Our Lady of Kibeho (Mother of the Word) 1981

The Marian apparitions at Kibeho, Rwanda, are the only Vatican-approved apparitions on the African continent. They took place at a time of escalating ethnic tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi groups, from 1981 to 1989. The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three high school girls—Alphonsine , Nathalie , and Marie Claire —at a Catholic boarding school.

The apparitions were met with skepticism at first, but the consistency of the messages and the prophetic nature of the visions ultimately led to their approval by the local bishop in 2001. Today the Kibeho Shrine attracts large numbers of pilgrims for major events every year. The messages of Kibeho serve as reminder of the consequences of turning away from God, and a call to prayer, penance, reconciliation and devotion to Mary.