Archbishop Lwanga will be the third to be buried inside Lubaga cathedral; we name the rest.

By Musasizi Isaac

The Late Kampala Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga will be buried inside Lubaga Cathedral, according to the interim administrator, Msgr . Charles Kasibante, making him the third cleric to be buried there.

Bishop Edouard Michaud, a Canadian Clergyman who was one of the priest missionaries known as White Fathers was the first to be buried inside Lubaga cathedral. He was the vicar Apostolic of Uganda from 1933 until his death in 1945. 

The second man of God to receive the honor of resting his remains inside Lubaga Cathedral was Dr Joseph Kiwanuka, the first native African to be ordained as a Catholic bishop in modern times. He died in 1966, only five years after his appointment as Archbishop of Rubaga. 

The two were buried on the right-wing of the church just behind the area reserved for the choir. Msgr Kasibante says Archbishop Lwanga will on Thursday be laid in the middle of the two of his ‘fore grandfathers

Msgr Gerald Kalumba, one of the senior priests in the archdiocese and former vicar general, notes that it is has been a tradition of the church to bury (Arch) bishops in the cathedrals they served.

“It is the tradition and in many times bishops who served in a particular cathedral deserve being buried in there,” says Msgr Kalumba. 

He, however, adds that this might vary depending on other circumstances; “In some cases, if the (Arch) bishop left a Will indicating a place where they wish to be buried, their Will is honored,” he added citing the example of Emmanuel Cardinal Nsubuga who ‘humbled’ himself by making a Will to be buried at the Bakateyamba Home which he founded.

According to information obtained from different Catholic Church sites, in many cathedrals, there are areas called crypts reserved to bury prelates.

This concept of building crypts is said to have been drawn from the persecution of Christians and the believers who were buried in these caves when they died. The faithful have preserved this tradition to date. 

In the event when the cathedral can no longer accommodate more graves, the administration of the (arch) diocese can locate another site to serve the same purpose. This tradition was evident when Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa died a few months ago, there was no space for him and so he was buried in a cemetery chapel in Bukalasa Minor Seminary. 

For instance, two of the former bishops of Masaka were buried inside Villa Maria church (which was the first cathedral of Masaka before the relocation to Kitovu.

Additional Reporting URN