Martyrs of UgandaArticle Free Pass Martyrs of Uganda, group of
45 Anglican and Roman Catholic martyrs who were executed during
the persecution of Christians under Mwanga, kabaka (ruler) of
Buganda (now part of Uganda), from 1885 to 1887. The 22 African
Roman Catholic martyrs were collectively beatified by Pope
Benedict XV in 1920 and canonized by Pope Paul VI on October 18,
1964. Their feast day is June 3. The first Roman Catholic
missions to Bantu-speaking Africa were established by the White
Fathers Mission in 1879. Christians were tolerated by the kabaka
Mutesa I, but his successor, Mwanga, launched a campaign against
them. Mwanga massacred the Anglican missionary bishop James
Hannington and his colleagues in October 1885. St. Joseph
Mukasa, an important member of the royal household, reproached
the kabaka for the massacre, and, on November 15 of that year,
Mwanga had Joseph beheaded. The Christian pages under Joseph’s
guidance became the next victims. Mwanga, having learned that
they had received religiou