Yohane Maria Muzei
Feast: 27 January (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
John Mary Muzeyi was born at Minziro; his gravity earned him the name Muzeyi, 'old man'. Known for prudence, gentleness and charity, he spent his goods ransoming prisoners, whom he then taught the faith. He was baptised on 1 November 1885.
After the execution of his great friend Joseph Mukasa he would not hide, though he knew the king meant to kill him. The king's chief minister had him thrown into a pond on 27 January 1887. 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 man who ransomed prisoners and would not hide from death.
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints - biography: John Mary Muzeyi
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints - beatification of 6 June 1920
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints - canonisation of 18 October 1964
- Wikidata Q13125269 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
Checked against the sources listed on 22 September 2026. Corrections welcome.