Presentation of the diocese of Kabgayi

The territory of the Diocese of Kabgayi covers an area of 2,187 square kilometers. This diocese is spread over four districts : Muhanga, Kamonyi, Ruhango and a small part of the Nyanza district in the South. The history of the Diocese of Kabgayi coincides until 1952 with the religious history of Christianity in Rwanda.

Missionary phase : Kabgayi at the time of the vicariates (1912-1959)

Until 1912, Rwanda was attached to the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Nyanza, an ecclesiastical jurisdiction whose chief town was beyond Akagera in Kashozi (Tanzania). His Excellency Bishop Hirth became the Apostolic Vicar of this constituency.
Given its geographical location in the country, Kabgayi was called since its founding in

1906, to see the Ecclesiastical Leader settle there. Thus, in 1907, the Vicar Delegate of Monsignor Hirth, the Reverend Father Léon-Paul CLASSE made it his residence. On December 12, 1912, Rwanda and Burundi formed an ecclesiastical territory, whose center was Kabgayi, under the name of Apostolic Vicariate of Kivu (1912-1922). Bishop Hirth moved to Kabgayi, which became the religious center of the country.

On April 10, 1922, the Apostolic Vicariate of Rwanda was created, headed by Bishop Classe. Bishop Laurent Deprimoz succeeded him on January 31, 1945. He was appointed Coadjutor Bishop on March 19, 1943. Since 1952, on February 14, the Holy See has erected the Apostolic Vicariate of Nyundo, derived from the former Apostolic Vicariate of Rwanda. Bishop Aloys Bigirumwami, ordained bishop in Kabgayi on June 1, 1952, became its first leader. Subsequently, on April 21, 1955, for health reasons, Bishop Laurent Deprimoz resigned and his successor, Mgr. André Perraudin, received episcopal ordination in Kabgayi on March 25, 1956, from Bishop Aloys Bigirumwami.

Phase of the local hierarchy : Archdiocese of Kabgayi (1959-1976)

On November 10, 1959 appeared the Pontifical Decree establishing the ecclesiastical hierarchy in Rwanda. Kabgayi became Archbishopric. Nyundo was raised to a diocese and thus became a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Kabgayi. The decree was signed by His Excellence Mgr. MOJAISKY-PERRELLI, Apostolic Delegate, who handed the pallium to His Excellence Mgr. André Perraudin. In 1961 the dioceses of Ruhengeri and Butare were created. The first took the northern part of the Archdiocese of Kabgayi and the second took the southern part. In 1967 the Diocese of Kibungo was created in the eastern part of the Diocese.

Kabgayi, from the Archdiocese to the Diocese (1976)

While in 1959 when the dioceses of Rwanda were established, Kabgayi became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Rwanda. In 1974 the Holy Father, Pope Paul VI created the archdiocese of Kigali. On May 3, 1976, he appointed as First Archbishop, Bishop Vincent NSENGIYUMVA, transferred from the Diocese of Nyundo. Kabgayi became ipso facto suffragan diocese of Kigali, with His Excellence Mgr André Perraudin as Bishop of Kabgayi. In fact, he became the first bishop of the Diocese of Kabgayi according to the new legal provisions. Since August 19, 1976, Bishop Perraudin now resided at the bishopric of Kabgayi.

The Rwandan Bishops :

Since January 31, 1988, the Diocese received Bishop Thaddée NSENGIYUMVA as coadjutor Bishop. On October 7, 1989, Pope John Paul II accepted the resignation of Monsignor André PERRAUDIN, who had requested, according to the law, to be relieved of his pastoral office, and thus Bishop Thaddée took possession of the headquarters on October 7, 1989. Mgr. André Perraudin returned to his native country where he died in March 2003.

His Excellence Mgr. Thaddée Nsengiyumva as the first Rwandan Bishop of Kabgayi, led the diocese from 1989 until 1994 when he was killed along with two other bishops i.e. Bishop Vincent Nsengiyumva and Bishop Joseph Ruzindana, and about twenty priests, most of whom were part of the Diocesan Curia of Kabgayi. In November 1994, Pope John Paul II appointed Mgr. André Sibomana (+1998) as Apostolic Administrator.

On March 25, 1996, Pope John Paul II appointed Monsignor Anastase MUTABAZI as the new bishop of Kabgayi. The latter, after eight years in October 2004, presented to the Holy Father the resignation of his office. Hence, the Holy Father appointed His Excellence Mgr. Thaddée NTIHINYURWA, Archbishop of Kigali, as Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Kabgayi.

On January 21, 2006, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI appointed Monsignor Smaragde MBONYINTEGE as Bishop of Kabgayi. He was ordained bishop on March 26, 2006. Thus, the chronology of the diocese of Kabgayi is briefly presented from its foundation to the present day.

For details, clic on KABGAYI