His Eminence
Cardinal Kambanda
The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem was founded within the Catholic Church and is, from its origin, a religious community. It is currently composed of chaplains and lay people belonging to different ecclesial communities. Its spiritual vocation is to promote Christian unity.
The legitimacy of the Order of Saint Lazarus had the spiritual guarantee of the Patriarchs of Jerusalem, both Greek and Latin rite, from its origin until 1255 and then it was confirmed by Pope Alexander IV in his Bull given at Naples 11 April 1255, and by successive Popes until the 19th century. This spiritual guarantee was granted by the Greek-Melkite Patriarchs from 1841 until 2005.
Since 2 February 2005, the spiritual protection of the Order has been provided by a high-ranking Catholic prelate solicited by the Grand Magistry.
The Spiritual Protector is the guarantor of the spiritual legitimacy of the Order and its relationship with the Catholic Church in an ecumenical spirit.
In succession to His Eminence Cardinal László Paskai, and His Eminence Cardinal Dominik Duka, in August of 2022, His Eminence Cardinal Antoine Kambanda became the highest moral and spiritual authority of the Order accepting the position of Chaplain General and Spiritual Protector. While retaining its characteristic of ecumenism, the Order reasserted with pride and honour its ties with the Catholic Church and rediscovered its historic spiritual protection.
The Spiritual Protector is the guarantor of the spirituality of the Order, its members, its activities, and its decisions. He ensures the strict monitoring of the ecumenical character of the Order.
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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 the Diocese of Kibungo and He received episcopal consecration on the 20 July 2013.
On 19 November 2018 Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Kigali.
Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope Francis in the Consistory of 28 November 2020, of the Title of San Sisto.