President Museveni has held a meeting with a delegation from Fort Portal Catholic diocese to discuss the preparations for the forthcoming martyr’s day celebrations on 3rd June 2022.
The meeting took place at the president’s country home in Rwakitura, Kiruhura district.
President Museveni said the delegation led by Bishop Robert Muhirwa briefed him on their preparations for the martyrs day celebrations and as well discussed developmental and vocational projects.
“I met a delegation of eminent members of the Fort Portal Catholic Diocese at my country home in Rwakitura. As the animating team of the 3rd June Martyrs’ Day Celebrations, they briefed me on their preparations and we as well discussed developmental and vocational projects,” said through his twitter page.
The Fort Portal Catholic Diocese was chosen to animate this year’s celebrations in February, earlier this year where the Diocesan, Bishop Robert Muhiirwa wrote to the government seeking their guidance on how the day will be marked given the fact that Covid-19 is still of concern.
At the beginning of this week, Bishop Robert launched a cause to also raise funds from well-wishers and people of goodwill, which in return will help in the preparations of the celebrations.
“As a diocese, we have made some calculations and we need close to Shs1 billion to be able to successfully lead this function well at Namugongo,” Bishop said.
He also encouraged Christians to always persevere in hard times, just like the martyrs did when they faced difficulties.
MARTYRS DAY
The day commemorates the 45 martyrs, 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican, who were killed on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II, then King of Buganda between 1885 and 1887.
These people were new converts to Christianity and were burned to death for their refusal to renounce Christianity.
Uganda annually celebrates the martyrs on June 3, which is a public holiday in the country. Christians have an opportunity to make the pilgrimage to Namugongo, the Holy Land of Uganda.
Uganda Martyrs Basilica Namugongo is a place of pilgrimage for people from Uganda and its neighboring countries like Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The pilgrimage begins on May 25th and ends on 2nd June. People trek from different parts of the country, led by religious leaders, praising and worshipping the Lord while praying that he may come through for them in different aspects of their life.
June 3rd climaxes the celebrations.
After a dull 2-year period of celebrations, Christians are encouraged to observe the Covid-19 SOPs to avoid another wave of infectious disease.
