The Kimbanguist community in the Democratic Republic of Congo is preparing to celebrate Christmas this Saturday, May 25, 2024. It is a date of capital importance for the faithful of this faith, who mark this event by parading through the streets from Kinshasa and other cities in the country, to the lively sound of the fanfare.
At the heart of this celebration is a large religious and festive ceremony at the Kimbanguiste reception center in Kinshasa. For followers of the Kimbanguist religion, May 25 symbolizes the second birth of Jesus Christ, incarnated in the person of “Papa” Dialungana Kiangani, the second son of the Prophet Simon Kimbangu.
According to Kimbanguist beliefs, this date has a special meaning and is based on in-depth research and divine revelations. “From our research and revelation, we discovered that Jesus Christ was born on May 25. Based on the Bible, God now says on this date, in this month of April, month of Abib according to the calendar Jewish, becomes your first month When we read the announcement of the birth of Jesus, the angel says in the 6th month which is for us the month of September And if we count from September, the 9th month so that. “child is born falls in May,” Surbens Swalenge explained to Radio Okapi in 2012, then head of the Kimbanguist church in Kinshasa.
This celebration is an opportunity for the faithful to come together, share moments of prayer and festivities, but also to strengthen their faith in Kimbanguist spirituality. The march, the procession and the music of the fanfare bring a special atmosphere to this day full of symbols and meanings for the community.
The Kimbanguist Christmas celebration on May 25, 2024 reminds the faithful of the importance of the figure of Jesus Christ in their worship, as well as the legacy left by the religious leaders who marked the history of this religion in the DRC. It is a day of sharing, reflection and celebration for a community united by its faith and devotion to its teachings.
In conclusion, the Kimbanguist Christmas celebration represents much more than a simple religious commemoration for the faithful of this faith in the DRC; it is a moment of deep celebration, full of meaning and emotion.