Martyrs’ Day

NTV coverage of Martyrs’ Day (I’ve not seen it):  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE2a38Vso5A&feature=em-uploademail

3 June, Martyrs’ Day, is a public holiday in Uganda, and the day that remembers the 45 Uganda martyrs who were killed between late 1885 and mid-1886 for not renouncing their Christian faith.  26 young men were killed on 3 June 1886 for refusing the kabaka’s (king’s) homosexual advances.

I appreciate how the martyrs are remembered here, as comparatively, it seems as though the American memory is short.  The Church marks the day with a Eucharist at the shrine – there are services at the Catholic and Anglican shrines.  People make pilgrimages every year to the site (though that is mostly Catholics, one of the Anglican bishops walked from Ankole, at least a six hour drive), and there is an all-night vigil the night prior.

As part of the Bishop Tucker Theological College’s centenary celebrations, UCU hosted the celebrations at the Anglican site this year.  Preparations have been ongoing for months – fundraising for the event, refurbishing the shrine, shoring up the tree where the martyrs were beaten (as people have been peeling the bark as souvenirs for years).

As part of the hosting, students and staff spent much of the weekend at the Namugongo site, hosting prayers, conducting door-to-door evangelism, and performing dramas.  It was a massive effort, and I am so, SO proud of them.  In addition to their studies, they spent a huge amount of time here working, and then resumed lectures on Tuesday.

Compared to them, I got off relatively easy.  We left UCU about 5:30 am, and arrived at the shrine a little before 6.  Mary Jane Dennison had come along to help me sell the new prayer books, and it was so wonderful to have her along.  It was a bit strange to be walking around the church and the site in the dark, trying to figure out which students we were greeting.  🙂

UCU had set up a tent from which to sell the various centenary celebration items: shirts, cups, umbrellas, hats, and of course, the new prayer books.  If you’re going to do Martyrs’ Day, that’s the way to do it.

Mary Jane introduced me to a British missionary couple, Chris and Ros Howels, who serve at Namugongo Martyrs’ Seminary.  They are a delightful couple, with two adorable boys, and most importantly, they allowed us to use their facilities during the day.  We had several times of wonderful fellowship with them, as well as enjoying the lovely and spacious bathroom!

The actual service for the day was about five hours, which is what we expected.  Though the service is technically “only” a Eucharist, the in true African style, the preaching goes on for a bit (this year, over an hour), and then there are speeches, and lots of music, so really, not so bad.  However, the service began at 10, and we had been there since before 6…

This is the second Martyrs’ Day I’ve attended; as wonderful a day as it is, I really don’t think I need to do it again.  🙂