April 6 The Kimbanguist New Year

    Nowadays In every continent people celebrate New Year based on their own history, often religious is determined by a specific timetable. Some people miss taking the bulk of their civilization by neglecting calendars used as a benchmarks or tools for supporting research such as (Maya, Egyptian calendars, etc.). With the expansion of Christianity, most part of the world use Gregorian calendar. This calendar, designed at the end of the 16th century by a panel of scientists to correct the secular drift of the Julian calendar that bears the name of its instigator Pope Gregory XIII. The starting point of this calendar is year 1 corresponding to the Christian era that begins with the birth of Jesus Christ. Referring to the approximation of Jesus Christ birth date, a reference made by the collegiality cited above, this calendar is unclear and cause problems. Thus, beginning in year 1, it is a solar calendar based on the revolution of the earth around the Sun that does not match the design of astronomical phenomena, known by our ancestors and the reality of African traditions especially Kongo, revealing a lunar calendar.
    In Africa, a large number of African languages express the month by the word "Moon". For example, the Kongo people call it "Ngonda" which means the Moon, Kuba and Luba people call it "Ngondu" (Moon), the Ngala people call it "Sanza" (Moon). Take the sentence in Kikongo "lumbu Kia sambanu mu Ngonda ya nya" (the sixth day of the fourth month). In fact, this sentence does not represent "April 06 or the sixth day of the fourth month" because the sentence expresses "the sixth day of the fourth Moon" as the month is a function of the moon, according to our ancestors to determine the time, the movement of the Earth is set referring to the Moon not by the Sun. 1) For them, the Moon gives the beginning and the end of the month whereas the Sun barely gives details. This astronomical and historical reality is demonstrated not only biblically but also some confronted texts in the African tradition suggest that the only and the unique calendar linked to the African reality should be the lunar calendar. This is a calendar that Africa need for its development.
     2) Thus, the Kimbanguist calendar called Kimbangumuna that represents the sixth day of April of Gregorian as being the Kimbanguist first day of the year is actually Lunar and can be adapted to the solar calendar.

Where this date came from? What does it mean? And why Kimbanguists insist on this date?

Recent history tells us that on April 06, 1921, was the first day when Father Simon Kimbangu began his public Ministry, which is in fact the date of the Kimbanguism birth. It also was the day that black people were liberated after 430 years of mental and spiritual enslavement (April 1491 - April 1921) as was the case of Israel people who were released by Moses after 430 years of captivity in Egypt. The similarity with the liberation of Israel people is simple. First, the people of Israel and the Kongo people were released after 430 years. Second, Father Simon Kimbangu revealed to us that Israel people liberation fell on Wednesday April 6 of the Gregorian calendar even if this calendar was not used at that time. Only God who liberated Israel people when long time ago he told Egyptians in Exodus Chapter 12 verses 1-2 that the day of their release is their first day of their calendar. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt that: "this month will be the first month of the year for you". "By consulting the Jewish calendar for the year 2011, we noticed that the 1st Nissan 5771 is Tuesday 5 April 2011, the only difference is that the Jewish date begins on the eve of the Gregorian date (April 06) moreover this Jewish calendar is subject to annual changes.
    Note that Father Simon Kimbangu revealed that Wednesday April 6 was the day that the lord Jesus Christ began his ministry and operated his first miracle in a wedding in Canaan.
The Kimbanguism as being a religion of the continuity of God’s plan or implementation on Earth depicts the Almighty God as Trinitarian. Its role is to reproduce exactly things that had already been decided and conducted in the past. The only exception is that at each time God teaches differently. He taught the law as being God the father, he has urged us to love the name of God the son and requested us to produce good works at his coming on Earth in the name of God the Holy Spirit. Isn’t this the Kimbanguist trilogy enacted by his Eminence Diangienda Kuntima the youngest son of Father Simon Kimbangu Who taught on love, law and works? (Bolingo, Mibeko, Misala) The new formula of leading the world and the entire humanity.

   This is why when referring to the date of April 06 in Biblical context, astronomical and spiritual must restore its lost calendar. God will complete his mission which is connected to the release of black people including his rehabilitation resulting the new world harmonization (Matthew 24: 2) to the restoration of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 21: 43) and the heavenly on Earth (Revelation 21) Jerusalem (: 1-3).

Thus, the Kimbanguist new year which is the 1st kintombo of the year 91 coincides with the date of April 6 of the Gregorian calendar year 2012. It’s the beginning of a new era for Africa in General and for the Congo in particular, because it foreshadows a new civilization based on the work of Father Simon Kimbangu (Mandombe scripture) (, Kimbangumuna calendar and Kimbangumuna clock etc.). Let that Congo, Africa and the world learn the new divine calendar which is the source of spiritual and scientific fundamental for the future.

By FuakasumbuTranslated by Nsundidi