UGANDA: Uganda to hold its first ever ‘Walk of Faith’ in preparation for the Martyrs Day celebration
As part of the spiritual preparation for the 2016 Uganda Martyrs Day Celebration due June 3, the Diocese of Kiyinda-Mityana alongside Uganda Episcopal Conference and Uganda Tourism Board, have organized a first ever symbolic pilgrimage known as “The Walk of Faith”.
The symbolic pilgrimage, which will take place on Sunday May 22, will kick-off at exactly 8.00 am from Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine with a word of prayer and end at St. Matia Mulumba Parish in Old Kampala. The Diocese of Kiyinda- Mityana was chosen to lead and animate this year’s celebration.
“This spiritual journey has been organized to enable our Christians today to experience the Martyrs’ pain and their last moments on earth in a commemorative walk,” said Rev. Fr. Lazarus Kiggundu, the Chairperson of the Organizing Committee for Uganda Martyrs Celebration 2016 in Kiyinda Mityana, on behalf of the Bishop of Kiyinda Mityana, Rt. Rev Joseph Antony Zziwa, at a Press conference that was held on Thursday May 19 in Kampala.
He added, “This year’s walk will be the first ever such official event to be included on the Uganda Martyrs day celebration calendar intended to promote Uganda Martyrs trail further. The symbolic event is part of the grand plan for the Church to organize such a pilgrimage every year to Namugongo by people from all over the world.”
The walk will begin from Munyonyo since it is the place where King Mwanga II made the decision to begin killing Christians for their faith in Jesus Christ. It was also at Munyonyo where the first three Christians, namely, St. Denis Ssebuggwawo, St. Andrew Kaggwa and St. Pontiano Ngondwe were killed on May 26, 1886. Munyonyo is also the place where the majority of the Martyrs started their two-day, painful but inspiring journey to Namugongo to face their death. However, some were killed along the way, while the others were burned alive in Namugongo on June 3.
The ‘walk of faith’ will be flagged off at Munyonyo Martyrs shrine by Bishop Zziwa and Dr. Maria Mutagamba, the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities in Uganda, who will also be the chief pilgrim. The pilgrims will make two stopovers at strategic places for a moment of prayer, before proceeding to their final destination at St. Matia Mulumba Parish where they will have a 30 minute health break to freshen up. Afterward, they will have a celebration of Holy Mass at 3.00pm at the same venue, presided over by Bishop Zziwa, to conclude the walk.
The venue of the Mass is where one of the Martyrs, St. Matia Mulumba was executed. He was one of the four Martyrs from Singo County which is part of the Diocese of Kiyinda-Mityana. The other three are, St. Noa Mawaggali, St. Luke Baanabakintu and St. Ambrose Kibuuka.
Meanwhile, there will be a novena to the Uganda Martyrs commencing on May 25, 2016 and concluding on June 2, 2016. All the Catholic faithful in Uganda have been called upon to observe this novena in honour to the Martyrs.
By Jacinta W. Odongo, Media Officer, Uganda Episcopal Conference
