Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions

Stored in Cargo: Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions

Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions
Feast Day	June 03
Liturgical Class
Patronage	African Catholic youth, converts, torture victims
Birthplace	Buganda Kingdom, Uganda
Death Place	Namugongo, Buganda Kingdom, Uganda
Cause of Death	Burning, beheading, torture
Primary Shrine	Basilica of the Uganda Martyrs, Namugongo, Uganda

Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions (d. June 3, 1886), also known as the Uganda Martyrs, were 22 young Catholic men and boys, aged 13 to 30, martyred in the Buganda Kingdom (modern-day Uganda) for their faith and resistance to King Mwanga II’s immoral demands. Born around 1860 in Buganda, Charles Lwanga served as chief of the royal pages and major-domo in Mwanga’s court. Baptized in 1885, he led the Christian community, protecting pages from the king’s sexual advances and baptizing catechumens. After refusing to renounce Christianity, Lwanga and his companions were executed, mostly by burning, at Namugongo in 1886. Beatified in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV and canonized in 1964 by Pope Paul VI, their feast day is June 3. They are venerated by the Roman Catholic Church and Anglican Communion.

Their martyrdom, sparked by their refusal to submit to Mwanga’s predatory behavior, inspired Uganda’s Christian growth. The Basilica of the Uganda Martyrs at Namugongo, a major pilgrimage site, draws millions annually. Lwanga is patron of African Catholic youth, converts, and torture victims. Recent posts on X highlight their courage against persecution, with one noting their relics’ veneration in churches like Our Lady of the Rosary, Greenville, SC.

Biography

Birth

Saint Charles Lwanga was born around 1860 in the Buganda Kingdom, southern Uganda, to the Baganda tribe. Little is known of his early life, but he grew up in a pagan environment before encountering Catholic missionaries.

Early Life

Lwanga learned Christianity from two retainers in Chief Mawulugungu’s court and later from the White Fathers, Catholic missionaries who arrived in Buganda in 1879. As a catechumen, he joined King Mwanga II’s court as a page, serving under Joseph Mukasa, the Catholic major-domo. Lwanga was baptized by Père Giraud on November 15, 1885, after Mukasa’s martyrdom.

Occupation

Lwanga served as a royal page and later major-domo in Mwanga’s court, overseeing the pages. After Mukasa’s execution in 1885 for opposing Mwanga’s killing of Anglican missionaries, Lwanga took leadership of the Christian community. He instructed catechumens, baptized converts, and shielded pages from Mwanga’s sexual demands, fostering chastity and faith.

Vocation

Lwanga’s vocation was as a catechist and protector of the faith. His leadership inspired the pages to resist Mwanga’s advances and remain steadfast. On May 25, 1886, learning some pages were studying catechism, Mwanga ordered their arrest. Lwanga baptized four catechumens, including 13-year-old Kizito. The next day, Mwanga separated Christians, demanding they renounce their faith. Led by Lwanga, they refused, declaring fidelity “till death.” Their courage strengthened Uganda’s nascent Church.

Death

On June 3, 1886, Lwanga and his companions were executed at Namugongo after a 37-mile march. Three—Pontian Ngondwe, Athanasius Bazzekuketta, and Gonzaga Gonza—were killed en route. Lwanga, aged 26, was burned alive, saying, “It is as if you are pouring water on me. Please repent and become a Christian like me.” Twelve Catholics and nine Anglicans were burned; Mbaga Tuzinde was clubbed and burned. Others, including John Mary, were beheaded later. Their deaths, marked by prayer and hymns, sowed seeds for Christianity’s growth.

Significant events

• Baptized by Père Giraud, November 15, 1885.
• Took leadership after Joseph Mukasa’s martyrdom, November 15, 1885.
• Baptized four catechumens, including Kizito, May 25, 1886.
• Refused to renounce Christianity at Mwanga’s court, May 26, 1886.
• Executed by burning at Namugongo, June 3, 1886.
• Canonized by Pope Paul VI, October 18, 1964.

Significant locations

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Legend

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Parishes

Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions
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Canonization

Servant of God

The process to recognize Lwanga and his companions as Servants of God began in the early 20th century, driven by their martyrdom’s impact on Uganda’s Catholic community. Their cause was advanced by the White Fathers’ documentation.

Venerable

No formal Venerable declaration was recorded, as their sainthood progressed rapidly due to clear martyrdom. Their cult grew in Uganda, supported by pilgrimages to Namugongo.

Beatification

They were beatified on June 6, 1920, by Pope Benedict XV in St. Peter’s Basilica, recognizing their martyrdom without requiring miracles, per Church norms for martyrs.

Canonization

The 22 martyrs were canonized on October 18, 1964, by Pope Paul VI during the Second Vatican Council in St. Peter’s Basilica. No miracles were needed, as their martyrdom sufficed. Paul VI’s 1969 visit to Namugongo, the first by a reigning pope to sub-Saharan Africa, honored them.

Miracles

No specific miracles were required for their canonization, as martyrdom was sufficient. Their steadfast faith under torture was considered providential.

Miracle for beatification

No miracle was needed, as their martyrdom qualified them for beatification.

Miracle for canonization

No miracle was required, per Church norms for martyrs.

Other notable miracles

• Their deaths inspired rapid growth of Christianity in Uganda, seen as a spiritual miracle.

Patronage

Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions are patrons of African Catholic youth, converts, and torture victims, reflecting their youth, conversion, and suffering.

Feast day

Their feast day is celebrated on June 3 in the Roman Catholic Church and Anglican Communion, marking Lwanga’s martyrdom.

Veneration

The Uganda Martyrs are venerated through pilgrimages to the Basilica of the Uganda Martyrs in Namugongo, where millions gather annually. Their relics, including Lwanga’s, are venerated in churches like Our Lady of the Rosary, Greenville, SC. Feast day Masses emphasize their courage and chastity, with X posts noting their resistance to Mwanga’s advances as a model for modern youth. Their legacy inspires schools, churches, and the Bannakaroli Brothers, founded in 1927 to educate disadvantaged youth.

Books

Written about the saint

• The Uganda Martyrs by J.B. Midgley
• African Holocaust: The Story of the Uganda Martyrs by J.F. Faupel
• Lives of the Saints, Vol. VI by Alban Butler

Written by the saint

• None recorded.

External links

• Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions at CatholicSaints.Info
• St. Charles Lwanga and Companions at Catholic Online
• Uganda Martyrs in the Catholic Encyclopedia
• Charles Lwanga at Wikipedia