BURUNDI, Fr. Deogratias Maruhukiro. Three weeks have passed since the event that will go down in history of Schoenstatt in Burundi and beyound. On Saturday 15 August, Mount Sion ggkungu in Bujumbura was overflowing with a crowd of people who came for the feast of the crowning of the Blessed Mother as the Queen of Peace and Reconciliation. Not just a feast like many others in the course of the years…
This is the third year that the Mount Sion community has prepared this celebration and the third year many prayers have risen to heaven in the name of peace and reconciliation. Even the faithful in neighbouring countries joined, as always, in our prayer. But this day, in particular, was unforgettable. This Saturday is different from the others and will without a doubt form a part of the annals of the history of Mount Sion and this is why the faithful from our neighbouring countries have turned out in their numbers.
This celebration was marked by several specific characteristics:
Internationality
a) People from many different nations attended the crowning celebrations, people from the Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania, as well as Switzerland, Spain and Germany. Many other people were also able to follow the liturgy on the internet via Schoenstatt-TV.
The political dimension
Politically, the Burundian government was represented at the very highest level. The first vice-president and the president of the national assembly gave a speech in the name of the government that made many people happy. Two of Burundi’s former presidents were also in attendance.
a) The active participation of the Burundian army and the national police also did not go unnoticed. Some people thought that this truly was a miracle by the Blessed Mother because the military men who went on a pilgrimage for peace are the same people who, not so long ago, were divided between the regular army and the rebels and regularly killed each other. It is only recently that the last rebel movement in Burundi agreed to lay down their weapons.
The number of people
It was impossible to estimate the number of people who attended the celebrations. It was the first time that a celebration drew such a crowd and every empty space from the parking lot to Caritas House was full. This means that the entire Mount Sion was filled with people. Some people said that there were as many as 30,000 people attended the celebrations.
A heavenly wonder
Everything ended perfectly. The crowning celebration was also marked cheers from the congregation, who in faith recognised signs of God’s providence. A light rain, which fell shortly after the Bishop’s homily, was welcomed by the people as a blessing from God. People also cheered at the signs which appeared in the sky for about 20 minutes. It was as if the sky changed colour, as at Fatima, became very bright and white like a host and it seemed to move. Without a doubt, God heard our prayers and the Blessed Mother accepted they crowning we gave her!
I cannot end without thanking all the people who helped to make this celebration a success -may they be particularly blessed by Mary our Queen.
Translation:Sarah-Leah Pimentel, South Africa
