Check Out Photos From The Martyrs Day Celebrations At Namugongo

President Yoweri Museveni was today among thousands of pilgrims who thronged the martyrs’ shrine at Namugongo to celebrate the Uganda martyrs day.

Pilgrims from Masaka on their arrival at Kabuusu on Sunday night. Photo by Micheal Kakumirizi

President Kaguta Museveni, VP Ssekandi and PM Amama Mbabazi attended celebration

Karamoja Diocese led today's celebration mass at Namugongo — Karamoja Diocese led today’s celebration mass at Namugongo

President Kaguta Museveni joined thousands in worship

Thousands of pilgrims who thronged the martyrs’ shrine to celebrate

The Uganda Martyrs are a group of 23 Anglican and 22 Catholic converts to Christianity in Uganda, who were executed between November 1885 and January 1887.

They were killed on orders of Buganda Kingdom Kabaka Mwanga II. The deaths took place at a time when there was a three-way religious struggle for political influence at the Buganda royal court.

The Catholic Church beautified the martyrs of its faith in 1920 and canonized them in 1964.

The first pilgrims to Namugongo were 5 in 1920. Today the number has grown to over 1 Million ever year