3rd June, Uganda Martyrs Day, is only a couple of weeks away and within the coming fortnight, pilgrims from across the globe will be trickling in or at least doubling down on their pilgrimages ahead of the commemoration- hymns and liturgy proceedings rocking Namugongo Hill, a party for both the reverent faithful and a few ungodly characters.
While the renowned Namugongo Martyrs establishments; Catholic and Anglican shrines are the center of congregation for the June 3rd annual celebration, the Katoosa Martyrs Shrine in Kyenjojo is yet another pilgrimage shrine that people flock.
Located in Katoosa Parish, Kyenjojo District under Fort Portal Diocese, the Katoosa Martyrs Shrine, though unknown to many and with less of the glamorous, modern architectural structures as compared to Namugongo, draws in a sizable number of tourists and pilgrims each year.
Pilgrims visit the place to seek and invoke the intercession of the Martyrs, and in particular, St. Adolf Tibeyarirwa Abwooli, also referred to as St. Adolphus Ludigo Mukasa, a Uganda Martyr who hailed from Tooro.
St. Adolfus Ludigo Mukasa was canonized with the other Uganda Martyrs in 1964.
Inception of the Katoosa Martyrs Shrine
After the canonization of the Uganda Martyrs, the religious leaders in Fort Portal gazetted the Katoosa grounds next to the parish church as a shrine for pilgrimage purposes but also to maintain and celebrate St. Adolf’s legacy as a martyr.
According to Fr. John Tumuhairwe, the chancellor of Fort Portal Diocese, the idea of the shrine was initiated by Bishop Vincent Joseph McCauley CSC, the first bishop of Fort Portal Catholic Diocese in 1964.
Contrary to many pilgrims’ perception that the Saint was martyred in Katoosa, the reigning Parish priest Rev. Father Venancio Busobozi says the place was only gazetted in remembrance of him and his roots in Fort Portal, “but he met his death in Namugongo.”
The priest revealed that the place was initially neglected and the rocks- a major landmark in Katoosa, attracted people of different beliefs, including those who made it a center for performing their dark faith rituals.
“However, after the canonization of the Martyrs, the church took over management, christened the place, consecrated the rocks and subsequently gazetted it for religious pilgrimage purposes,” he said.
The Katoosa Martyrs Shrine has become a staple site in Uganda’s religious tourism sector.
The shrine is managed by the catholic church in Katoosa, which is looking into making an overhaul of the place to cater for the needs of the increasing number of visitors.
The Awe-inspiring, Consecrated Rocks of Katoosa
On the last day of the domestic tourism drive dubbed Explore West organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities and led by the State Minister Hon. Martin Mugarra Bahinduka, tourists made a stopover at the Katoosa Shrine to learn about its history and also make pilgrimage.
At a glance, you would think the shrine ground is some sought-after set for a wakanda-inspired movie shoot thanks to the spell-binding, ginormous rocks littered across the Katoosa gentle slope, decades-old trees whose leaves rustle to the direction of wind, creating an almost eerie yet calm atmosphere.
The 33 rocks, towering above each other in various ranges, have names of some Uganda Martyrs engraved on them, paintings of the Martyrs and on the highest rock, a metallic cross stands sturdily from a carved spot with a chain that runs the height of the rock like some sort of anchorage.
The rocks were consecrated by the Fort Portal Diocese in remembrance of the Martyrs and January 27th is the gazetted date for pilgrimages to Katoosa.
Laying in utmost tranquility next to the modern Katoosa parish church, the rocks which have existed since the beginning of time like Rev. Venancio put it, trigger nothing short of awe at God’s wonderous creation from each face lifted in total admiration, each touch of their surfaces that appear dark brown and in a medley of hazel hues.
Adolfus Ludigo’s Excruciating Journey to Martyrdom
According to Father Venancio, Adolf was a regular boy who lived with his mother and sister named Nyanjura in a village named Ntuntu before the invasion of the Baganda raiders.
“This family was running from Baganda raiders who traversed different parts of the country looking for able-bodied young men and women and took them to Buganda for labour. The family had left their home in Ntuntu and settled near the Omukama’s palace in Nyeri,” Father Venancio narrated.
He added, “One fateful afternoon, while Adolf was grazing his cattle in the field, he was captured alongside his sister Nyanjura by the raiders and taken to the King’s palace in Buganda where he became a Christian and would later be martyred alongside other Christian converts.”
In Buganda, Adolf became a companion of Charles Lwanga, also a Christian convert at the King’s court. He was put in charge of Kabaka Mutesa I’s gardens. With the King’s court in Nabulagala and the Catholic mission nearby at Kasubi, Adolf Tibeyarira, who had been given the name Ludigo Mukasa upon arrival in Buganda, began to take religious instruction around 1881.
He received his baptism on November 17, 1885.
When Kabaka Mwanga II succeeded to the throne in 1884, he grew cold towards the Christians and started seeing them as a threat because they encouraged the people in his court to resist his advances.
Mwanga demanded that Christian converts abandon their new faith and subsequently executed many Anglicans and Catholics who did not. Adolph was one of many Christians put to death on Mwanga’s orders between 1885 and 1887.
He was burnt alive on the 3rd of June 1886 in Namugongo at the age of about twenty-five. For Adolf, one moment was a recently baptized young man enjoying his new found position as a strong man of faith and another, a man in excruciating pain, body scorching away in a huge inferno alongside other helpless Christians.
His short life was marred by extremes of hunky dory and haywire experiences.
Before the canonization of the Martyrs, a commission of inquiry was launched to trace the roots of this Martyr, his existing relatives were approached and they gave this account.
Extension Plans
The church intends to establish building structures equipped with basic amenities like water and electricity, lodging facilities and other hospitality tools to be able to cater for the growing number of tourists/pilgrims and their needs.
Father Venancio also pitched the church’s proposal to the Minister, aimed at lobbying for partnerships as regards the development of the place to suit the dynamics of religious tourism.
Minister Mugarra noted that the extension and development plans of such a site are critical to the sustainability of religious tourism in Uganda considering that a big percentage of tourists recorded travel for religious related activities.
“This shrine is under management of the Catholic church in Katoosa and as a Ministry, we are willing to support institutions that are playing a role in centering various sites as tourist destinations across the country. Their extension plans are huge as we have seen and the Ministry will look at how partnerships can be made as regards putting in place structures that can enable tourists and pilgrims to stay longer in this place,” the Minister said.
“The same will be done for the people of Tooro who availed 8 acres of land for us as the Ministry to develop a regional museum and a zoo. We have been having discussions and soon we will see how we can achieve all this,” he added.
In January 2022, the Diocesan Bishop Rt. Rev. Robert K. Muhiirwa launched a fund aimed at collecting contributions from willing Christians towards the development of the area as they await government support. The development initiative is estimated to cost Shs 37 billion.
