Carl Lwanga
Encyclopedia
Charles Lwanga (1860 or 1865–June 3, 1886) was a Uganda
n Catholic catechist martyred for his faith and revered as a saint
in the Roman Catholic Church
. He was born in the kingdom of Buganda
in the southern part of modern Uganda, and served as a page
and later major-domo in the court of King Mwanga II
. As part of the king's effort to resist foreign colonization, he had begun to insist that Christian converts abandon their new faith, and executed many Anglicans and Roman Catholics between 1885 and 1887, many of whom were officials in the royal court or otherwise very close to him, including Lwanga.
started in 1885. After a massacre of Anglican missionaries
led by Bishop James Hannington
, the leader of the Catholic community, Joseph Mukasa
--who was then major-domo of the court, as well as a lay
catechist--reproached the king for the deed against which he had counseled him. Mwanga had Mukasa beheaded and arrested all of his followers. This took place on November 15th. The king then ordered that Lwanga, who was chief page at that time, take up Mukasa's duties. That same day, Lwanga sought baptism
as a Catholic by a missionary priest.
On May 25, 1886, Mwanga ordered a general assembly of the court while they were settled at Munyonyo
, where he charged two of the pages, whom he then condemned to death. The following morning, Lwanga secretly baptized those of his charges who were still only catechumen
s. Later that day, the king called a court assembly in which he interrogated all present to see if any would renounce Christianity. Led by Lwanga, the royal pages declared their fidelity to their religion, upon which the king ordered them bound and condemned them to death, directing that they be marched to the traditional place of execution. Two of the prisoners were executed on the march there.
When preparations were completed and the day had come for the execution on June 3rd, Lwanga was separated from the others by the Guardian of the Sacred Flame for private execution, in keeping with custom . As he was being burnt, Charles said to the Guardian, "It is as if you are pouring water on me. Please repent and become a Christian like me".
Twelve Catholic boys and men and nine Anglicans were then burnt alive (another Catholic, Mbaga Tuzinde, was speared to death for refusing to renounce Christianity, and his body was thrown into the furnace to be burned along with those of Lwanga and the others). One of the reported reasons the ire of the king was particularly inflamed against the Christians was because they refused to accede to demands to participate in homosexual acts with him. Charles Lwanga, in particular, had protected the pages from King Mwanga's sexual advances.
Charles Lwanga and the other Catholics who accompanied him in death were canonized
in 1964 by Pope Paul VI
. Although the Anglicans could not be canonized, they were named "with the others, also deserving mention" for enduring "death for the name of Christ".
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
n Catholic catechist martyred for his faith and revered as a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
in the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He was born in the kingdom of Buganda
Buganda
Buganda is a subnational kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Ganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day Uganda, comprising all of Uganda's Central Region, including the Ugandan capital Kampala, with the exception of the disputed eastern Kayunga District...
in the southern part of modern Uganda, and served as a page
Page (servant)
A page or page boy is a traditionally young male servant, a messenger at the service of a nobleman or royal.-The medieval page:In medieval times, a page was an attendant to a knight; an apprentice squire...
and later major-domo in the court of King Mwanga II
Mwanga II of Buganda
Danieri Basammula-Ekkere Mwanga II Mukasa was Kabaka from 1884 until 1888 and from 1889 until 1897. He was the thirty-first Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
. As part of the king's effort to resist foreign colonization, he had begun to insist that Christian converts abandon their new faith, and executed many Anglicans and Roman Catholics between 1885 and 1887, many of whom were officials in the royal court or otherwise very close to him, including Lwanga.
Martyrdom
The persecutionPersecution
Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another group. The most common forms are religious persecution, ethnic persecution, and political persecution, though there is naturally some overlap between these terms. The inflicting of suffering, harassment, isolation,...
started in 1885. After a massacre of Anglican missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
led by Bishop James Hannington
James Hannington
James Hannington was an Anglican missionary, saint and martyr.-Life:Hannington was born at Hurstpierpoint in Sussex, England, on 3 September 1847. A poor scholar, he left school at fifteen to work in his father's Brighton counting house. At twenty-one, Hannington decided to pursue a clerical...
, the leader of the Catholic community, Joseph Mukasa
Joseph Mukasa
Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe was a Ugandan Roman Catholic and the majordomo at the court of Mwanga II of Buganda, recognized as a martyr and saint by the Catholic Church...
--who was then major-domo of the court, as well as a lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
catechist--reproached the king for the deed against which he had counseled him. Mwanga had Mukasa beheaded and arrested all of his followers. This took place on November 15th. The king then ordered that Lwanga, who was chief page at that time, take up Mukasa's duties. That same day, Lwanga sought baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
as a Catholic by a missionary priest.
On May 25, 1886, Mwanga ordered a general assembly of the court while they were settled at Munyonyo
Munyonyo
Munyonyo is an area on the northern shores of Lake Victoria and is part of the metropolitan area of the city of Kampala, in Makindye Division...
, where he charged two of the pages, whom he then condemned to death. The following morning, Lwanga secretly baptized those of his charges who were still only catechumen
Catechumen
In ecclesiology, a catechumen , “‘down’” + ἠχή , “‘sound’”) is one receiving instruction from a catechist in the principles of the Christian religion with a view to baptism...
s. Later that day, the king called a court assembly in which he interrogated all present to see if any would renounce Christianity. Led by Lwanga, the royal pages declared their fidelity to their religion, upon which the king ordered them bound and condemned them to death, directing that they be marched to the traditional place of execution. Two of the prisoners were executed on the march there.
When preparations were completed and the day had come for the execution on June 3rd, Lwanga was separated from the others by the Guardian of the Sacred Flame for private execution, in keeping with custom . As he was being burnt, Charles said to the Guardian, "It is as if you are pouring water on me. Please repent and become a Christian like me".
Twelve Catholic boys and men and nine Anglicans were then burnt alive (another Catholic, Mbaga Tuzinde, was speared to death for refusing to renounce Christianity, and his body was thrown into the furnace to be burned along with those of Lwanga and the others). One of the reported reasons the ire of the king was particularly inflamed against the Christians was because they refused to accede to demands to participate in homosexual acts with him. Charles Lwanga, in particular, had protected the pages from King Mwanga's sexual advances.
Charles Lwanga and the other Catholics who accompanied him in death were canonized
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
in 1964 by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
. Although the Anglicans could not be canonized, they were named "with the others, also deserving mention" for enduring "death for the name of Christ".