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Daudi Okelo and Jildo Irwa were members of the Acholi Tribe who lived in the northern part of the African nation of Uganda at the beginning of the Twentieth Century. Together, they gave all they had to spreading the good news of Jesus Christ as catechists to their people, including their very lives.
Daudi Okelo, the older of the two, was born around 1902 to pagan parents. When he was a teenager, he became a Catholic Christian after learning about the faith from Comboni missionaries. In October of 1916, Daudi received his First Holy Communion and was confirmed. He then prepared to become a catechist.
When the local catechist died in 1917, Daudi received permission to take the deceased catechist’s place. A younger teen, Jildo Irwa, was assigned to go as his assistant.
Before beginning their work in the village of Kitgum, the priest told Daudi and Jildo about the dangers they faced. Not only was the place far from their homes, there were tensions from political disputes, witchdoctors, and Muslims angry at the Christian faith that Daudi and Jildo would be teaching the people.
But, Daudi and Jildo went to the village of Kitgum where the Comboni Missionaries had established a Catholic presence.
Daudi led the catechumens in morning and evening prayers, and he taught them the essentials of the faith. He and Jildo also visited other villages to bring the faith to those who were not able to come to them because they worked in the fields all day.
On the weekend of October 18-20, 1918, five people came to Daudi’s house and insisted that he give up teaching the faith to the people. Daudi refused. As a result, the intruders pushed him to the found and pierced him with spears. He was between 16-18 years of age.
The place where Daudi and Jildo were killed is known in their language as Wi-Polo, meaning “in heaven.”
Daudi’s faithful assistant and fellow catechist, Jildo Irwa, was born around 1906 to pagan parents. His father, however, became a Christian.
Jildo was baptized in June of 1916 at the age of 10-12 years, the same day he received his First Holy Communion. In October of that year, he was confirmed.
The priest who knew Jildo and Daudi reported that everyone loved Jildo. Because of his lively and gentle nature, he was quite successful in gathering the children for instruction. He was also had the gift of being able to entertain the children with games and cheerful meetings.
On the morning of Daudi’s martyrdom, Daudi warned Jildo of the possibility of being killed for the faith. Jildo replied, “Why should we be afraid? We have done nothing wrong to anyone; we are here only because Fr. Cesare sent us to teach the word of God. Do not fear!”
On the same morning, after the intruders had killed Daudi, Jildo told them, “We have done nothing wrong. For the same reason you killed Daudi, you must kill me, because together we came here and together, we have been teaching God’s word.” The intruders then pushed him and killed him with a spear and a knife. Jildo was about 12-14 years old.
The Church beatified Daudi Okelo and Jildo Irwa on October 20, 2002. The feast day of Blessed Daudi and Blessed Jildo is October 18.
