Saint Achilleus Kiwanuka – Ugandan Catholic Martyr

ST. ACHILLEUS KEWANUKA

Saint Achilleus Kiwanuka was a Ugandan Catholic martyr who gave his life for his faith during the persecution of Christians under King Mwanga II of Buganda. Born in 1869 in Buganda, he was a member of the Lugave clan and served as a page in the royal court. He converted to Christianity under the guidance of the Missionaries of Africa and was baptized in 1885. When King Mwanga ordered all Christian converts to renounce their faith, Kiwanuka refused. Alongside his companions, he was condemned to death and burned alive in Namugongo on June 3, 1886, at the age of seventeen. He was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1964 as one of the Uganda Martyrs, and his feast day is celebrated on June 3.

Achilleus Kiwanuka was born in 1869 in Lulagala, Ssingo County, in the Kingdom of Buganda (modern-day Uganda). He belonged to the Lugave clan of the Muganda people, and his father was a respected deputy County Chief. As a young boy, Kiwanuka grew up in a society where traditional religion, Islam, and Christianity were competing for influence.

At the age of fifteen, Kiwanuka was selected to serve as a page and messenger in the royal court of King Mwanga II. This position placed him at the heart of political and religious tensions in Buganda. King Mwanga's father, Muteesa I, had previously allowed Christian missionaries to enter his kingdom and used them to counterbalance the influence of Muslim traders and Anglican missionaries. However, when Mwanga II ascended to the throne in 1884, he viewed Christians with suspicion. He saw them as a threat to his authority, particularly because they refused to participate in certain traditional court practices, including acts of submission that went against Christian morals.

Kiwanuka encountered Christianity through the Catholic Missionaries of Africa, also known as the White Fathers. He was deeply moved by their teachings and converted to Christianity. On the night of November 16, 1885, he was baptized by Père Simeon Lourdel and received the Christian name Achilles. He quickly became devoted to his new faith, despite the growing hostility toward Christians in the royal court.

King Mwanga’s distrust of Christians escalated when they openly resisted his demands to renounce their faith. In October 1885, the king ordered the execution of Anglican bishop James Hannington, which led to outrage among the Christian community. Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe, a senior Christian court official, condemned the killing. Enraged, the king had Mukasa executed, setting the stage for widespread persecution of Christians.

When King Mwanga ordered all Christian converts to abandon their faith, many refused, including Achilleus Kiwanuka. He and his fellow Christian pages were arrested and sentenced to death. On June 3, 1886, he was among the group of converts who were led to Namugongo, where they were burned alive in one of the most infamous acts of martyrdom in African history. Kiwanuka was just seventeen years old at the time of his execution.

The Uganda Martyrs, including Achilleus Kiwanuka, became powerful symbols of faith and courage. Their story inspired the growth of Christianity in Uganda and beyond. On October 18, 1964, Pope Paul VI canonized Kiwanuka and his fellow martyrs, recognizing their unwavering devotion to Christ. Today, his feast day is celebrated on June 3, and Namugongo has become a major pilgrimage site for Christians worldwide. His life stands as a testament to the strength of faith and the sacrifices made by early African Christians in the face of persecution.

Feast Day

3-6-1886

Birth Date

--1869

Died Date

3-6-1886

Canonised Date

18-10-1964

Namugongo, Uganda

Saint Achilleus Kewanuka, faithful servant of God, we ask for your intercession and guidance. May your strength and courage inspire us to live with faith, humility, and love. Help us to walk in the path of righteousness, and grant us the grace to endure our struggles with unwavering hope. Pray for us, that we may grow in holiness and share God's love with all. Amen.
ST. ACHILLEUS KEWANUKA

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ST. ACHILLEUS KEWANUKA

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