During his installation as Archbishop of Kigali in early 2019, Antoine Kambanda addressed tens of thousands of Christians, emphasizing the need for a cathedral that reflects the beauty and modernity of the City of Kigali.
President Paul Kagame, who attended the ceremony, pledged his support for the construction and suggested considering a new site for the cathedral if possible.
Subsequently, the church was allocated the land where the 1930 Prison once stood. The master plan, now displayed on this historic site, reveals the design of the future cathedral.
Father Innocent Consolateur of St. Michel Parish has told IGIHE that the displayed design gives a glimpse of the new building's appearance but refrained from providing further details.
He mentioned that additional information about the commencement of construction will be disclosed by Cardinal Antoine Kambanda. Attempts to reach Cardinal Kambanda for comments were unsuccessful at press time.
The new, modern cathedral is expected to accommodate at least 5,000 people, featuring a large courtyard capable of hosting between 10,000 and 20,000 attendees during major events.
In 2020, Archbishop Cardinal Kambanda told IGIHE that the cathedral would be a modern structure uniquely reflective of Rwandan culture.
"It must be a building with the shape of a church, but also with a unique Rwandan characteristic, harmonizing the church's appearance with Rwandan culture," he said.
In 2023, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) announced plans to raise Rwf40 billion for the construction of the cathedral.
Currently, the Kigali Cathedral is located in Kiyovu in the Nyarugenge District, where St. Michel Parish is situated.
However, the existing cathedral is too small to host major events. The St. Michel Parish, established in 1963 as part of the Kabgayi Diocese, was designated as a Cathedral Parish on May 3, 1976, upon the establishment of the Archdiocese of Kigali.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/archdiocese-of-kigali-unveils-design-of-st-michel-cathedral-photos
