50th Anniversary Celebration

A celebration service marking the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of Buyé, companion of the Edmonton diocese, was held at All Saints’ Cathedral in Buyé on Sunday, November 13, 2016.

The Rev. Dominique Ciza, Buyé diocesan secretary, reports that seven bishops attended the service, including Archbishop Martin Nyaboho who led the service, the current Bishop of Buye, Sixbert Macumi, and the first Burundian Bishop of Buye, John Nkunzumwami, who led the diocese for 13 years.

The service was followed by lunch in the diocesan conference hall in Ngozi where, as Ciza says, 5o“A lot of speeches took place.”

As a brief history, the Anglican church has been a presence in Burundi since 1936. Church Mission Society (CMS) missionaries established an area that until 1965 included Burundi, Rwanda and a part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was in 1965 that Buyé, known as the Mother Diocese, became the first diocese in Burundi.

In 1975, Buye diocese was divided into two and Bujumbura diocese was created. The diocese of Gitega came into existence in 1985 followed by Matana in 1990 and Makamba in 1997. Muyinga diocese was created in 2005 and the diocese of Rumonge in 2013. The Anglican Church of Burundi has been an independent Province of the Anglican Communion since 1992. (www.anglicannews.org)

Though it was not possible to celebrate the anniversary last year, the opportunity arose this year. “We were very blessed indeed. Thank you for your prayers,” says Ciza.

On May 25, 2009, Bishop Jane Alexander and Bishop Sixbert Macumi made a solemn commitment, on behalf of members of the Anglican Dioceses of Edmonton and Buye, to walk together in faith.

“It is our prayer that through our partnership one with another that we might grow in mutual affection and communion, seek a more profound experience of truth, build up the Church in unity and give glory to Jesus Christ our Saviour.”