news 26 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda Martyrs' Day 2026 Shifted to Local DiOceses Amid Ebola Concerns
The Catholic Church in Uganda has announced that the 2026 Martyrs' Day celebrations will be decentralized to local dioceses due to the ongoing Ebola outbreak. The traditional large-scale pilgrimage to Namugongo shrines has been cancelled as a public health measure. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/catholic-church-directs-2026-martyrs-day-celebrations-to-local-dioceses-5474620
In response to the escalating Ebola outbreak, Uganda’s Catholic bishops have directed that the 2026 Uganda Martyrs’ Day celebrations be held at the local church level. This significant shift away from the traditional national pilgrimage to the Namugongo shrines aims to mitigate the risk of further disease transmission.
The annual commemoration, observed on June 3rd, typically draws tens of thousands of pilgrims from Uganda and surrounding East and Central African nations. However, church leaders, in a statement released by the Uganda Episcopal Conference, have emphasized that this year’s event will be managed by individual diocesan bishops in consultation with government health authorities.
Religious leaders have been instructed to strictly adhere to the Ministry of Health’s standard operating procedures for religious gatherings. The Diocese of Kasese, which was slated to organize the national event this year, will now be responsible for the 2027 celebrations, according to church officials.
Bishop Joseph Antony Zziwa, chairman of the Uganda Episcopal Conference, urged the faithful and all people of goodwill to pray for the nation, healthcare workers, and those affected by the Ebola outbreak. The decision follows President Museveni’s announcement on May 17th, which cited the serious public health threat posed by the virus. As of May 26th, Uganda had confirmed seven Ebola cases.
Uganda Martyrs’ Day honors 45 Christian converts who were martyred between 1885 and 1887 under the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II of Buganda, and it has grown into one of Africa’s largest religious festivals.