Born in East Africa in the mid-19th century in what is now Uganda, Charles was the Chief of the Royal pages in the court of King Mwanga II, ruler of the powerful Kingdom of Buganda. 

In his mid-20s and following the lead of two of the King’s court members, Charles converted to Christianity and was baptized. 

The King, known for a wide variety of abuses including those of children, was not pleased. He also did not like the fact that Charles protected the pages he was responsible for from the King’s evil intentions. 

Shortly after Charles was Baptized, the King began to arrest and murder those in the Christian community. He had the Anglican Bishop, James Hannigan, and many of his missionaries murdered. 

Then the King approached Charles who refused to allow the King to abuse his pages and also refused to renounce his faith. 

Charles, along with the other Christian members of the King’s court, was murdered by the King, and burned to death on this day in 1886. 

In 1964, St. Pope Paul VI Canonized Charles and 21 others, who were murdered by King Mwanga. 

St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, please pray for us.