Tanzania Tops Pilgrims to the 130th Uganda Martyrs Anniversary
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By EADM Correspondents in Kampala, Uganda and Boston, Massachusetts.
In Summary: At 4,961 pilgrims, Tanzania topped the number of worshipers who came from the East African Community member countries. From Kenya, at least 4,000 pilgrims came to Namugongo, 800 from the Democratic Republic of Congo, 300 from Rwanda, 712 from Burundi, 117 from Nigeria, 105 from South Sudan, 100 from Malawi, seven from the United States and four from Mexico to celebrate the 130th anniversary of Ugandan Martyrs. Meanwhile, the Ugandan Roman Catholic community in Chicago, Illinois, USA celebrated the 130th Uganda Martyrs Anniversary last week.
Kampala, Uganda—Pilgrims from Tanzania topped the numbers of pilgrims from all the other East African Community (EAC) countries to the 130th Uganda Martyrs Anniversary at Namugongo, Uganda. At 4,961, Tanzania had the largest contingent of pilgrims from the East African Community member countries besides Uganda, the host.
From Kenya, at least 4,000 pilgrims came to Namugongo, 800 from the Democratic Republic of Congo, 300 from Rwanda, 712 from Burundi, and 105 from South Sudan. As a demonstration of their respective faiths, thousands of pilgrims from the six EAC member states walked on foot to the Martyrs Shrine at Namugongo near Kampala.
Other pilgrims included 117 from Nigeria, 100 from Malawi, seven from the United States and four from Mexico, according to records at the Catholic shrine in Namugongo. Other international Pilgrims came from Italy, Australia, Singapore, Malawi, South Africa, Ireland, United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada. Over one million pilgrims thronged both the Catholic and Protestant shrines in Namugongo last week to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the Uganda martyrs.
The Uganda Martyrs were executed on account of their faith. Popularly known as the Uganda Martyrs, the largely youthful palace pages were executed between 1885 and 1887 on the orders of Kabaka Daniel Mwanga Basammula II of Buganda after the pages refused to denounce their Christian faith, an action that undermined the Kabaka’s authority.
During this year’s Martyrs Day celebration, President Yoweri Museveni who was on a foreign trip to Germany, delegated Vice President Edward Sekandi to represent him at the Catholic Shrine. In a speech read for him by the vice president Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, President Museveni said government had already spent Shs 33 billion to uplift Namugongo to become a center of religious tourism in the country and the region. Museveni pledged to commit more Shs 16.7 billion this financial year to the development of the area.
The Kiyinda-Mityana Catholic Diocese organized this years’ Catholic liturgy celebrations. A consortium of 300 churches led by Namirembe Diocese organized the service at the Nakiyanja, Anglican Church shrine. The government was represented at the Anglican Shrine by Prime Minister designate Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda. The theme for the Anglican Church was “Happy are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake- for theirs is the kingdom of God.” This was drawn from Mathew 5:10.
Bishop Joseph Anthony Zziwa of Kiyinda-Mityana diocese cautioned believers against deceit urging them to emulate the martyrs by speaking the truth at all times. The Kampala archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga reiterated Bishop Zziwa's truth message when he said a journalist had confided in him that now media houses are paid to falsify information they print or broadcast to unsuspecting readers and listeners respectively.
(Source: Anglican Communion Office)
The archbishop of the Church of Uganda Stanley Ntagali told the congregation that the Anglican Church is seeking Shs 4.6 billion to complete the first phase of the Martyrs museum at the shrine. Meanwhile, in the United States, the Ugandan Roman Catholic community in Boston, Massachusetts held a colorful celebration of the 130th Uganda Martyrs Anniversary last week. In Chicago, Illinois, the Ugandan Diaspora community celebrated the Uganda Martyrs Day a fortnight ago. For the Ugandan Roman Catholic community in Los Angeles, California, celebrations marking the 130th Uganda Martyrs Anniversary got underway this weekend while the Anglican community held their celebrations two weeks ago.