The Catholic Church in Uganda is facing a critical shortage of altar wine, local media report.
The shortage is said to have persisted since February. It’s being attributed to the war in Gaza, which has delayed imports.
Local media report that the church’s holding firm, JW InterServices, this week alerted dioceses regarding the matter, and advised them to cautiously use the stock they already had.
The church gets its wine from Spain and the product is normally shipped through the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.
But because of a change in route, a consignment that had been due to arrive at the beginning of April, was now due by the end of this month.
“The ships have been diverted to take longer and safer routes through the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean which has caused a major crisis and delays of their arrival to Mombasa port,” the Observer newspaper quoted JW InterServices’ managing director, Father Asiku Alfred Tulu, as saying.
Altar wine is an important part of the ritual of Holy Communion – through which Christians remember the sacrifice of Jesus’ death.