The Munyonyo Martyrs’ Shrine is a Roman Catholic shrine and Minor Basilica dedicated to the Uganda Martyrs. The shrine is a compromise of three places located in Munyonyo-Mulungu and Salaama-Kyamula of Kampala City where three of Uganda Martyrs sacrificed their lives for the sake of Christ. Churches and Chapels were constructed in their respective places of martyrdom. Other Uganda Martyrs were condemned for death in Munyonyo and led for their execution to Namugongo.
Munyonyo Martyrs’ Shrine is the starting point of the last journey of young Christians for their execution in Namugongo on 3rd June 1886. Having been sentenced to death in Munyonyo on 26th May, the condemned then began upon their own walk to Calvary – a two day journey to Namugongo, which they reached on 27th May.
Some had already been killed in Munyonyo, others were killed along the way, but the majorities were burned alive in Namugongo on 3rd June.
Locality:
The church is nestled at Munyonyo, Kampala, in Central Uganda – about 13 kilometers (8.1 miles), by road, south of Uganda’s capital and largest city ‘Kampala’.
Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine is the martyrdom place of leaders in Royal enclave; St. Andrew Kaggwa and St. Denis Ssebugwawo – Uganda Martyrs killed by King Mwanga II on 26th May 1886 canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1964. It is also a place where in 1886 Saint Charles Lwanga – leader of Christian community in Uganda baptized St. Kizito, St. Mbaga, St. Gyavira and St. Muggaga.
Its brief miserable history:
It was at Munyonyo where Buganda’s by-then King, Kabaka Mwanga, took the fateful decision to start massacring Christians for the reason of refusing to abandon Christianity.
The blood of Uganda martyrs was shed on the soil around Munyonyo. The first three Christians to render their lives for Christ’s sake were: St. Denis Ssebugwawo, St. Andrew Kaggwa and St. Ponsiano Ngondwe.
In Munyonyo, all of the King’s Christian pageboys were captured and sentenced to death at Namugongo (the Kingdom’s designated place for execution). The prisoners were grievously bound to each other, and were made to walk their life’s final journey escorted by merciless soldiers; theirs was a brutal and soul-inspiring last pilgrimage.
On the way to Namugongo, at a lonely spot by the side of a road in Kyamula, Ponsiano Ngondwe was martyred – he was the third Ugandan whose love of Christ outclassed his desire for life itself.
That same day in Munyonyo, servant of God, Fr. Symeon Lourdel (Mapeera) was desperately seeking an audience with the King Mwanga in order to intervene for condemned Christians. However, he was not permitted to see King.
Having intuited the grave and imminent danger which was about to befall Uganda’s Christian community, as night fell on 25th May 1886, Charles Lwanga (the leader of Uganda’s Christian community) secretly baptized four catechumens at Munyonyo: St. Kizito, St. Mbaga, St. Gyavira and St. Muggaga.
That very morning, King Mwanga brought his whole court before him and separated the Christians from the rest saying, “those who do not pray stand by me, those who do pray stand over there”.
He proceeded to ask the fifteen boys and young men standing apart whether they were Christian and, if they were, whether they intended to remain so. When they answered “Yes” with strength and courage, Mwanga condemned them all to death.
After a short imprisonment, the future martyrs subsequently walked, staggered and were often dragged over a number of days until they finally reached the martyrdom site in Namugongo (3rd June 1886).
Namugongo Martyrs Shrines:
This is the largest pilgrimage destination in Africa; it receives over 2 million pilgrims each year on June 3rd – the official pilgrimage date. The remains and all things related to the Uganda Martyrs are found in Namugongo.
After touring the Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine, it’s really advisable to also visit the Namugongo Martyrs Shrines, in Kyaliwajala, for a great knowledge about the Uganda Martyrs.