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Nebbi, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | An 11-year old is one of the 724 foot pilgrims trekking from Nebbi Catholic Diocese in West Nile to Namugongo Martyrs Shrine ahead of this year’s Uganda Martyrs day celebrations.
The boy who has only been identified as Munguromo from Paidah Catholic parish is making his first pilgrimage according to information obtained from the diocesan officials.
The foot pilgrims drawn from the 22 Parishes of the diocese embarked on the about 450 kilometers journey this morning after receiving blessings from His Grace Raphael p’Mony Wokorach, the Diocesan Administrator of Nebbi Catholic Diocese at Uganda Martyrs Chapel, Namrwodho-Nebbi Cathedral Parish.
Archbishop-elect of Gulu Archdiocese Wokorach appealed to all the pilgrims to continue reflecting on the theme for this year’s Martyr’s Day in their faith journey.
Sam Okaba, one of the organizers for this year’s Martyr’s Day celebrations explains that besides the youngest foot pilgrim being a child, the oldest foot pilgrim is an 82-year-old woman from Pakwach catholic parish.
Robert Urombi, a foot pilgrim told URN that his main purpose of trekking to Namugongo Shrines is to give exalt God for protection as he is about to mark his 50th Birthday due next year.
Josephine Angucia, the West Nile regional police spokesperson explains that the security team in the region will help ensure that the pilgrims travel safely before handing them to their counterparts in the Aswa River region.
“West Nile Regional Police Head Quarter is already in touch with REGPOL ASWA and REGPOL ALBERTINE for the same depending on the route they will use, amidst the ongoing road works”, Angucia said in a statement.
A total of 2,858 pilgrims from the Nebbi Catholic Diocese are expected to attend this year’s Martyrs day celebration on June 3. The diocese was selected by the Uganda Episcopal Conference to animate this year’s Martyr’s Day celebrations.
Each year, Christians of various walks of life embark on a pilgrimage to Namugongo to honor the memory of 45 Christian converts (22 Catholics and 23 Protestants) who were martyred between 1885 and 1886 under the command of Kabaka Mwanga II the then King of Buganda.
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