Kibeho

‘Again, I tell you my children, there is no place under heaven where there is no suffering, what is important is to know how to accept all without complaining’. Now my children, it is true that  I do listen to your petitions, but in a special now I do consider the long journey you have made coming here to see me; I give you a brief moment that you may express to me all your pre-occupations’( a great soul-searching silence followed ).

Final Farewell

‘My children, I am going to leave you. I love you. I love you. I love you so much. But whoever shall be indifferent to this love that I have expressed to you and promise to you, will have to regret. I have come for your sake, I have come for your sake, I have come for your sake. Because I had seen that you needed it’.

Fr Ruzindaza writes that after this, the people present sang the Magnificat. Alphonsine accepted that painful separation and went back to her office. 

 She was later to relocate to Ivory Coast where she continued with her studies and took vows of a nun in the Glorious Cross Congregation. And later she moved to Italy, where she lives now. She is Rev Sr Dr Alphonsine Mumureke. 

Anataliya Mukamazimpaka continues to live at Kibeho Shrine; fulfilling the duty she was assigned.  Notable in the Kibeho literature so far published is the verbatim conversation of Anataliya with Mother Mary.  Besides the conversations, there are mystery journeys and the night prayer retreat in the forest between the current shrine and the holy water fountain. This fountain is now a must-go place for all pilgrims. It sprang up in the course of the apparitions when Mother Mary directed the voyantes to ‘sprinkle her flowers’ with water. This is the genesis of the holy water sprinkling during pilgrimage Mass at Kibeho.  The flowers she refers to are the pilgrims who frequented the place, and were thirsty thus needed refreshing. Mother Mary says she uses the metaphor of flowers in three states (blossoming and healthy; withered and frail; dry and cracking) to show us the oscillating state of our spiritual lives.

The conversation with Anataliya begins 12^th January 1982(the very first apparition) and ends on 3^rd December 1983. In her farewell message, Mother Mary uses the Kinyarwanda and Runyankore proverb: ‘amazi arasyhuha, ntiyibagirwa iwabo wa mbeho’…amaizi gatagata kwonka tigeebwa waabo owa mbeho’’ translating as however hot water gets, its true natural state is that of coldness. She expounds on this, assuring us that however glorious and comfortable she is in her heavenly splendor, she will never forget her kindred burdened with worldly troubles. Indeed, this is the reason she frequently appears in different parts of the world to remind us and correct what she sees going wrong.

Kibeho is now a holy place of pilgrimage from where God continues to communicate to Man from Africa, the cradle of mankind, the treasury of the world, the land where our Lord and Savior sought refuge from his killers.

This is Africa’s century to evangelize the world and echo Mother Mary’s message: 

REPENT, REPENT, REPENT…

Nimusenge Ubutitsa, Musabira Kiliziya

(Pray ceaselessly for the world)

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