Pilgrims cast burdens unto the Cross, keep marching
Lira pilgrims bow before a giant crucifix as a symbol of laying their petitions before God in Kakoge in Luweero District on Tuesday. PHOTO BY BILL OKETCH
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Petition. Many wailed as they kissed the giant crucifix to surrender their souls, poverty and disease burden unto the Cross.
Luweero. Pilgrims walking to Namugongo from Lira Diocese to celebrate this year’s Martyrs Day yesterday kissed a giant Cross of Jesus Christ at Kakoge, Luweero District as they sought to cast their burdens unto Jesus.
The team of about 320 pilgrims branched off to the venue, about 15 metres off the Lira-Kampala highway, where they surrendered their souls, poverty and disease burden unto the Cross.
Emotions ran high as about 50 pilgrims lay on wet grass under the Cross. Some women cried loudly as dozen others joined men in kissing the giant crucifix.
“Back at home, we have no food, no clothes, not even money to send our children to school. Jesus, today we ask you to prevail,” Ms Brenda Apili, one of the leaders of the pilgrims, prayed.
Other pilgrims, who talked to Daily Monitor, said as they were not worshiping an idol as they bowed down, kissed and slept under the Cross but that the “the Cross is a symbol of sacrifice that Jesus gave his life to pay a ransom for our sins”.
“We left our various homes with a lot of problems. So we take the Cross as our Calvary, where Jesus died for our sins. We have brought all our problems under his Cross,” Ms Dorcus Tonny Oker, a pilgrim, said.
Another pilgrim, Mr Kizito Ogoro, said they ran to the Cross to save Ugandans from bad governance and blessings for the country, while Ms Pamela Angom said: “God has finally provided answers to our problems. Outside there, no one values or cares about what we are doing but we have our intentions.”
The Lira NRM youth chairperson, who joined the pilgrims at Kakoge, together prayed that God grants them their wishes.
“God should forgive them of their sins because this is an extraordinary faith and faith without action is nothing,” Ms Auma, who was in the company of Oyam Resident District Commissioner, Ms Gillian Akullo Omara, said.
The leaders, who were heading to Kampala, each contributed Shs100,000 to the pilgrims.
The pilgrims, who left Lira on May 18, yesterday had a stopover at Kakoge - from Katugo - where they will spend another night at St Jude Catholic Parish.
