SIGN "WELCOME POPE PAUL TO NAMUGONGO"; POPE OVER BRIDGE TO ISLAND; ALTAR ON ISLAND; POPE BAPTISES CHILDREN; SERVICE; CROWDS ON SHORE SINGING.




Initials MJS/VS/CR/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: POPE PAUL, LOOKING TIRED AND PALE AFTER AN EXHAUSTING ROUND OF ENGAGEMENTS AND LATE-NIGHT TALKS ON NIGERIAN PEACE PROPOSALS WITH FEDERAL NIGERIANS AND BIAFRANS, CLIMAXED HIS 52-HOUR VISIT TO UGANDA WITH A SIMPLE RELIGIOUS CEREMONY ON SATURDAY (2 AUGUST) AT LUSH, ABOUT TEN MILES (16 KM) FROM KAMPALA.

THE PLACE IS CALLED NAMUGONGO. THERE, IN THE YEARS 1885 TO 1887, 22 ROMAN CATHOLIC AND 25 PROTESTANT PAGES AT THE COURT OF THE KABAKA (KING) MWANGA OF UGANDA WERE MARTYRED FOR THEIR FAITH.

POPE PAUL, WHOSE CHIEF OBJECT IN COMING TO UGANDA WAS TO CONSECRATE A NEW CATHOLIC SHRINE TO THE CATHOLIC MARTYRS, WHO ARE NOW SAINTS, STOPPED FIRST AT THE ANGLICAN SHRINE, ABOUT ONE MILE AWAY, A GESTURE REGARDED BY MANY AS THE MOST ECUMENICAL OF HIS SIX-YEAR REIGN.

AT THE MUCH LARGER CATHOLIC SHRINE, SET ON THE SIDE OF A BROAD, VERDANT VALLEY, THE POPE BLESSED A NEW ALTAR ON THE SITE OF A CHURCH BEING BUILT TO COMMEMORATE THE MARTYRS.

THEN, WATCHED BY SOME 30,000 AFRICAN CATHOLICS, THE PONTIFF WALKED DOWN TO A LITTLE ISLAND ON A LAKE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE VALLEY, AND MADE HIS LAST BIG ADDRESS BEFORE LEAVING UGANDA ON SATURDAY EVENING.

SPEAKING IN ENGLISH, WITH GREATER CLARITY THAN AT ANY TIME DURING HIS VISIT, POPE PAUL TOLD THE CROWD: 'BE HAPPY AND JOYFUL ALWAYS... THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A MOST BEAUTIFUL THING.'
TO LOUD APPLAUSE, HE SAID: 'YOUR MARTYRS TEACH US JUST HOW TRUE CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE, ESPECIALLY YOUNG CHRISTIANS, AFRICAN CHRISTIANS.'
THEN, THE POPE BAPTISED 22 YOUNG CONVERTS TO CATHOLICISM -- ROUGHLY THE SAME AGE AS THE MARTYRS -- AND GAVE FIRST COMMUNION TO 22 CHILDREN.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME DURING HIS EIGHT FOREIGN JOURNEYS THAT POPE PAUL HAS PERFORMED BAPTISMS.

WHEN THE MASS WAS OVER, POPE PAUL DROVE BACK TO KAMPALA THROUGH CHEERINGS CROWDS. THERE HE MET CITY OFFICIALS AND UGANDAN PRIEST BEFORE BOARDING HIS PLANE FOR ITALY.