UGANDA: Thousands Celebrate Uganda Martyrs Day in Namugongo

Thousands of pilgrims from across the globe on the 3 June 2013 flocked Namugongo Martyrs Shrine to celebrate the Ugandan Martyrs Day.

This year’s celebrations led by the Archdiocese of Mbarara were conducted under tight security. Each pilgrim was subjected to a thorough check before going through metal detectors mounted at all strategic entrance points.

In his homily Archbishop Paul Bakyenga of Mbarara Archdiocese, who was the main celebrant, thanked the government of Uganda for making the day a public holiday to enable citizens to fully celebrate. He also challenged the Catholic faithful to emulate the life of the Uganda Martyrs and be friends of Christ and the Church.

Referring to the life of Jesus Christ, Archbishop Bakyenga said the Uganda Martyrs and their country hold a special place in the Church, noting that Jesus Christ and his parents drank the waters of the Nile whose source is in Uganda while they were hiding in Egypt.

He applauded young catechists who have chosen the path of the martyrs saying that they keep Christianity and God’s teaching alive. The archbishop challenged elected leaders to follow the examples of the Uganda Martyrs by putting God first.

“As you seek to make law, please make laws that do not contradict God’s ways,” he urged the law makers of the nation, giving example of laws that allow abortion which is killing and same sex marriage, which are against God’s commandments. “If the Lord does not build the house, the laborers work in vain; consequently if law does not protect life, then our security officers keep watch for nothing.”
He defied everyone to take the opportunity presented by the Year of Faith to renew his or her Faith by listening to Jesus through reading and meditating on the word of God and studying the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

While thanking the media for publicizing this year’s celebration, His Grace Archbishop Bakyenga appealed to the secular media to add to their staff a special correspondent who is capable of rightfully reporting religious matters.

Archbishop Bakyenga also prayed for the soul Father Charles Lwanga Mugisha, a priest from Mbarara Archdiocese who was knocked down by a speeding commuter taxi on 2 June 2013. He died later at Mulago Hospital. Fr. Mugisha was among the organizers of the event and had just escorted some pilgrims from neighboring countries to the shrine when he was killed.
The archbishop invited Pope Francis to emulate his two predecessors, Pope Paul VI and John Paul II, and visit the home of the Uganda Martyrs. Paul VI visited Uganda in July 1969 while John Paul II came in February 1993.

The ceremony was attended by a number of dignitaries including the new apostolic nuncio to Uganda His Excellency Most Rev. Michael August Blume, S.V.D, His Eminence Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, Emeritus Archbishop of Kampala, religious superiors from across the country, head of the laity, government representatives led by the Vice President of Uganda Mr. Edward Kiwanuka Sekandi and pilgrims from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Nigeria, South Africa and Malawi among other countries. The pilgrims from Malawi were led by Rt. Rev. Montfort Sitima, Auxiliary Bishop of Blantyre.

Uganda Martyrs Day is a feast commemorated by the Catholic Church on the 3 June in honour of the fate of 22 Ugandan Christians who were slain because of allegiance to their Christian faith.

Source:AMECEA Social Communication