Janani Luwum

Statue of Luwum ​​(right) on the great west portal of Westminster Abbey

Janani Jakaliya Luwum (* 1922 in Acholiland in Uganda ; † February 16, 1977 ) was the Anglican Archbishop of Uganda based in Kampala .

The Acholi Luwum first became a teacher and joined 1948 to Christianity. In 1949 he began his theological training at the theological college in Buwalasi . In 1956 he was ordained a priest. After another year of theological studies in England at Saint Augustine's College in Canterbury , he was first parish priest and taught at the college in Buwalasi. After a second stay in England, during which he studied at the London College of Divinity, he became director of the college in Buwalasi. In 1966 he became provincial secretary of the Church of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Boga-Zaire. In 1969 he was appointed Bishop of Northern Uganda and finally in 1974 during the reign of Idi Amins Archbishop of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Boga-Zaire.

Bishop Festo Kivengere preached a sermon to members of the government on January 30, 1977, in which he protested against the terror of the Amins regime against the population. This led to a backlash from the Amin government, which had Luwum's house searched. Luwum ​​then sent a sharp protest letter to Amin. He accused the archbishop of treason and had him and the two ministers known as professing Christians, Arphaxas Charles Oboth Ofumbi and Wilson Oryema, arrested. When the archbishop was transferred to prison on February 16, 1977, the Ugandan authorities announced that he was killed in a car accident together with the two ministers. There is no doubt, however, that Luwum ​​was actually murdered by Amin's followers. Some alleged eyewitnesses even report that Luwum ​​was shot dead by the enraged Amin himself after he continued to pray instead of signing a confession.

February 17th is today the commemoration day of the Anglican Church in honor of Luwum. In addition, a statue of the archbishop was placed in Westminster Abbey .