Preparations start for Martyr's Day prayers

By Juliet Lukwago   

Mbarara Archdiocese has gotten down to work ahead of this year’s annual Christian pilgrimage set for the usual Uganda Matryrs’ shrine in Namgugongo.

As the organizers of this year’s event set for the June 3 event , the Archdiocese has kicked off with thatching the roof sheltering the open altar at the Martyrs’ man-made lake.

The annual event attracts thousands of Faithful from around the region and from far beyond, and the organizers are expecting over a million pilgrims this year.

With just under two months away, Mbarara Archdiocese is set to work around the clock to finish up with the preparations.

The Archbishop of Mbarara, Paul Bakyenga will be the main mass celebrant.

The western Uganda Archdiocese last organized the event over two decades ago – in 1992.

For decades now, the Catholic Church has commemorated every year the fate of 22 Ugandan Christians who were slain because of allegiance to their faith.

Besides the 22 martyrs, Christians also mark the martyrdom of the blessed duo, Daudi Okelo and Gildo Irwa, who were catechists in northern Uganda, killed at Paimol in 1915.

The two are said to be the first fruits of the spreading of the Gospel by the Comboni Missionaries in northern Uganda.

MEN AT WORK: Renovation of the shades is going on. PHOTO/Juliet Lukwago

Admired for their strength in their belief, the Uganda martyrs chose death over denouncing their Catholic faith on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II between 1885 and 1887, even when they were offered a cushion of choice.

The 22, who mainly worked as servants in the Kabaka’s palace, were in 1920 beatified by Pope Benedict IV – worthy of public veneration, and the first step towards canonization.

Then later on October 18, 1964, Pope Paul VI canonized them in the presence of Bishops from all over the world who had gathered in Rome for the Second Vatican Council.

The blessed Catechists of Paimol, Daudi Okello and Gildo Irwa were beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 20, 2002.

Ahead of this year’s Martyrs’ Day, organising committees have been set up in Kampala and Mbarara.

Gervase Ndyanabo and Prof. Peter Kasenene lead the central organizing committee in Kampala, while Polly Turambure and Deus Tumusiime lead that in Mbarara.

The organizers hope to raise funds to help in the preparations for the religious event.

“In an effort to raise these huge sums of money, we are appealing to all God-loving, good-willed and generous people to give us a hand in raising this money for preparing the international Pilgrimage and actual celebration of the Uganda Martyrs Day at Namugongo,” a press release read.

“The [organizing] committees have a big budget to cover what must be put in place before June 3, 2013, including erecting the pavilion and all shades. Tents must be repaired, the lake must be de-silted, new sanitation facilities must be constructed and the whole venue repaired and cleaned up.

“Security of all kinds must be put in place to ensure peace and medical teams will be at the venue a week before the actual celebration. Much work is to be done before the actual day.

“So we are appealing to companies, schools, corporate bodies to advertise in the official Magazine which is being prepared for the celebrations on June 3, 2013. We have opened a bank account in Centenary Bank: Account name: ARCHDIOCESE OF MBARARA UMC Account number: 5020446201 Branch: MBARARA for the well-wishers,” concluded the release.