Denis Ssebuggwawo Wasswa Explained

Saint Denis Sebugwawo
Birth Date:1870
Feast Day:3 June
Venerated In:Catholic Church
Birth Name:Wasswa Ssebuggwawo
Death Place:Munyonyo, Uganda
Titles:Martyr
Beatified Date:6 June 1920
Beatified By:Pope Benedict XV
Canonized Date:18 October 1964[1]
Canonized By:Pope Paul VI
Patronage:Musicians
Major Shrine:Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine

Denis Ssebuggwawo (1870-25 May 1886) is a Ugandan Catholic martyr and saint. He was born at Kigoloba in Bulemeezi County. His father was Kajansi and mother was Nsonga of Musoga.[2] Shortly after his birth, his grandfather was put to death and his father moved his family to their family estate at Bunono in Busiro County. Ssebuggwawo belonged to the Musu Clan.

Ssebuggwawo and his twin brother Kato became catechumens and were instructed by Saint Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe. He was baptized on 16 November 1885 by Père Simon Lourdel, M.Afr., also known as Fr. Mapera, and he took the name Denis as his Christian name.He was a page of Kabaka Muteesa I of Buganda and a page in personal attendance of Kabaka Mwanga II of Buganda.[3] He was tortured and speared by King Mwanga II, for teaching his faith to Mwafu, the chancellor's son, before handing him over to executioner Mpinga Kaloke on the evening of 25 May 1886. On the morning of 26 May 1886, Mpinga ordered his two men, Matembe and Mulyowa, to hack the body of the boy into pieces. Ssebuggwawo was first beheaded before he was hacked into pieces at Munyonyo. He is remembered as the first of the Martyrs of Uganda.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Christian Martyrs of Uganda . 12 February 2020 . 19 July 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140719024926/http://www.buganda.com/martyrs.htm . dead .
  2. Web site: St. Denis Ssebuggwaawo . Munyonyo Martyrs' Shrine . 27 February 2018 . 25 May 2020.
  3. Web site: Muthua . Joseph Kamau . A Christian Response to Violence: Lessons to Learn from Students in Africa/ Kenya Urbana 2015 . Urbana . 25 May 2020 . 2015 . 10 June 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200610112729/https://urbana.org/sites/urbana/files/GI28%20Muthua%2C%20Joseph%20-%20A%20Christian%20Response%20to%20Violence%20%28Handout%29_0.pdf . dead .