Pope Francis I makes a Pilgrimage to Namugongo Martyrs Shrine – 2015

The first Jesuit Pope, the Holy Father, Pope Francis 1 became the third Pope to visit Uganda. He arrived in Uganda from Nairobi, Kenya on November 27^th 2015. Again like his two predecessors, Pope Francis came to Uganda as a pilgrim to venerate the Holy Martyrs, at Namugongo Martyrs Shrine.

During his televised sermon, the Pope is remembered to have said, “The most dangerous enemy of remembrance is forgetfulness but it is not the only one. The most dangerous enemy of remembrance is when we take for granted everything we have received, everything that has been passed down to us” Pope Francis told Priests, Religious men and women and Seminarians at St. Mary’s Cathedral Lubaga on Saturday, November 28, 2015. He said this after the 50th Anniversary of the Uganda Martyrs where over 3 million pilgrims attended the year’s Martyrs Day Celebrations at Namugongo Martyrs Shrine.

Pope Francis I’s visit came after Pope Paul VI (1969) and that of Pope John Paul in 1993. Uganda right now is the only African nation to have three papal visits.