Clare N
Hundreds of faithful, especially devotees of Mother Mary, have joyfully gathered at St. Charles Lwanga Town Parish to welcome the image of Our Lady of Kibeho, Nyina wa Jambo (“Mother of the Word”), to the Diocese of Fort Portal.
The celebration that began with a procession from Kitumba Catholic Church in Bukwali Parish, included Marian devotees that formed a car convoy, singing hymns of praise to Mary as they accompanied the image placed at the center of the procession.
During the Holy Mass held in honor of the occasion, Rev. Fr. Silvanus Barikurungi, the Director of the Commission for the Laity, who enlikened the event to the Kibeho pilgrimages, encouraged the faithful to embrace the visit of Mary to the Diocese. He reminded them of the blessings and intercession she offers—likening it to the wedding at Cana, where Mary approached her Son, Jesus for the best wine.
Call for Forgiveness
Fr. Barikurungi reassured believers that those who walk with Mary are never abandoned, for she always remembers her children. However, he also urged the faithful to actively seek the sacrament of reconciliation and to practice forgiveness, especially if they desire to receive peace and blessings through the intercession of the Queen of Peace.
Earlier, Fr. Barikurungi conveyed apologies on behalf of Fort Portal Catholic Bishop Robert K Muhiirwa Akiiki, who was unable to attend due to an episcopal visit by the Mbarara Ecclesiastical Province to the Diocese of Kasese.
He informed the congregation that the image of Our Lady of Kibeho would remain at the Town Parish for about a week before being taken to other parishes within the Diocese.
Justina Kugonza, a Christian from Town Parish, expressed her gratitude to the Diocese for bringing the image of Mother Mary of Kibeho. She shared her intention to spend time in prayer and seek Mary’s intercession in her life and her family.
About Nyina Wa Jambo
Nyina wa Jambo, or Our Lady of Kibeho, is the title given to the Virgin Mary when she appeared to three schoolgirls in Kibeho, Rwanda, beginning in 1981. Believers honor her because she brought urgent messages of repentance, prayer, and compassion, warning of great suffering to come if people did not turn back to God. Her apparitions, which included visions of violence and sorrow, are seen as prophetic, especially in light of the Rwandan Genocide that followed years later.
Devotees believe that through these visions, Mary expressed deep concern for humanity’s spiritual and moral direction. She is particularly venerated for her call to pray the Rosary and the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows, emphasizing the need for mercy, peace, and a return to faith. Her presence in Africa as Nyina wa Jambo, “Mother of the Word,” also resonates deeply with Rwandans and many across the continent, affirming that God speaks to all people, everywhere.
