The President of the Republic of Burundi HE Evariste Ndayishimiye announced Saturday, December 19, 2020 in a mass marking the blessing and consecration of the rehabilitated Regina Mundi Cathedral Parish, the holding of the prayer of thanksgiving which will take place in Mutaho from December 28 to 31, 2020 and which will begin with an Eucharistic Mass.

In his speech, Burundi Head of State first hailed the holding of the triple celebration: the blessing of the rehabilitated cathedral, the opening of the pastoral year 2020-2021 as well as the 61st anniversary of the diocese of Bujumbura. .

“The Burundians are children of God” said President Ndayishimiye recalling that, according to the Burundian constitution, the President of the Republic takes an oath before God and his people.

“If we observe the past of Burundi, the president and the future, we can say that God is with us and must give thanks” continued the Head of State inviting the men of God to support the actions of the State because according to even the strategic pastoral plan of the diocese is similar to the National Development Plan.

Burundi President did not fail to give advice to the men of God, to respect the law, to emphasize their vocation and to fight against all that is contrary to the will of God. “We have seen some pastors fighting in churches” said Mr. President.

In his homily, the Archbishop of the diocese of Bujumbura, the Archbishop Gervais Banshimiyubusa, expressed the intense joy of having finally celebrated what he called “golden jubilee” because the cathedral had never had the opportunity to celebrate neither its silver jubilee nor its fiftieth anniversary for political reasons.

He then presented the strategic pastoral plan of the diocese of Bujumbura and invited all those who are concerned to support this plan which, according to him, requires a lot of material, physical and spiritual resources.

Note that the former archbishops of the diocese of Bujumbura, the Archbishops Simon Ntamwana and Evariste Ngoyagoye were present in these ceremonies.