By KT Reporter
The Catholic Church has showcased its oldest baptism register as part of ongoing celebrations marking over a century of faith and service in Uganda. The register, dating back to March 1881, was maintained by the White Fathers and records every person baptized and received into the Church during that period.
“This is a masterpiece of history. It bears the handwriting of the early missionaries and details of baptism as they happened,” said Anthony Mateega, the Vice President of the Uganda National Catholic Council of Lay Apostolate, while introducing the maroon cover book to pilgrims at Lubaga on Wednesday.
The register is being displayed to visitors at the cathedral as part of this year’s worldwide Holy Year pilgrimage, which coincides with the 100th anniversary of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Lubaga. The initiative, running under the theme Lamaga-Yoyoota, also serves as a fundraising drive for the cathedral’s renovation.
Although most visitors are only allowed to view the register, our reporter was granted permission to touch it. The book is highly valued, and access is tightly controlled. Many visitors admired it from a distance, while a caretaker occasionally brought it closer and opened it for them to see the records. Those allowed to touch it are first cautioned to ensure their hands are free of Vaseline, moisture, or any oily substance.
The register contains 4,150 names recorded between March 1881 and May 1896. Most entries are written in French, the language used by the White Fathers. The book’s pages, inscribed in blue ink and worn by age, have been carefully restored to preserve their original condition.
The first entry in the baptismal book records Andrew Kaggwa, noted as a soldier of Kabaka Mutesa and resident of Kigo, who was baptized by Père Lourdel (Fr Simeon Lourdel) on March 3, 1881. Fr. Richard Nyombi, historian and the parish priest of Mapeera Nabulagala, clarified that this entry should not be confused with the first baptism in Uganda.
“The first baptism took place on Holy Saturday, March 27, 1880. Four adult males were baptized that day, and on Easter Sunday, they received their First Communion and Confirmation,” he said. The first to be baptized were Petro Damulira Kyononeeka, Paul Nalubwandwa, Kaddu Yosefu, and Leo Lwanga, all baptized by Msgr. Livinhac. Fr. Nyombi, who is also the head of missionaries of Africa in Kampala Archdiocese, explained that these early baptisms were recorded in the missionaries’ diaries, which are also well preserved.
The baptism register itself became available in 1881, and entries began with the person baptized on that day. “After marking the first entry, they started entering those who had been baptized earlier,” he added. The first Catholic missionaries from the Missionaries of Africa, also known as the White Fathers, arrived in Uganda in February 1879. Within a year, they had formally baptized the first Catholic converts.
The second entry in the book reflects the earlier baptism on March 27, 1880, marking Uganda’s first recorded baptism. The third recorded person is Joseph (Yosefu) Mukasa Balikuddembe of ‘Kisarosaro’.
The register includes other earlier baptisms such as Fuke Yoona Maria of Kitebi and Lubo’a (Lubowa) Mathias, among others. The mix of new records and earlier baptisms continued until 1882, when the entries became consistent in chronological order.
Individuals who were later martyred for their faith are marked with a red underline throughout the register. Many visitors showed special interest in finding the exact dates when the Uganda Martyrs were baptized. They leaned closer as the caretaker turned the pages, eager to spot the entries bearing the names of the martyrs they had heard about in history and church teachings.
For most, seeing those dates written in the old register made the story of the martyrs feel more real and personal. “Mukasa Balikudembe, here he is!” exclaimed one of the nuns, pointing to the martyr’s name, which appears third in the register. Her face lit up with a smile as others nearby leaned in to see. Some noticed the red underlines marking the names of other martyrs, most of whom were baptized at Nalukolongo.
The register has detailed information for each entry, including the date of baptism, parents’ names, place of baptism, residence, officiating priest, and other relevant details. For generations, such baptismal records and later cards that could be issued from these records served as proof of not only baptism but also birth for many Ugandans. The Church continues to use these cards to record key sacraments such as First Holy Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony, and Holy Orders. No sacrament is administered without evidence of the previous one, and in cases of loss, believers must return to the parish where the first card was issued.
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