Antoine Kambanda
Stored: Antoine Kambanda
| His Eminence Antoine Kambanda | |
| Bishop of Archdiocese of Kigali | |
| Home diocese: | Archdiocese of Kigali |
| Other diocese 1: | Diocese of Kibungo |
| Other diocese 2: | |
| Other diocese 3: | |
| Ordination: | 8 September 1990 by Archbishop Joseph Ruzindana |
| Consecration: | 28 July 2013 by Archbishop Andrzej Dzięga |
| Rank: | Cardinal |
| Created cardinal: | 28 November 2020 by Pope Francis |
| Personal details | |
| Born: | Antoine Kambanda 10 November 1958 Nyamata, Rwanda |
| Died: | |
| Nationality: | Rwandan |
| Education: | Petit Séminaire Saint Pie X (Kigali), Grand Séminaire de Nyakibanda, Alphonsian Academy (Rome) |
| Motto: | "Ut Unum Sint" (That They May Be One) |
| Role: | Diocesan |
| Theology: | Moderate |
| Region: | Africa |
| Rite: | Roman Rite |
| Conclave Eligibility: | Eligible |
Cardinal Antoine Kambanda, born November 10, 1958, is a Rwandan prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, serving as Archbishop of Kigali since 2018 and Rwanda’s first cardinal, elevated by Pope Francis in 2020.[1] A survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, which claimed his immediate family, Kambanda has been a prominent advocate for reconciliation, emphasizing forgiveness and unity in his pastoral work, as reflected in his motto, “Ut Unum Sint” (That They May Be One, John 17:21).[2] His leadership includes promoting interfaith dialogue and addressing poverty, notably through initiatives like Caritas Rwanda, and he has been praised for fostering healing in post-genocide Rwanda, as noted by Rwandan Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente in 2025.[3] At 66, Kambanda is one of 19 African cardinal-electors in the 2025 papal conclave, starting May 7, where his participation, alongside pre-conclave discussions with figures like Cardinal Vincent Nichols, marks a historic moment for Rwanda’s global Church presence.[4]
Ordained a priest in 1990, Kambanda served as Bishop of Kibungo (2013–2018) before his appointment as Archbishop of Kigali, succeeding Thaddée Ntihinyurwa.[5] His tenure has included roles in the Dicastery for Evangelization (since 2023) and the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), where he has addressed migration and environmental concerns.[2] In April 2025, Kambanda joined over 130 cardinals in Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral preparations, engaging in pre-conclave meetings to discuss the Church’s needs, including Rwanda’s post-genocide recovery and ecclesial challenges.[4] His 2019 call for genocide perpetrators to seek forgiveness and his 2024 leadership in Rwanda’s 30th genocide commemoration underscore his commitment to healing and justice.[3]
Biography
Birth and early life
Antoine Kambanda was born on November 10, 1958, in Nyamata, Rwanda, to Théogène Ruberintwari and Immaculée Nyirabazungu.[1] Raised in a Catholic family, he was the fourth of nine children, all but one of whom, along with his parents, were killed during the 1994 Rwandan genocide.[6] Educated at Saint Joseph’s Junior Seminary in Nyarutovu, he fled to Uganda during Rwanda’s pre-genocide unrest, completing secondary education at St. Mary’s College Kisubi.[2] His experience as a refugee and genocide survivor shaped his ministry of reconciliation.[3]
At age 20, Kambanda entered the Petit Séminaire Saint Pie X in Kigali, discerning a priestly vocation amidst Rwanda’s ethnic tensions.[1] His early life fostered a commitment to unity, later evident in his episcopal leadership.[6]
Education
Kambanda studied philosophy and theology at the Grand Séminaire de Nyakibanda in Rwanda from 1983 to 1989, earning a bachelor’s degree in theology.[1] He pursued moral theology at the Alphonsian Academy in Rome from 1999 to 2002, obtaining a licentiate with a focus on reconciliation and forgiveness in post-conflict societies.[2] His studies emphasized pastoral approaches to healing communal trauma.[3]
Fluent in Kinyarwanda, French, English, and Italian, Kambanda’s education equipped him for leadership in Rwanda’s multilingual and post-genocide context.[6] His Roman formation deepened his alignment with Vatican II’s call for social justice.[3]
