Pope Francis has celebrated mass in front of an audience of hundreds of thousands of Ugandan faithful.
He spoke at a catholic shrine dedicated to Christians martyred for their faith in the 19th century, on the second stage of his three-country trip to Africa.
The mass marks the 50th anniversary of the martyrs’ canonisation.
Burned Alive
There were huge cheers as the pope began the open-air ceremony at Namugongo, near Kampala.
It was there where many of the 45 Anglican and Catholic martyrs were burned alive.
Their execution was ordered by a king worried about the spread of Christianity.
Pope Francis is the third Pope to visit Uganda, and he is likely to continue to preach his message of mercy and care for the poor and to speak out against corruption.
He may also talk of the need for reconciliation among different tribes and, perhaps, pray for a peaceful vote in Uganda’s next election in February.
On Friday, the Pope addressed an audience of young people in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, urging them to unite and take a stand against the destructive effects of tribalism.
