Picture: Wulman83 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Denis Ssebuggwawo Wasswa
Ugandan Roman Catholic martyr
SaintResearchedPost-1588
Feast: 3 June (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Born
1870
Died
26 May 1886
verified
Beatified
6 June 1920
verified
Canonised
18 October 1964
verified
Who they were
Denis Ssebuggwawo was born at Bunono, a page at the royal court, baptised on 17 November 1885.
When King Mwanga asked whether he had taught the faith to two courtiers, he said yes; the king speared him and ordered him beheaded. He died aged fifteen on 26 May 1886. He is one of the 22 martyrs of Uganda, St Charles Lwanga, St Matthias Mulumba Kalemba and companions, put to death under King Mwanga.
The miracles
As a martyr he was raised to the altars without a miracle.
Why that counted as sanctity
A fifteen-year-old page killed for teaching the faith.
Connected on this site
- Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe Saint“Ssebuggwawo and his twin brother Kato became catechumens and were instructed by Saint Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe.” — Wikipedia
Sources
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints - biography: Denis Ssebuggwawo
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints - beatification of 6 June 1920
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints - canonisation of 18 October 1964
- Wikidata Q5257537 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Denis Ssebuggwawo Wasswa (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 22 September 2026. Corrections welcome.