Business boom as thousands flock Katoosa in pilgrimage

A business boom was highly noticeable on Friday as thousands of pilgrims continued to flockthe Katoosa Martyrs Shrine in Kyenjojo District ahead of a major annual January 27 celebration to celebrate St. Adolf Tibeyalirwa, a Ugandan Martyr born in the area.

Dozens of businesses at the shrine are offering a variety, including meals, drinks, rosaries, jewelry, portraits of Ugandan martyrs, and clothing, among other items.

Owners of the businesses began setting up at the shrine on Monday, anticipating the arrival of pilgrims from Fort Portal Diocese and beyond.

But enforcement has confined most businesses within the shrine area along the Kyenjojo-Kagadi Road “to prevent congestion and potential accidents.”

By Friday morning, the shrine was nearly fully-filled with pilgrims, and business owners reported significant earnings but expected more with the celebrations climaxing Saturday.

Adina Kembabzi, a mobile restaurant owner at the shrine posted increased sales of food such as matooke mixed with G-nuts and irish potatoes which she sold in a range of Shs 1500-Shs3000.

"Thursday is when we started receiving many customers. We don't expect them to leave the shrine and walk 2km to Kyenjojo Town to buy food yet we have similar food here. We hope to make money before Saturday," she told Monitor.

Cloth vendor Adolf Asiimwe observed that his sales increased, particularly due to customers purchasing T-shirts adorned with pictures of famous Ugandan martyrs.

According to him, t-shirt prices ranged from Shs7,000 to Shs 20,000, based on the design and material.

"If all days were like this, we would make more money. Pilgrims are many, and we are happy to see some are buying the items we brought here. We hope that before they go back, we will have made enough money," he said.

Pilgrims for this year's celebration are expected to double 2023’s 80, 000 attendees.

Fr. Venasio Busobozi, the parish priest of Katoosa, highlighted that this year's celebration is to be led by the ecclesiastical province of Mbarara Archdiocese, marking a departure from the past when celebrations were primarily attended by pilgrims from Fort Portal Diocese, where the shrine is located.

The decision to expand the celebrations to a provincial level was finalized in April 2023.

Dedicating Katoosa to St. Adolf

St. Adolf the martyr, born in the area of Katoosa, has always been honored by the Catholic Diocese of Fort Portal, which selected him as the patron of Katoosa parish.

To commemorate his legacy, the diocese further designated January 27 as a special day in his honor, drawing Christians from various regions to embark on pilgrimages to Katoosa.