The African Continent

The very first evangelization of this big continent began in the northern part of Africa in the 2^nd century.

In those times, Numidia – today's Maghreb – as the latest addition to the Roman Empire was visited by the first disciples of Christ to share the Good News. Such was their work that in the 5^th century, in St. Augustine’s time (Augustine, a Berber from north Africa, was a Father and Doctor of the Church), the Maghreb, land of many basilicas and other Marian sanctuaries, was a thriving Christendom!

The Arab invasions of the 7^th century constitute a turning point in Africa’s religious history. From that time on, Islam increasingly forced its way into the northern part of Africa; as a result north Africa shut itself off to the light of the Gospel.

It was only during the 19^th century that real evangelization of the African continent stared up once more – although, thanks to immigration to South Africa (Huguenot immigration, for instance) - the Gospel had already reached those southern latitudes, as early as the 17^th century.

Nowadays, the Word of God is widespread on the African continent

Indeed, there are still quite a number of missionaries, mostly from Europeans countries, on the African continent, but more and more often African nuns and priests have joined in to relieving the Church – to the point that today, even France is asking African priests to come and re-evangelize its parishes!

One understands better why Pope John Paul II calls Africa “continent of Hope”!

The Christian faith and the devotion to the Virgin Mary in Africa have gained a new energy, especially since the middle of the 20^th century, and since the beginning of the New Evangelization at the dawn of the 21^st century!

As for miracles, visits and other appearances of the Virgin Mary in Africa, no one can keep track of them all anymore!

Remember Our Lady of Kibeho: just before the atrocious Rwandan genocide, the Virgin Mary appeared in Kibeho, Rwanda, from 1981 to 1989; she asked the people to pray and foretold the ordeals we are all familiar with.

Is Africa a Marian continent?

Africa is also Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro with her splendor and majestic radiance , in the Ivory Coast.

Or, on the Algerian coast of the Maghreb, Our Lady of Africa, who watches over Algiers, and where people, Christians and Muslims alike, come from far and wide to pray to the Virgin Mary…