UGANDA: Hundreds of Pilgrims Expected to Throng Gulu Archdiocese’ Paimol Martyrs Shrine for Annual Celebration

Isaac Ojok

The Christians from Uganda’s Gulu Ecclesiastical Province and beyond are making spontaneous pilgrimages to Paimol Martyrs Shrine in Gulu Archdiocese to commemorate the martyrdom of blessed Daudi Okello and Jildo Irwa that occurred in 1918.

The pilgrims are mainly the youths and a cross section of Christian believers drawn from within the Archdiocese other dioceses including Lira, Nebbi and Arua.

In an interview with AMECEA Online news correspondent, Fr. Joseph Okumu the Rector of Paimol Martyr’s Shrine said the spontaneous pilgrimages is a head of the D-day celebration on the 20th October 2021 to mark the martyrdom of blessed Daudi Okello and Jildo Irwa where a number of people are expected to attend in person amidst strict observance of Covid-19 safety measures.

He disclosed that pilgrims from parishes within Gulu Archdiocese and other dioceses within the Province have started arriving at the shrine to offer their prayer intentions to God.

Apart from the arrival of the pilgrims, different committees majority of whom are youths, have been formed to prepare the ground to accommodate pilgrims, while essential items like hand washing facilities, temperature monitoring machines and other hygienic facilities are being set in place to ensure that all Covid-19 measures are strictly observed.

According to Fr Okumu the theme for this years’ celebration is, “I am going to teach Religion,” drawn from the example of the blessed martyrs who were killed on account of their faith and that of teaching Religion.

Fr Okumu went on to note that it is timely for people to embrace and grow in the spirit of simplicity, humility and of service to others just like the two martyrs of Paimol who served selflessly and dedicated their lives for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

In his message the rector implored pilgrims to emulate the holiness of the martyrs, pray and dedicate their time in serving others and be able to propagate faith in a bid to restore and consolidate moral fiber in their communities.

He urged the pilgrims to observe the Standard Operating Procedures-SOPs set in place by the Health Ministry to contain the rate of Covid-19 infections among them.

Blessed Daudi Okello and Jildo Irwa before their martyrdom on account of their faith in 1918 were the two young Catechists famous for giving Religious instructions to Christians.

In 2018 before the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic, Christians from Gulu Ecclesiastical Province and beyond thronged Paimol Shrine in Agago district Gulu Archdiocese to mark the Centenary (100 years) of the martyrdom of blessed Daudi Okello and Jildo Irwa.

It has been a tradition that annually on the 20th October Christians mainly from Gulu Ecclesiastical Province gather at Paimol to commemorate the martyrdom of blessed Daudi Okello and Jildo Irwa although recently was interrupted by the outbreak of Corona virus pandemic.

Blessed Daudi Okello and Jildo Irwa were on 20^th October, 2002 beatified by St John Paul II in Rome.