"While firm numbers are hard to come by, Namugongo's celebration of the Feast of the Uganda Martyrs on June 3 is almost certainly among the largest annual religious gatherings in the world. Attendance estimates range from 500,000 to the low millions. The feast is a national holiday, and the full event is covered on national television. ... Pilgrims from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda, many of whom walk the whole distance on pilgrimages lasting as long as two weeks, travel to the shrine for a massive annual celebration on June 3, the date when St. Charles Lwanga and many of the Uganda martyrs were killed. .. The feast is preceded by a nine-day novena. Smaller groups gather for prayer in different places. Masses and services run through the night on the eve of the feast. On the feast day, Mass runs about five hours, starting at 10 a.m."