Namugongo Martyrs Shrine celebrates 75 years of existence

By Juliet Lukwago

Uganda Martyrs Shrine Namugongo Parish today celebrates 75 years since its foundation by the Mill Hill Missionaries. According to the shrine administrator, Fr. Dr. Emmanuel Kimbowa, the celebrations will be under the theme; “United we grow in Faith like the Uganda Martyrs.” The function will be presided over by the Archbishop of Kampala Archdiocese, Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga. To commemorate the 75 years of the church’s existence, the organising committee has embarked on constructing a nursery school. It will cost over sh200m.

The catholic Church in Uganda is also preparing to celebrate the Uganda Martyrs Golden Jubilee since Pope Paul VI canonised the martyrs in October 18, 1964. This parish is the home of the Uganda Martyrs shrine, a place where millions of Christians from all over the world come to commemorate Uganda Martyrs Day, every June 3. The parish was founded by the MillHill missionaries after 49 years (1935) of holocaust. It was dedicated to Our Lady Queen of the Martyrs and also got its Parish Priest, Fr. Peter Van Rooyen. Late Msgr Lawrence Mbwega was the parish priest, who took over from Mill Hill Fathers and was one of the witnesses of the construction of Uganda Martyrs Shrine, Namugongo known as Basilica. The parish has different sub-parishes.

HOW THE PARISH STARTED?

Dr. Kimbowa says Uganda Martyrs Shrine, Namugongo started as a small sub-parish of Nsambya with its grass thatched church at Kyaliwajjala where Vienna Academy currently stands. Later young Dutch Mill Hill Father, Stephen Walters bought eight acres of land where the shrine stands and this marked the beginning of advocating for a parish at the spot where St. Charles Lwanga was killed. Uganda Martyrs Basilica is a Catholic Church dedicated to the martyrs of Uganda, who shed their blood for Catholic faith.

The shrine is known for its beautiful and unique interior and exterior. It is notable for its shape and architectural plan: the 22 copper pillars—over 100 feet long that support the shrine built in form of an African hut and its wooden doors that depict the history of the martyrs. The shrine has a capacity of 1,000 seats arranged in a circular form. The Uganda Martyrs Shrine, Namugongo is one of the most visited places by Christians in Uganda. This has prompted the Christian faith to turn it into one of the tourist sites in the country.

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Pope John Paul VI (right) blesses the foundation stone of Namugongo church in 1969

HOW THE BEAUTIFUL BASILICA CHURCH WAS BUILT

The imposing shrine dominating Namugongo today stands on the spot where the small original parish church stood and it is the same spot where Charles Lwanga was burnt alive.

According to Monsignor Charles Kimbowa, one of the oldest priests while the pilgrims keep wondering and admiring the way the church was constructed, they should also praise the late Kampala Archbishop Emmanuel Kiwanuka Nsubuga, who was the brain-child of it all. Msgr Kimbowa, who was once a senior private secretary to late Cardinal Nsubuga before he became the first Ugandan Cardinal, praises the late prelate for taking the initiative to raise money locally and transformed the shrines to what it is today.

Kimbowa further says it was a holy Saturday on March 26, 1967 when Archbishop Nsubuga, launched the construction of the Uganda Martyrs Shrine at Namugongo, an occasion that saw thousands of Christians and non-Christians flock to Namugongo to witness. The function which was held at Lubaga Cathedral was preceded by a holy mass led by Nsubuga. Nsubuga told the congregation that he would travel to the Holy See to invite His Holiness the Pope to come and pray with Ugandans, while celebrating the Uganda Martyrs’ Day, the martyrs he had canonised in 1964.

However, he said they should build the shrine worth their dignity. The archbishop called upon the Christians and well-wishers to contribute as much money as they could, so as to build a worthwhile shrine that would give this country the dignity it deserves. Standing before the altar, holding a raffia-bag (ekikapu) he had obtained from Naggalama parish during his pastoral visit, Nsubuga collected at least sh8, 857 for the start. He then declared the fund open for the shrine’s construction.

The next morning, Nsubuga, accompanied by Fr. Stephen Mukasa and Pere Y. Tourigny, flew to Rome and USA. Nsubuga invited the Holy Father, Pope Paul VI to come and pray with Ugandans on Martyrs’ Day, noting that his visit would enhance peoples’ faith.

“I travelled with my bag in which I am collecting money to build the shrine. I started fundraising drive for the construction of the shrine at Namugongo worth the name and dignity of the 22 Uganda martyrs. I am, therefore, asking your Holiness to bless this bag so that our people at home get the courage to donate generously to this cause,” Kimbowa quotes Archbishop Nsubuga as having told the Pope His Holiness blessed the Archbishop and his bag and also sent blessing to Ugandans wishing them success.

Immediately the archbishop lifted the bag and the Pope recited the special prayer over it. “I give my blessing to this bag; let it bear fruits because of the cause for which it is destined.” The pope also contributed undisclosed amount. Nsubuga spent the whole year of 1968 collecting funds and building part of the structure of the Uganda Martyrs Shrine at Namugongo, as he continued collecting funds during his pastoral visits of the parishes and high schools in the Archdiocese.

He requested the Christians to build part of the shrine before the Pope could come to their rescue. In March 1969, the Vatican announced that the pope would visit Uganda in July the same year. During his visit, the Pope addressed the public at Kololo Airstrip before he went to Namugongo to honour the Uganda martyrs on August 2, 1969. After visiting the Anglican Church, the Pope returned to the Catholic Shrine and led the Holy Mass that was attended by a mammoth congregation.

He kissed the spot where St. Kalooli-Lwanga, who was killed at the shrine and he later consecrated the altar built at the spot where he (Lwanga) was burned to death on June 3, 1886. Before the completion of the shrine, Nsubuga continued with his pastoral visits to his flock throughout the archdiocese, he always tried to deepen what the Pope had said during his visit and also urged them to continue contributing as much as they could so that they complete the shrine. On June 3, 1975 the Pope sent His Eminence Sergio Cardinal Pignedoli to officially bless and open the shrine. Thousands of pilgrims, including VIPs among whom was the then President Idi Amin and many bishops from all over the world, attended the ceremony.

His Holiness Pope Paul VI also designated His Eminence Sergio to open the Basilica. Nowadays, as many Christians flock the shrine they cannot fail to see the site of a white pinnacle towering the blue sky. As one approaches, one is gripped by the Godly environment, with a heroic atmosphere of the martyrs given by the imposing giant structure of the shrine. On June 6, 1920 Pope Benedict XV beatified the Uganda Martyrs. Pope Paul VI canonised them on the Mission Sunday October 8, 1964 in Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome. The same Pope honoured the martyrs with a pilgrimage to Uganda from July 31 to August 2, 1969 - the first visit ever by a pope to the African Continent

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