Kibeho Shrine

Between 1981 and 1989 several schoolgirls at Kibeho reported apparitions of the Virgin. The Catholic church investigated and in 2001 approved three of the visionaries, making Kibeho the only approved Marian apparition site in Africa. A large sanctuary church, Our Lady of Sorrows, was built and pilgrims come in numbers, particularly on 28 November, the anniversary of the first reported apparition. The setting is hill country in the far south.

What you actually see

• The sanctuary church - the large modern church built for the pilgrimage.
• The apparition site - the ground where the reports were made, marked within the grounds.
• The pilgrimage - crowds arriving on foot and by road, largest on 28 November.
• The hill country - the southern highlands around the sanctuary.

When to go

Year round; 28 November is the main pilgrimage and the busiest day by far. Sundays bring larger congregations. The rains from October to November coincide with the anniversary.

Honest expectations

The buildings are modern and there is little to see architecturally. On the anniversary the crowds are very large and accommodation nearby is minimal. It matters far more to pilgrims than to general visitors.

Nearby

Huye is east, and Nyungwe Forest is west.