Pilgrims Join Over 25,000 to Celebrate the Feast Day in Kibeho

This past November 28th was the Feast Day of Our Lady of Kibeho, and this year marked 28 years since she first appeared to the first college student in Kibeho in 1981. This was our 4th time this year bringing people to the Shrine to visit Our Lady, but this day was something extraordinary. I cannot put into words the joy I felt watching everyone experience this moment.

One pilgrim from Wisconsin said, "You can't imagine the happiness everyone felt to be among so many thousands of people who came to honor Our Lady of Kibeho. It was the shortest four-hour mass I'd ever attended." It was such a blessing for me to finally be able to truly share this wonderful experience with those who decided to make the journey to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Kibeho. It was a day none of us will ever forget. Over 25,000 people from all over the region walked from 3 to 7 days to be there in time for the celebration. Our group encountered many pilgrims along our way, and we spent some really memorable moments when we participated in a Holy hike with them. We walked several miles among the traveling pilgrims, joining them in local traditions of loving songs, prayers, and dances which honor God. The people came from all around Rwanda, Uganda, Congo, South Africa, Germany, Ireland, and of course, the United States! It was such a beautiful thing to see everyone united together for the same purpose. We were all in disbelief as Our Mother sprinkled us, "Her little flowers" with a rain shower as she has every year on this very special day after the Eucharist. It was truly amazing to see everyone looking up to the sky and receiving the cleansing rain. Please remember all the pilgrims in your prayers as they spend the next week on their long journey back home, and I hope maybe you will think about joining us in the celebration next year!