Servant Of God

The Sacred Congregation for the Causes of the Saints appointed Fr. Burtin to do an independent investigation to prove that the Uganda martyrs died for their faith and truly offered their lives in a sacrifice of love for Christ and the Church.

He set up a tribunal in Uganda who interrogated about 120 witnesses, including Dennis Kamyuka, who had been spared at Namugongo, Joseph Nsingisira who had been in prison with the martyrs and Fr. Ludovic Giraut, who baptized three of the martyrs Luke Bannabakintu, Ponsiano Ngondwe and Matthias Mulumba.

In his report, Fr. Burtin confirmed that they were killed because of their faith and because they refused to defile their bodies, he recommended that they are declared martyrs of purity.

Twenty-five years after their martyrdom, the honest sacrifice of the Uganda Martyrs was welcomed, recognized and honored by the mother church; Pope Pius X pronounced a decree of "HEROIC IN VIRTUE" on August 14, 1912.

This decree made them venerable as servants of God; prayer cards were printed to encourage the faithful pray through their intercession and as martyrs they straight away advanced to the next stage of beatification.

The Beatification

On the 6th of June 1920, Pope Benedict XV pronounced a decree of martyrdom upon the Martyrs of Uganda, this made them blessed.

Martyrdom itself is understood as a miracle of grace, Denis Kamyuka, a prime eyewitness and survivor provided information and testimony of their life and martyrdom during the beatification.