20 striking morning pictures from Namugongo

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Since last week, Namugongo has been steadily filling up in anticipation of D-day, with both the Catholic Shrine and the Anglican Site already crowded by Monday, even before the official day of commemoration.

Today, the day has finally arrived, and people are continuing to pour into Namugongo. From the early hours this morning, we have been capturing images of the pilgrims, with stunning shots taken by our photographers on the ground in Namugongo.

Pilgrims at the Namugongo Catholic Basilica spent the night in worship and praise, gathering in groups according to their districts and regions. Throughout the night, they prayed and praised God in their native languages, creating a vibrant atmosphere of devotion.

Some were seen fetching holy water after patiently waiting for hours in long queues in the wee hours of the night. Others spent the night in grottoes, deeply engaged in prayer, seeking miracles and spiritual renewal from their pilgrimage experience.

Keep in mind that this year's celebrations are being led by the Lugazi Catholic Diocese at the Catholic Shrine, while the Anglican celebrations are led by the Northern Uganda cluster of the Church of Uganda, which consists of six dioceses.

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Superb shots from this morning in Namugongo

Let's start with the Catholic shrine. As early as 4:00 am, Moses Nsubuga had already pulled out his camera and started snapping. The pilgrims prayed, sang and worshipped all night. The lighting and the serene atmosphere were all a sight to behold. Check these pictures out.

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Holy water

Pilgrims queued in long lines, waiting for their turn to fill their small jerrycans with holy water. They patiently waited for hours. Others spent the night in grottoes, deeply engaged in prayer, seeking miracles and spiritual renewal from their pilgrimage experience

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Let's move to the Anglican site. There, Simon Peter Tumwine was hard at work, photographing the pilgrims and the last-minute preparations starting as early as 6:30 am. By the time he arrived, the faithful had already begun taking their seats.

He also took pictures of the activities happening outside the site, where security was well-deployed and the crowds were steadily growing.

Check out his shots!