St. Charles and many other martyrs for the faith died between Nov. 15, 1885, and Jan. 27, 1887, in Namugongo, Uganda. St. Charles and his companions were beatified in 1920 and canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1964.
In 1879 Catholicism began spreading in Uganda when The Society of Missionaries of Africa (the "White Fathers"), a congregation of priests founded by Cardinal Lavigerie were peacefully received by King Mutesa of Uganda.
The priests soon began preparing catechumens for baptism and before long a number of the young pages in the king's court had become Catholics.
However, on the death of Mutesa, his son Mwanga, a corrupt man who ritually engaged in pedophilic practices with the younger pages, took the throne.
When King Mwanga had a visiting Anglican bishop murdered, his chief page, Joseph Mukasa, a Catholic who went to great length to protect the younger boys from the king's lust, denounced the king's actions and was beheaded on Nov. 15, 1885.
The 25-year-old Charles Lwanga became the chief page, and just as forcibly protected them from the king's advances.
On the night of the martyrdom of Joseph Mukasa, Lwanga and some of the other pages went to the White Fathers to receive baptism.
In May 1886, King Mwanga learned that one of the boys was learning catechism. He was furious and ordered all the pages to be questioned to separate the Christians from the others. With great courage, Charles led 24 young pages, aged 13 to 25, to proclaim their Christian faith.
They were condemned to march 37 miles to their place of execution, Namugongo, where they were to be burned at the stake. On the way, Matthias Kalemba, was cut to pieces by the executioners and left to die.
On June 3, 1886, the Feast of the Ascension, Charles Lwanga was separated from the others and burned at the stake. The executioners slowly burnt his feet until there was only charred remains, but he was still alive. Then they promised they would let him go if he renounced his faith. He refused, saying, "You are burning me, but it is as if you are pouring water over my body." Just before the flames reached his heart, he looked up and said in a loud voice, "Katonda! – My God!" and died. He was only 21 years old.
There were 22 protomartyrs in all. The persecutions spread during the reign of Mwanga, with 100 Christians, both Catholics and Protestants, being tortured and killed.
— Catholic News Agency