As we approach the conclusion of the Jubilee Year dedicated to the 800th anniversary of St. Francis composing the Canticle of the Creatures, the Franciscan Family of Burkina Faso joyfully looks back on a journey rich in spiritual and ecological activities that have given concrete expression to the spirit of St. Francis.
The first phase of this journey took the form of “reforestation days.” These events were held throughout the 2025 Jubilee Year and took place across different regions of Burkina Faso, including Bobo-Dioulasso (July 19); Korsimoro (July 26); Koupéla and Thyou (August 2); Ouagadougou (August 23); Tenkodogo (August 30); and finally Yagma. Many religious, traditional, and government authorities attended. Each tree planted was experienced as a prayer made physical, a tangible act of ecological conversion, and a sign of hope for the care of our common home, renewing the Franciscan commitment to live with nature in a peaceful, fraternal and responsible way.
In keeping with the theme of the Jubilee, on Saturday, October 18, 2025, a “Night of Prayer and Song for Cohesion and Peace” was held at the Municipal Stadium in Ouagadougou. This vigil, marked by a genuine spirit of universal fraternity, was attended by more than six thousand faithful. They came from different religious traditions and regions around the country. The evening began with a solemn prayer for peace and national reconciliation. Next, there were addresses by representatives of “Traditional Religion”; the Islamic League for Peace; His Eminence Cardinal Philippe OUÉDRAOGO, Archbishop Emeritus of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; and the President of the Organizing Committee, Friar Joseph KADSONDO, OFM Conv. All shared a profound desire to see Burkina Faso reborn in peace, fraternity, and unity.
Côte d’Ivoire [Ivory Coast] contributed to the event through the fraternal participation of the group “Sacré Cœur de Jésus” and the Christian gospel singer Guy Christ ISRAËL, thus expressing international solidarity and unity. Various Franciscan choirs performed as well as several Christian and Muslim singers. These included Sister Anne Marie Kaboré, Father Jean Paul Barro, Dr. Abdallah, Alexandre Kafando, Zétie Daniel, the choirs Saint Camille, La Rotonde, and Saint François d’Assise, and the Franciscan Symphony. Together, they enlivened the evening with praise, music, and prayer, creating a strong sense of communion and spiritual unity.
This exceptional night offered a living witness to interreligious dialogue and universal fraternity, bringing together Catholics, Muslims, Protestants, and leaders of African Traditional Religion as a concrete sign of a Burkina Faso united in its rich diversity.
Rooted in the charism of St. Francis of Assisi, the celebration highlighted the gospel message: “Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is division, let me sow unity.” In this spirit, and trusting in the Lord, may the Franciscan Family of Burkina Faso continue to sow peace in hearts, foster fraternity in communities, and cultivate hope throughout the nation, as the Jubilee Year of the Canticle of the Creatures draws to a close.
Provincial Delegation in Burkina Faso
