Cardinal Antoine Kambanda

Cardinal Antoine Kambanda, Archbishop of Kigali, Rwanda, was born on 10 November 1958, in Nyamata, in the Archdiocese of Kigali. All the members of his family were killed during the 1994 war, except for one brother who currently lives in Italy. He attended primary schools in Burundi and Uganda, then completed his secondary school education in Kenya. He returned to Rwanda after finishing his studies in philosophy and two years of theology. He completed his theological studies at the Major Seminary in Nyakibanda (Diocese of Butare). He was ordained a priest on 8 September 1990, by Saint John Paul II, on the occasion of his pastoral visit to Rwanda. After his ordination he was a professor and prefect at the minor seminary of Ndera, Kigali (1990-1993). He then pursued higher studies at the Alphonsianum in Rome where he obtained his doctorate in moral theology, residing at the Pontifical College of Saint Paul (1993-1999). During the years 1999-2005, he held the following positions: Director of the Diocesan Caritas of Kigali, Director of the Diocesan Commission for Justice and Peace, professor of moral theology at the Major Seminary in Nyakibanda, and spiritual director of the Major Seminary in Rutongo. From 2005-2006 he was Rector of the Major Seminary of philosophy in Kabgayi, and, since 2006, Rector of Saint Charles of Nyakibanda Major Seminary in the Diocese of Butare. On 7 May 2013, he was appointed as Bishop of Kibungo and he received episcopal consecration on 20 July 2013. On 19 November 2018, Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Kigali. He was created and proclaimed a Cardinal by Pope Francis in the Consistory of 28 November 2020, and was assigned the titular church San Sisto. Member of: Dicasteries: for the Evangelization; for Culture and Education.