The Catholic Archdiocese of Kigali is intensifying preparations for a major Church event  the closing celebration of the 125th Jubilee of Evangelization in Rwanda and the 2025 Jubilee Year of the Redemption of Christ. The national celebration is scheduled for December 6, 2025, at the Amahoro Stadium in Remera, which will host the Holy Mass for the first time since its renovation. The upgraded stadium now has a seating capacity of 45,000 faithful.

In a recent interview with Catholic media, Antoine Cardinal Kambanda, Archbishop of Kigali and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Rwanda (CEPR), said preparations are progressing well and have reached an advanced stage. He confirmed that official invitations have already been sent to Catholic communities from all dioceses across Rwanda and to guests from various countries around the world.

 “Preparations are going well and the invitations have already been issued,” Cardinal Kambanda said. “Among those invited are representatives of neighboring Catholic Churches, especially from Tanzania and Uganda, through which the Gospel passed before reaching Rwanda. We have also invited delegates from Vatican offices that oversee missionary work, as well as other Catholic partners from Europe and America with whom we collaborate.”

Cardinal Kambanda added that liturgical arrangements are being carefully organized, including the preparation of choirs, hymns, readings, and other elements related to the Holy Mass. He also noted that the venue is being made ready to ensure that all visitors and pilgrims will be welcomed with the dignity such an occasion deserves.

On October 19, 2025, while joining lay Catholics in celebrating their own Jubilee at Gishaka Parish within the Archdiocese of Kigali, Cardinal Kambanda called upon the laity to take active participation in the ongoing preparations for the national closing ceremony of the Jubilee.

“A Jubilee is a sacred time to look back and thank God,” he said. “It is also a moment to ask for forgiveness where we have failed, to evaluate our spiritual journey, and to prepare for a better future. In a special way, this combined Jubilee  which we shall conclude nationally in the Archdiocese of Kigali  will be celebrated at Amahoro Stadium on December 6, 2025. I encourage all lay faithful to get involved in every aspect of preparation so that the event may be truly successful.”

This 125th Jubilee of the arrival of the Gospel in Rwanda and the 2025 Jubilee of Christ’s Redemption represent a milestone for the Catholic Church in Rwanda  a moment of thanksgiving for 125 years of evangelization, reflection on the journey of faith, and renewal of the Christian mission to continue being witnesses of peace, love, and unity in everyday life.