Save is one of the first Catholic missions in
Rwanda
Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...
. It is a few miles north of the town of
Butare, and in the west of the
Gisagara District
Gisagara is a district (''akarere'') in Southern Province, Rwanda. Its headquarters is Ndora.
Geography
The district lies just to the East of Butare city, along the border with Burundi.
Where of gisagara district office building ,sector, ce ...
of
Southern Province, Rwanda. There is a church, several schools and a health centre. It is also home to the Mother House of the
Benebikira Sisters.
German forces occupied Rwanda in 1897.
In 1899 Bishop
John Joseph Hirth
John Joseph Hirth (french: Jean-Joseph Hirth; 26 March 1854 – 6 January 1931) was a Catholic Bishop in German East Africa, known as the founder of the church in Rwanda.
Early years
John Joseph Hirth was born on 26 March 1854 at Spechbach-le- ...
travelled to that country.
There he tried to develop a relationship with King
Yuhi Musinga
Yuhi Musinga (Yuhi V of Rwanda, 1883 – 13 January 1944) was a king of Rwanda who came to power in 1896 and collaborated with the German government to strengthen his own kingship. In 1931 he was deposed by the Belgian administration because of hi ...
.
Hirth gained permission to found the first Catholic missions in Rwanda at Save,
Zaza
Zaza may refer to:
Ethnic group
* Zazas, a group of people in eastern Anatolia (southeastern Turkey)
* Zaza–Gorani languages, Indo-Iranian languages
** Zaza language, spoken by the Zazas
People Given name
* Zaza Sor. Aree (born 1993), Thai k ...
and
Nyundo between 1900 and 1901.
The first church in Rwanda was built at Save in 1900, a thatched structure. Later it was replaced by a brick building.
References
Citations
Sources
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{{Rwanda-geo-stub
Populated places in Rwanda
White Fathers missions