Martyrs of Uganda, 1886
O God, by whose providence the blood of the martyrs is the
seed of the church: Grant that we who remember before you the blessed martyrs
of Uganda, may, like them, be steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ, to whom
they gave obedience even to death, and by their sacrifice brought forth a
plentiful harvest; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
On 3 June 1886, thirty-two young men, pages of the court
of King Mwanga of Buganda, were burned to death at Namugongo for their refusal
to renounce Christianity. In the following months many other Christians
throughout the country died by spear or fire for their faith. These martyrdoms
totally changed the dynamic of Christian growth in Uganda.
