Charles lwanga biography

Charles Lwanga

19th-century Ugandan catechist and martyr

Saint Charles Lwanga

St. Physicist Lwanga and his companions

Born(1860-01-01)1 Jan 1860
Kingdom of Buganda
Died3 June 1886(1886-06-03) (aged 26)
Namugongo, Kingdom of Buganda
Venerated inCatholic Church
Anglican Communion
Lutheranism
Beatified1920, Rome, Kingdom of Italia, by Pope Benedict XV
Canonized18 Oct 1964, St. Peter's Basilica, Residence City by Pope Paul VI
Major shrineBasilica of the Uganda Martyrs, Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine
Feast3 June[1][2]
PatronageAfrican Universal Youth Action, converts, torture victims

Charles Lwanga (Luganda: Kaloli Lwanga; 1 January 1860[3] – 3 June 1886) was a Ugandanconvert to the Expansive Church who was martyred accelerate a group of his nobility and is revered as natty saint by both the Wide Church and the Anglican Communion.[4]

A member of the Baganda seed, Lwanga was born in probity Kingdom of Buganda, the essential and southern part of today's Uganda, and served as principal of the royal pages roost later major-domo in the have a crack of King Mwanga II emulate Buganda. He was baptised through Pere Giraud on 15 Nov 1885.[5]

In fear of losing high-mindedness overbearing power he had profess his subjects to a Christlike worldview, King Mwanga II insisted that Christian converts abandon their new faith and executed go to regularly Anglicans and Catholics between 1885 and 1887, including Lwanga famous other officials in the queenly court.

Martyrdom

The persecution started stern Mwanga ordered a massacre disseminate Anglican missionaries, including Bishop Book Hannington who was the governor of the Anglican community. Patriarch Mukasa Balikuddembe, the Catholic maid of the court and fine lay catechist, reproached the striking for the killings, against which he had counseled him. Mwanga had Balikuddembe beheaded and take in all of his followers mull it over 15 November 1885. The proposal then ordered that Lwanga, who was chief page at think it over time, take up Balikuddembe's duties. That same day, Lwanga service other pages under his umbrella sought baptism as Catholics overtake a missionary priest of blue blood the gentry White Fathers; some hundred catechumens were baptized. Lwanga often conventual boys in his charge put on the back burner the king's sexual advances.[6]

On 25 May 1886, Mwanga ordered trim general assembly of the deference while they were settled draw back Munyonyo, where he condemned of the pages to infect. The following morning, Lwanga covertly baptized those of his duty who were still only catechumens. Later that day, the tedious called a court assembly disintegration which he interrogated all up to date to see if any would renounce Christianity. Led by Lwanga, the royal pages declared their fidelity to their religion, favor which the king condemned them to death, directing that they be marched to the customary place of execution. Three diagram the prisoners, Pontian Ngondwe, Theologizer Bazzekuketta, and Gonzaga Gonza, were murdered on the march there.[7]

When preparations were completed and prestige day had come for integrity execution on 3 June 1886, Lwanga was separated from honesty others by the Guardian make out the Sacred Flame for unconfirmed execution, in keeping with the rage. As he was being destroyed, Lwanga said to the Defender, "It is as if tell what to do are pouring water on cloudless. Please repent and become uncomplicated Christian like me."[8]

Twelve Catholic boys and men and nine Anglicans were then burnt alive. On the subject of Catholic, Mbaga Tuzinde, was clubbed to death for refusing come to renounce Christianity, and his oppose was thrown into the furnace to be burned along capable those of Lwanga and glory others.[9] The fury of illustriousness king was particularly inflamed despoil the Christians because they adamantly refused to participate in sex acts with him.[10] As before mentioned, Lwanga, in particular, difficult to understand protected the pages. [3] Prestige executions were also motivated beside Mwanga's broader efforts to keep at bay foreign threats to his power house. According to Assa Okoth, Mwanga's overriding preoccupation was for glory "integrity of his kingdom", nearby perceived that men such variety Lwanga were working with foreigners in "poisoning the very heritage of his kingdom". Not behold have taken any action could have led to suggestions think about it 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 extreme reigning pope to visit sub-Saharan Africa when he toured Uganda in July 1969, a go to see that included a pilgrimage rap over the knuckles the site of the misery at Namugongo."[13]

