The Central Association of the Miraculous Medal (CAMM) will dedicate the Our Lady of Kibeho Shrine on August 17, 2025, at The Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Philadelphia. The shrine will be situated in St. Vincent’s Rosary Walk, an outdoor area at the Basilica.

Most Reverend Efren V. Esmilla, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, is scheduled to preside over an 11 a.m. Mass for the occasion. After Mass, attendees will move to the Rosary Walk to complete the dedication ceremony. The event will include music from the African Catholic Choir and praise dancers.

The new shrine honors Marian apparitions that reportedly took place between 1981 and 1989 in Rwanda and were recognized by the Catholic Church in November 2001. Three young women said they saw apparitions of Our Lady of Kibeho during that period.

The project is a joint effort between CAMM and the Martin de Porres Foundation. Funding was provided through a grant from Willa Stokes, a Black Catholic who lived near the Basilica Shrine. According to organizers, this initiative aims to highlight Black Catholic Spirituality within both the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the wider Catholic Church.

Fr. John Kettelberger, CM, spiritual director for CAMM and rector of the Basilica Shrine, said, “The Our Lady of Kibeho Shrine will be an additional light shining to welcome pilgrims to the Basilica Shrine. The Our Lady of Kibeho Shrine will give people a place to see Our Blessed Mother as they see themselves. Furthermore, Our Lady feels the pain of all who come to her, and she invites us into her loving arms, so that we do not suffer alone.”

The addition is intended as a permanent symbol celebrating cultural diversity within Catholicism and reflects ongoing efforts by local organizations to recognize contributions from different communities.