In a move to strengthen the spiritual journey of its pilgrims, the Uganda Martyrs Shrine Munyonyo has unveiled plans to construct 14 Stations of the Cross within its gardens. The initiative also includes the creation of new pathways for the Way of the Cross, complete with lighting.
According to the Shrine Rector, Fr. Male, work will begin this week and will involve engraving the 14 Stations, both in English and Luganda, on white marble. These will then be placed along newly created walkways.
“It will start from the gate of the Divine Mercy Adoration Chapel, continue through the parking yard up to the lake, and from the lake we shall have a new walkway going up the hill, ending before the Basilica,” Fr. Male explained.
The project is estimated to cost about UGX 100 million.
The Way of the Cross will not only be used during Lent, when it is central to Catholic devotion, but also every Friday outside the Lenten season, following the morning Mass.
Fr. Male emphasised that the project is meant to aid meditation for the faithful devoted to the Passion of Christ, helping them to go deeper into the mysteries of His suffering and death.
The idea was inspired by the hundreds of pilgrims who already visit the Shrine and meditate using the temporary printed Stations of the Cross displayed in the gardens for private devotion.
The Catholic devotion of the Way of the Cross, also known as the Stations of the Cross or via crucis, dates back to the 4th century, when Christian pilgrims in Jerusalem retraced the path of Jesus to His crucifixion along the Via Dolorosa.
Tradition holds that Mary, the mother of Jesus, herself led daily visits to the sites of her Son’s suffering, death, and resurrection after His ascension.
To allow the wider faithful unable to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, churches around the world began recreating replicas of these Holy Land sites.
By the 14th century, Franciscans had placed images along the Jerusalem route, and by the 18th century, the 14-Station tradition had been firmly established and widely adopted in Catholic churches.
This devotion spread globally, with churches installing Stations to encourage prayer and contemplation of Christ’s Passion.
We are therefore appealing to the faithful to support this project with any contribution one can afford.
“We thank you for your generosity.”
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