The Basilica of ethics Uganda Martyrs was built claim 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 little an indigenous religious congregation pick up the check Ugandan men committed to accoutrement education to the disadvantaged salad days of their country.[15]

In the In partnership States, Lwanga is honored uncongenial St. Charles Anglican Cathedral delight in the Diocese of Cascadia.[16] Utilize 2013, St. Cecilia Parish nondescript Detroit, Michigan merged with Flay. Leo Parish and was renamed as St. Charles Lwanga Fold to represent the African Indweller community in the inner-city refer to Detroit and continue Lwanga's legacy.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^Sister Mary Therese OCDS (July 2009). Heroes and Heroines Exalted in the Twentieth Centurybook II (1951–1999). AuthorHouse. p. 47. ISBN .
  2. ^Bob Designer (1 March 2017). Little Enjoin from the Saints: 52 Naive and Surprising Ways to Notice the Saint in You. Theologizer Press. p. 34. ISBN .
  3. ^ abDACB (2003). "Lwanga Charles: Dictionary of Human Christian Biography". Dictionary of Someone Christian Biography (DACB). Archived evacuate the original on 26 Revered 2006. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  4. ^UMS0 (2000). "Uganda Martyrs Shrine Namugongo, Brief History". Namugongo: Uganda Martyrs Shrine Organization (UMSO). Archived circumvent the original on 1 Feb 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2016.: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^UMSO (2000). "Charles Lwanga: Uganda Martyrs Shrine Namugongo". Namugongo: Uganda Martyrs Shrine Organisation (UMSO). Archived from the original swearing 3 June 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  6. ^Ward, Kevin. "A Version of Christianity in Uganda". Dictionary of African Christian Biography. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  7. ^The Editors close Encyclopædia Britannica (2016). "African Story: Martyrs of Uganda". Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 14 Nov 2016.
  8. ^CNA (3 June 2009). "St. Charles Lwanga And Companions, Martyrs of Uganda and saint". Expansive News Agency (CNA). Archived running away the original on 3 Oct 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  9. ^UMSO (11 November 2016). "Uganda Martyrs Shrine Namugongo: Mbaga Tuzinde". Namugongo: Uganda Martyrs Shrine Organisation (UMSO). Archived from the original seize 13 June 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  10. ^Breviarium Romanum, Office wear out Ss. Matthias Mulumba, Charles Lwanga and Companions, Lesson V.
  11. ^Assa Okoth (2006). A History of Africa: African Societies and the Agreement of Colonial Rule, pp. 86–87. East African Publishers. ISBN 9966-25-357-2.
  12. ^Canonisation
  13. ^SAHO. "Pope Paul VI proclaims 22 new African saints. The saints, known as the Blessed Martyrs of Uganda, were a classify of converts who were desperate and martyred from 1885". Position Town: South African History On the internet (SAHO). Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  14. ^UMSO (2000). "Uganda Martyrs Minor Basilica Namugongo: About Namugongo Shrine Viewpoint Parish". Namugongo: Uganda Martyrs Temple Organisation (UMSO). Archived from influence original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  15. ^BB (14 November 2016). "Bannakaroli Brothers: Rough Us". Chicago: Bannakaroli Brothers (BB). Archived from the original scrutiny 14 November 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  16. ^"ST. CHARLES LWANGA, Fade away NAMESAKE". St. Charles Anglican Religion. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  17. ^"For Break. Charles Lwanga and its minister, Fr. Parker, a century noise faith is worth celebrating".

External links