Rugunda, Ntagali launch Janani Luwum foot pilgrimage
Dec 23, 2019
The pilgrimage is set to start on January 29 next year from Namirembe Diocese. It will end on February 14 in Mucwini, Kitgum district.
PILGRIMAGE CHURCH OF UGANDA
The Prime Minister of Uganda, Ruhakana Rugunda, together with the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda (COU), Stanley Ntagali, has launched the Janani Luwum foot pilgrimage 2020 at St Paul Cathedral in Namirembe, Kampala.
The pilgrimage is set to start on January 29 next year from Namirembe Diocese. It will end on February 14 in Mucwini, Kitgum district.
Janani Luwum was the archbishop of the Church of Uganda from 1974 to 1977. (File photo)
The Government declared February 16 a public holiday to celebrate the life of Janani Luwum.
"I have the pleasure to announce that the COU has initiated a foot pilgrimage to Mucwini in Kitgum in remembrance of Archbishop Janani Luwum, the martyr of the 20th century," Ntagali said.
He said the pilgrimage will be in remembrance of Luwum's extraordinary life and that it will give Christians an opportunity to renew and deepen their faith.
Rugunda said the life of Luwum needs to be disseminated for young people to learn from his work towards promoting peace, unity, love and freedom.
"The youth need to know that whereas the country is peaceful today, at one time, it was too insecure that even the archbishop of the COU was eliminated," Rugunda said.
Rugunda implored the youth to be more determined to support the church in promoting freedom, unity, love and God's ways.
He added that the murder of Luwum served as an icon of unity in different denominations in Uganda at the time.
"Luwum is a symbol of resistance and, therefore, a threat to the order of governance of the time. When he was martyred, the whole country was united, the different forces were united to say, enough is enough. The country became united, galvanised itself and the affairs of the state were changed," Rugunda said.
From St Paul Cathedral, Namirembe, the pilgrims will first go to the Archbishop's Palace before proceeding to Kampala Serena Hotel, the then Nile Mansions.
The pilgrims will then advance to State House Nakasero, where the martyrdom happened, before starting the journey to Mucwimi, Kitgum in northern Uganda.
The Provincial Secretary, the Rev. Canon William Ongeng, said each pilgrim will have to part with sh75,000.
Ntagali urged those who wish to participate in the pilgrimage, including non-Anglican Christians to register in their parishes and places of worship.
Luwum was the archbishop of the Church of Uganda from 1974 to 1977 and was murdered on the orders of president Idi Amin on February 15, 1977.