Kampala ‘Jesus’ Collapses After Brutal Good Friday Re-enactment
Kampala– What began as a solemn act of faith on Good Friday ended in shock and alarm after a university student collapsed while re-enacting the suffering of Jesus Christ during the Way of the Cross.
Mr Dennis Zziwa, a second-year law student at Kampala International University, took on the role of Jesus during the annual procession at Our Lady of Africa Catholic Church Mbuya. Determined to bring authenticity to the moment, he subjected himself to real lashes as he walked alongside worshippers commemorating the crucifixion.
But as the procession intensified, so did the pain.
Witnesses say Zziwa repeatedly whipped himself, drawing blood as the crowd watched in a mix of reverence and unease. What was meant to be symbolic soon turned dangerously real. His strength began to fade, his steps slowed, and before long, he collapsed under the weight of both the cross and the injuries he had inflicted upon himself.
First responders from the Red Cross rushed to his aid, administering emergency care at the scene before transferring him to Lamone Health Centre in Luzira for further treatment.
The Way of the Cross, observed by Christians worldwide on Good Friday, is meant to symbolise the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In many places, participants carry crosses or act out biblical scenes. But rarely does devotion cross into such extreme physical harm.
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