St. Charles Lwanga & Companions (died 1886)

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St. Charles Lwanga

Feast Day: June 3
Canonized: 1964

In the 1880s, missionaries introduced Christianity into the Ugandan kingdom of Buganda. Fearing for their power, witch doctors persuaded King Mwanga that the new religion would undermine his authority.

The 18-year-old ruler was an alcoholic and addicted to sexual relations with boys. In May 1886, he tried to seduce a page and discovered that another young man was instructing him in the faith. Enraged, he drove a spear through the catechist’s neck. Then he demanded that all the Christian pages renounce their faith or face death.

They chose death. So, on June 3, 1886, he had them executed at Namugongo, a place of ritual sacrifice.

Charles Lwanga, a young leader who had protected the pages, was the first to be martyred. He was laid on a pyre under which the fire was kept low. The flame slowly charred his legs without touching the rest of his body. He prayed quietly while the fire slowly did its work. Just before the end, he cried out, “Katonda wange!” (My God!) and died.

Then the other pages were stripped, wrapped in reed mats, piled on a huge pyre and burnt alive. “We have killed many people,” said one executioner, “but never such as these. Other victims did nothing but moan and weep.

There was not a sigh, not even an angry word. All we heard was a soft murmur on their lips. They prayed until they died.” That day, 13 Catholics, 11 Protestants and eight unbaptized seekers, ranging in age from 13 to 25, offered their lives in the flames.

“A well that has many sources never runs dry,” said one of the martyrs prophetically, “When we are gone, others will come after us.” Within four years, the number of Christians in Buganda was estimated at 10,000.

This column is written for Legatus Magazine by Bert Ghezzi. He writes and speaks frequently about saints. Ghezzi’s books include “Voices of the Saints,” “Mystics and Miracles,” and “Saints at Heart.” Online: bertghezzi.com