Uganda is preparing to receive the sacred remains of two revered “Ugandan Martyrs” who were martyred over a century ago for their steadfast commitment to Christianity.
22 Roman Catholics and 23 Anglicans, predominantly youths, faced harrowing executions in 1885 and 1886 under the orders of Buganda’s king, alarmed by the burgeoning influence of Christianity over a century ago.
According to reports, many met their demise through fire, spears, or blades. Amidst this backdrop, the White Fathers, also known as the Missionaries of Africa, safeguarded the relics of two martyrs, transporting them to Rome. There, they were later canonized, while others’ remains remained in Uganda.
Father Richard Nyombi of the Kampala Archdiocese and a member of the White Fathers, shared insights on the anticipated return with the AFP saying, “The date for the return of the remains and relics is not yet set but most likely it will be in September this year.”
Among the venerated relics are the bones of Charles Lwanga and Matiya Mulumba, destined to find a home at the Uganda Martyrs University, alongside poignant artifacts such as the execution chain and a cross hewn from the mvule tree.
This solemn event coincides with the 60th anniversary of their canonization by Pope Paul VI in October 1964. A shrine, erected at Namugongo, where these martyrs faced their final trials, stands as a testament to their unwavering faith.
The shrine in Kampala serves as a focal point for Christian pilgrimages, drawing multitudes from Africa and beyond each June 3rd, commemorating the fateful events of 1886.
Among those martyred were individuals who once served as pages to Buganda’s king, Kabaka Mwanga II. However, not all remains have endured the passage of time unscathed; some were lost to the wilderness, consumed by wild beasts after their execution, as Fr. Nyombi recounted.
Some pilgrims are already en route to Uganda ahead of the 60th anniversary of the Ugandan Martyrs. Catholics from Nzoia Deanery of the Catholic Diocese of Kakamega are currently on a 350-km spiritual walk to the Namugongo Shrine in Kampala for the June 3 celebration.
Along the way, the pilgrims will meet dozens of other pilgrims from Kakamega Diocese, and together, about 150 of them, “will sing, pray the rosary, the Litany, chaplet of the divine mercy and will also do confessions,” Parish Priest of St. Joseph the Worker Kongoni Parish of Kakamega Diocese, Fr. Columban Odhiambo told ACI Africa.
Namugongo’s celebration of the Feast of the Uganda Martyrs on June 3 is almost certainly among the largest annual religious gatherings in the world. Attendance estimates range from 500,000 to the low millions. The feast is a national holiday in Uganda, and the full event is covered on national television.
Catholic parishes and expatriate communities also have their own celebrations, but the primary events take place at Namugongo to mark the place and date when St. Charles Lwanga and 12 companions were burned alive.
Pilgrims from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda, many of whom walk the whole distance on pilgrimages lasting as long as two weeks, travel to the shrine.
The feast is preceded by a nine-day novena. Smaller groups gather for prayer in different places. Masses and services run through the night on the eve of the feast.
On the feast day, Mass runs about five hours, starting at 10 a.m. It includes considerable singing and dancing in traditional styles. The long procession that opens the Mass includes the reliquaries of the martyrs, palms, incense, and a large number of clergy.
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