St. Charles Lwanga & companions

King Mwanga of Uganda took as chief steward a young Christian named Joseph Msaka Balikuddembe. Joseph detested the king's debauched ways, especially his attempts to corrupt young men, whom the steward tried to protect.

In October 1885, Mwanga ordered his followers to kill an Anglican missionary, Bishop James Hannington. The Catholic steward Joseph protested at the murder of a fellow Christian. The following month, Mwanga had him beheaded. "A Christian who gives his life for God is not afraid to die," Joseph proclaimed. "Mwanga has condemned me without cause; but tell him I forgive him from my heart." To the king's astonishment, the Christians were not cowed by his sudden outrage.

Six months later Mwanga discovered that a 14-year-old page, Mwafu, had been receiving instruction in the Catholic faith. He called for Denis Sebuggwago, who had been teaching the page, and killed him by thrusting a butcher's cleaver or spear through his throat. That night Charles Lwanga, the new master of the pages, baptized five of them including Kizito, whom he had repeatedly rescued from Mwanga's pederasty.

The next day the baptisms were discovered. Enraged, Mwanga assembled all the pages and ordered the Christians to separate themselves from the others. Fifteen, all under the age of 25, did so at once and were later joined by two already under arrest and two soldiers. They were asked if they wished to remain Christian and each replied, "Until death." The king ordered every Protestant and Catholic living in the royal enclosure be put to death.

Thirty-two Catholics and Protestants were led 37 miles away to Namugongo to be burned to death in a literal holocaust. Three were killed on the way. One of these, a district judge named Matthias Kalemba, declared, "God will rescue me. But you will not see how he does it, because he will take my soul and leave you only my body." He was cut into pieces and left to die by the roadside.

The rest of the martyrs were taken to Namugongo. They were imprisoned for seven days while a huge pyre was prepared. At the appointed time on Ascension Day, they were forced to lie on reed mats. Wrapped and tightly bound, they were laid side by side. Fuel was poured on them, and they were set afire. As their executioners sang, the martyrs died confidently praying to their Savior.