Hundreds of Christians have taken part in the first-ever Archbishop Janani Luwum Foot Pilgrimage.
The Pilgrimage started on Wednesday at Namirembe Cathedral and will end on February 14, 2019, in Mucwini Kitgum ahead of Janani Luwum Day, which is commemorated every year on February 16th, since 2015.
The pilgrimage is aimed at evoking spiritual and historical milestones of the late bishop, remembrance and thanksgiving for the extraordinary life of Archbishop Luwum. He said it is also an opportunity for renewal and deepening of faith of Christians in Uganda.
As early as 6:00 am, pilgrims braved the morning rains to make their way to the Bishop’s Palace, the former residence of the bishops.
At 8:00 am, the pilgrims were flagged off by the Leader of Opposition, Betty Aol who carrying a cross retraced Archbishop Luwum’s steps.
Pilgrims then walked to Serena Hotel, the former Nile Mansion where Luwum is reported to have been killed together with Erinayo Wilson Oryema the Minister of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning and Arphaxad Charles Kole Oboth Ofumbi who was the minister of Interior.
At Serena, the pilgrims where welcomed by the police brass band and received by the main celebrant Rev Can Geoffrey Byarugaba, the vicar of Bugolobi Church of Uganda.
Rev Can Byarugaba said that Luwum’s death was a wakeup call for the entire country that something was not right. He says even when he had died, Luwum continued his working of casting light on the many illegalities that were taking place in the country at the time.
Phoebe Luwum, one of Luwum’s children says that the pilgrimage is an opportunity for her to walk the same road that led to her father to his death.
She adds that the country needs role models like her father who lived by what they preached and did not cower even when it meant that he would die as a result of what he stood for.
Aol says that the pilgrimage should be a wakeup call for political leaders to adhere to the rules of the country.
The pilgrims are expected to cover a distance of 510 km and last for 17 days.
Each pilgrim paid 75,000 shillings and 30,000 shillings for the full or half walk package respectively.
The News Editor ,Reporter at Kagadi Kibaale community Radio
