Kampala — Uganda has postponed the annual Martyrs' Day commemorations, set for 3 June, due to Ebola concerns in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which has also spread to neighboring Uganda. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni made the announcement following consultations with the national epidemic response task force and religious leaders.
Museveni explained that the decision was made because Uganda receives thousands of pilgrims each year from eastern Congo, which is currently affected by the Ebola outbreak. "To safeguard everyone's lives, it is essential that this important event be postponed."
The President's decision was welcomed by the Ugandan Catholic Bishops who, in a statement sent to Fides News Agency, offer pastoral guidelines "so that this important commemoration may be observed in a spirit of prayer."
"The commemoration of the Ugandan Martyrs remains a profound witness to faith, courage, fidelity to Christ, and unwavering commitment to Christian values," the bishops reaffirm. Therefore, "although the national gathering at the Namugongo Shrine has been postponed, we encourage dioceses and parishes to celebrate the day following the instructions of the diocesan bishop and the competent authorities."
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The Ugandan Episcopal Conference also invites all members of the Church to join in prayer for the nation, for healthcare workers, and for all those affected by the circumstances that made the postponement necessary. Furthermore, the bishops urge everyone to "follow the guidelines of the Government and the Ministry of Health," and ask the media for "appropriate coverage of the Ebola epidemic." "As pastors of God's people, we invite all the faithful to remain calm, prayerful, united, and full of hope. The witness of the Ugandan martyrs continues to inspire the Church and the nation, reminding us that true faith is lived each day through love, sacrifice, truth, and fidelity to God," they concluded.
The Church of Uganda, part of the Anglican Communion, has also supported the postponement of the celebrations for Uganda Martyrs' Day. In a statement released on May 18, the Provincial Secretary of the Church of Uganda, Rev. Canon William Ongeng, confirmed that the decision was made after several consultations between the government, health authorities, and religious leaders. Uganda Martyrs' Day commemorates 45 converts to Christianity, aged between 14 and 50, who were killed between 1885 and 1887 for their faith during the early years of Christianity in the country. Twenty-two of them were Catholic; they were beatified in 1920 and canonized in 1964. Each year, this day draws millions of pilgrims from Uganda and neighboring countries to the Namugongo shrine.
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The Ebola epidemic began in Ituri Province and is caused by the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, (a less common variant for which there are no vaccines or specific treatments, unlike the more common Zaire strain).
By mid-May, about a dozen cases had been confirmed by laboratory tests, while hundreds of suspected cases--some 395 in the DRC alone--and approximately 80 to 100 deaths could be related to the infection. Suspected cases have also been reported in Kampala and Kinshasa.
