King Mwanga the Kabaka, of Uganda first welcomed the missionaries into his kingdom. Gradually, he began to persecute the Christians because he felt that Christianity was a continuous reproach to his sinful conduct and also the Christian authorities were against slave trade from which he profited a lot.

Joseph Mukasa became the first victim. He refused to surrender to the king’s homosexuality. One day, the king became very ill. Joseph suggested that he should try the White Father’s medicine. Unfortunately, the medicine did not work, so the King suspected the Joseph was trying to kill him. Joseph was burnt to death. As he was burning, he said, “Go and the King Mwanga that I forgive him with all my heart, and urge him to amend his ways.” That same day, Charles Lwanga was baptized and too the office of being in charge of the pages. Charles and other pages, who had become Christians used to pray often. The King issued an order that anyone who was found praying was to be killed, many of them were still catechumens, but before dying, they went to the mission for baptism.

In May 1886, the persecution reached its height. The King himself stabbed two of the pages with spears, while the rest were chained and made to walk for two days to Namugongo, the place of the execution. Fr. Lourdel went to intercede for them and even offered his life for them, but in vain. He only blessed them as they went to be executed. The youngest of them was Kizito, he was only 13, but he was laughing while being led away. Some were too weak to walk and were slain during the march.

On Ascension Day, they were stripped, bundled with reed mats and thrown on the fire. Among them was Matthew, the son of the executioner. Even at the point of death, they refused to refused to renounce Christianity, and preferred to die. Charles led the prayers before execution, and refused to be tied up. Instead, he arranged his own death bed on the pyre, and stretched himself on it, made the sign of the cross, closed his eyes, and prayed until he died amidst the frames of fire.

The martyrs of Uganda were beatified in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV. In 1965, Pope Paul VI canonized them, and in 1969, he visited Uganda and consecrated the alter at the shrine in Namugongo, which was built in their honour. June 3 is the feast of the Ugandan Martyrs.