Priesthood
Ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Kigali on September 8, 1990, by Archbishop Joseph Ruzindana in Mbare, Uganda, Kambanda served as a parish priest in Kigali and director of Caritas Kigali (1990–1993).[1] He was academic dean and professor at the Grand Séminaire de Nyakibanda (1993–1999) and rector of seminaries in Kabgayi (2002–2006) and Nyakibanda (2006–2013).[5] His ministry focused on education, charity, and fostering reconciliation post-genocide.[6]
Kambanda’s priesthood included navigating Rwanda’s recovery, advocating for forgiveness, and supporting displaced persons, roles that earned him recognition as a unifying figure.[3] His work with Caritas addressed poverty and ethnic division.[2]
Bishop
Appointed Bishop of Kibungo on May 7, 2013, by Pope Francis, Kambanda was consecrated on July 28, 2013, by Archbishop Andrzej Dzięga.[5] Named Archbishop of Kigali on November 19, 2018, he was installed on January 27, 2019.[1] Elevated to cardinal on November 28, 2020, he received the titular church of San Sisto.[2] He is the first Rwandan cardinal, a milestone praised by Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente for Pope Francis’ recognition of Rwanda’s Church.[3]
As archbishop, Kambanda has promoted interfaith dialogue, served in the Dicastery for Evangelization, and led Rwanda’s 2024 genocide commemorations.[6] In 2025, he participated in Pope Francis’ funeral and pre-conclave meetings, discussing Rwanda’s history with Cardinal Vincent Nichols.[4]
| Diocese | Role | Start Date | End Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diocese of Kibungo | Bishop | 7 May 2013 | 19 November 2018 | First episcopal appointment |
| Archdiocese of Kigali | Archbishop | 19 November 2018 | Present | First Rwandan cardinal, elevated in 2020 |
Significant events
- Entered Petit Séminaire Saint Pie X, 1978.[1]
- Ordained priest for Archdiocese of Kigali, 1990.[1]
- Survived Rwandan genocide, lost family, 1994.[6]
- Earned licentiate in moral theology in Rome, 2002.[2]
- Appointed rector of Nyakibanda Seminary, 2006.[1]
- Named Bishop of Kibungo, 2013.[5]
- Appointed Archbishop of Kigali, 2018.[1]
- Called for genocide perpetrators to seek forgiveness, 2019.[3]
- Elevated to cardinal by Pope Francis, 2020.[1]
- Appointed to Dicastery for Evangelization, 2023.[2]
- Led Rwanda’s 30th genocide commemoration, 2024.[3]
- Participated in Pope Francis’ funeral preparations, 2025.[4]
Books
Written about the bishop
- No specific biographies dedicated to Cardinal Kambanda were identified.
Written by the bishop
- No books authored by Cardinal Kambanda were identified. He has issued pastoral letters and statements through the Archdiocese of Kigali, but no published books are documented.
External links
- Antoine Kambanda
- Biography of Cardinal Antoine Kambanda
- Vatican Biography of Cardinal Antoine Kambanda
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 "Antoine Kambanda". Wikipedia. 2020-10-25. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Kambanda.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 "Cardinal Antoine Kambanda". Vatican Press. https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinals_biographies/cardinals_bio_kambanda_a.html.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 "Antoine Kambanda". La Croix. 2020-11-27. https://cardinaux.la-croix.com/antoine-kambanda/.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Conclave: Who will elect the next Pope". Vatican News. 2025-04-29. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2025-04/conclave-who-will-elect-the-next-pope.html.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Antoine Cardinal Kambanda". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bkamba.html.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 "Rwanda’s first Cardinal: a sign of hope for a wounded nation". Vatican News. 2020-11-28. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2020-11/rwanda-s-first-cardinal-a-sign-of-hope-for-a-wounded-nation.html.