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| Pilgrims making their way to Namugongo Shrine |
Information received from Uganda said Denis Otigu, (35) a Catholic and a resident of Alenga village in Dokolo District, died at Diima on the Kampala-Gulu highway as he was being rushed to Atapara Hospital on Monday 26 May 2014.
The deceased started feeling chilly and dizzy on 24th May, afternoon on the way but continued walking until a nearby Parish where the pilgrims camped for refreshment. He was later taken to a health centre for treatment but his condition deteriorated and was referred to Pope John Paul Memorial Hospital Atapara.
Mr. Okello the team leader of Lira Diocese pilgrims said that the deceased did not look sick and they initially thought he was just tired.
Every year, thousands of pilgrims walk from various destinations to Kampala, Uganda to attend the Uganda Martyrs Celebrations. It is a journey that sometimes takes a whole month, weeks or days depending on where the pilgrims come from. The countries which the pilgrims come include: Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Burundi.
The pilgrims who choose to walk from their countries do so for various reasons; majority feel that the journey is of spiritual significance that may lead to strengthening one’s faith or with the expectation of having some solutions/responses to the problems or prayers. But, there are some who choose to walk because they cannot afford the travel expenses and yet are determined to attend the celebrations.
Speaking with AMECEA Online News, the National Communications Secretary for the Uganda Episcopal Conference, Fr. Philip Odii said that this year’s celebrations had more pilgrims compared to the previous years. “The celebration was well attended, the shrine was full to capacity, the area around the shrine was overflowing with people; every year we expect a million participants but judging from the crowd, this year had more,” he said.
Fr. Philip confirmed that 908 pilgrims walked from Kenya, 850walked from Tanzania, over 290
walked from Rwanda, 360walked from Democratic Republic of Congo, 60 from South Sudan and over 3000 who walked from different parts of Uganda. “These numbers represent only registered pilgrims who did so upon arrival. However, there were many others who did not register upon arrival because of one reason or the other,” he said.
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| Cardinal Wamala greeting Ugandan President, while Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda HE Archbishop Michael Blume with green shoulder cloth like the Cardinal's looks on |
Other registered pilgrims present during the celebrations included 180 people from Nigeria; There were also unknown numbers of pilgrims from Burundi, Poland, Sierra Leone, Malawi, and Australia, Liberia, USA, Brazil among many other countries.
President Yoweri Museveni who attended the celebrations on 3rd June welcomed pilgrims saying, "Martyrs Day celebrations bring together Africans in the region; I feel happy when I see this unity of Africans taking shape in this part of the continent."
Source: AMECEA Social Communications and UEC Communications Office