St. Charles Lwanga and Companions

Patron Saint of Converts and Torture Victims

St. Charles Lwanga was a Ugandan convert to Christianity. He is one of twenty-two Ugandan martyrs who were killed in defense of their faith. St. Charles Lwanga safeguarded young men from the immoral acts of the Bagandan ruler, Mwanga, by educating them in the Catholic faith. For his own unwillingness to submit to immoral acts and his efforts to safeguard the faith of his friends, Charles was burned to death at Namugongo on June 3, 1886, by Mwanga’s order. He and his companions were canonized on October 18, 1964 during the Second Vatican Council by Pope Paul VI.