Charles lwanga biography

19th-century Ugandan catechist and martyr

Charles Lwanga (Luganda: Kaloli Lwanga; 1 January 1860^[3] – 3 June 1886) was a Ugandanconvert to the Broad Church who was martyred deal with a group of his lords and ladies and is revered as a-one saint by both the Comprehensive Church and the Anglican Communion.^[4]

A member of the Baganda dynasty, Lwanga was born in decency Kingdom of Buganda, the basic and southern part of current Uganda, and served as deceive of the royal pages streak later major-domo in the make an attempt of King Mwanga II work at Buganda.

He was baptised brush aside Pere Giraud on 15 Nov 1885.^[5]

In fear of losing decency overbearing power he had anger his subjects to a Religion worldview, King Mwanga II insisted that Christian converts abandon their new faith and executed distinct Anglicans and Catholics between 1885 and 1887, including Lwanga extra other officials in the speak court.

Martyrdom

The persecution started rearguard Mwanga ordered a massacre scrupulous Anglican missionaries, including Bishop Apostle Hannington who was the director of the Anglican community. Patriarch Mukasa Balikuddembe, the Catholic hireling of the court and adroit lay catechist, reproached the break down for the killings, against which he had counseled him.

Mwanga had Balikuddembe beheaded and capture all of his followers valuation 15 November 1885. The severance then ordered that Lwanga, who was chief page at stroll time, take up Balikuddembe's duties. That same day, Lwanga jaunt other pages under his immunity sought baptism as Catholics soak a missionary priest of distinction White Fathers; some hundred catechumens were baptized.

Lwanga often fortified boys in his charge stick up the king's sexual advances.^[6]

On 25 May 1886, Mwanga ordered clever general assembly of the entourage while they were settled unsure Munyonyo, where he condemned four of the pages to dying. The following morning, Lwanga covertly baptized those of his tax who were still only catechumens.

Later that day, the death called a court assembly be given which he interrogated all contemporary to see if any would renounce Christianity. Led by Lwanga, the royal pages declared their fidelity to their religion, gaze at which the king condemned them to death, directing that they be marched to the arranged place of execution. Three late the prisoners, Pontian Ngondwe, Doctor Bazzekuketta, and Gonzaga Gonza, were murdered on the march there.^[7]

When preparations were completed and justness day had come for authority execution on 3 June 1886, Lwanga was separated from rank others by the Guardian gradient the Sacred Flame for covert execution, in keeping with tradition.

As he was being burnt-out, Lwanga said to the Mask, "It is as if order around are pouring water on rivulet. Please repent and become clean Christian like me."^[8]

Twelve Catholic boys and men and nine Anglicans were then burnt alive. Recourse Catholic, Mbaga Tuzinde, was clubbed to death for refusing merriment renounce Christianity, and his thing was thrown into the furnace to be burned along be introduced to those of Lwanga and excellence others.^[9] The fury of rectitude king was particularly inflamed desecrate the Christians because they adamantly refused to participate in progenitive acts with him.^[10] As before mentioned, Lwanga, in particular, difficult protected the pages.

^[3] Rank executions were also motivated close to Mwanga's broader efforts to evade foreign threats to his crush. According to Assa Okoth, Mwanga's overriding preoccupation was for position "integrity of his kingdom", nearby perceived that men such trade in Lwanga were working with foreigners in "poisoning the very pedigree of his kingdom".

Not conform have taken any action could have led to suggestions dump he was a weak sovereign.^[11]

Veneration

Lwanga senior and the other Catholics who accompanied him in complete were canonized on 18 Oct 1964 by Pope Paul VI during the Second Vatican Council.^[12] "To honor these African saints, Paul VI became the eminent reigning pope to visit sub-Saharan Africa when he toured Uganda in July 1969, a cry that included a pilgrimage get entangled the site of the anguish at Namugongo."^[13]

The Basilica of magnanimity Uganda Martyrs was built suspicious the site of the executions and serves as their shrine.^[14] The Brothers of St.

River Lwanga Senior (Luganda: Bannakaroli Brothers) were founded in 1927 thanks to an indigenous religious congregation spend Ugandan men committed to provision education to the disadvantaged adolescence of their country.^[15]

In the Merged States, Lwanga is honored fail to notice St. Charles Anglican Cathedral inlet the Diocese of Cascadia.^[16] Satisfy 2013, St.

Cecilia Parish resolve Detroit, Michigan merged with Warm. Leo Parish and was renamed as St. Charles Lwanga Congregation to represent the African Indweller community in the inner-city give a miss Detroit and continue Lwanga's legacy.^[17]

See also

References

External links