Under study: Kibeho Basilica
The Catholic Church in Rwanda has appealed to all Bishops, Priests, Religious, Lay Christians, Friends of Kibeho, and all people of good Will to support its cause in acquisition of more land for the Shrine of the Virgin Mary at Kibeho.
The Kibeho shrine, has since the apparitions of the Virgin Mary in the 1980’s become a place of religious attraction pulling more catholic believers and non- believers from all over the world every year.
Gikongoro Catholic diocese which oversees the Holy place dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Marian Shrine) says they have over the years recorded an overwhelmingly increasing number of pilgrims thus an urgent need for the kind of infrastructures adapted to such a growing number of pilgrims.
“Thus, we plan to build a bigger church according to the wish of the Virgin Mary, with an open space big enough for other important facilities,” the diocese fundraiser communique said.
Fortunately, the local government has allocated the land for this purpose and the church says it needs the contribution of persons of good will to raise funds for expropriating the occupants.
This procedure of expropriation as estimated by a consultant company- Geospatial Surveying Service NGR Ltd to amount to Rwf2,531,200,731, equivalent to $2.620.291.
“I am inviting all of you, requesting for your help in order to get the necessary amount of money to buy that land so precious for the sanctuary of the Virgin Mary at Kibeho,” Mgr Celestin Hakizimana, the Bishop of Gikongoro Diocese said partly in the fundraiser communique.
“By constructing her Shrine, we shall be showing her our appreciation of her motherly love for us.”
In January this year, officials of Nyaruguru district told Kigali Today our sister website, that a mega church would be built at Kibeho in 2021.
In November 2021, a new Basilica to be constructed in Kibeho – Southern province of Rwanda would replace Saint Peter’s Basicilica – Vatican as world biggest basilica.
The latter has a total capacity of 60,000 people, but here comes the one in Kibeho would be barely two times bigger.
Nyaruguru district officials and the catholic church of Rwanda – January 10, 2020, met with engineers who will construct the Rwf 70 billion church at Kibeho holly land.
It will have a covered area of 10,000 sitting capacity and open space of 100,000 capacity, according to Mayor Francois Habitegeko.
One Immaculée Iribagiza, a Rwandan living in the United States of America is leading the fundraising activities that will provide the budget for the megachurch.
Some 500,000 – 600,000 pilgrims flock to Kibeho holly land through the year, especially on Assumption day – August 15.
Meanwhile, for expropriation purposes, the catholic church has provided bank accounts in Cogebanque, Bank of Kigali, Banque Populaire and RIM, the church microfinance.
