Saint Ambroise Kibuka

Saint Ambroise KIBUKA

Nom: KIBUKA

Prénom: Ambroise

Pays: Ouganda

Naissance:

Mort: 03.06.1886 à Namagongo

Etat: Laïc - Martyr du Groupe des 22 martyrs de l’Ouganda

Note: Page du roi. Baptisé le 17.11.1885. Brûlé vif.

Béatification: 06.06.1920 à Rome par Benoît XV

Canonisation: 18.10.1964 à Rome par Paul VI

Fête: 3 juin

Réf. dans l’Osservatore Romano:

Réf. dans la Documentation Catholique: 1964 col.1345-1352

Kibuuka was a Muganda of the Spiny Ant-eaters(Lugave) clan. He and his friend Achilles Kiwanuka were cousins. His father was Kisuule, an official King’s drummer of Mujaguzo.

His father had many wives and about thirty children almost all girls. Kibuuka was almost the only boy that is why he was also called katekamulundaggana, in short Katekamu- the oly boy among many girls.

Kibuuka with his cousin Kiwanuka and another boy Kigongo Ssemmindi Luinga were taken to king Mwanga’s palace and served as pages. By then he was sixteen years of age and were all put under the care of Charles Lwanga who converted all the three boys to Catholicism.

Kibuuka was active social, talented and active in games, music and always cheerful, and charitable. H was a boy that hardly showed tiredness . on taking up Christinity, Kibuuka abondonned all his witchcraft and burnt it. He begged for baptism and he was baptized n Monday night 16th November, 1885.

When the Christian persecution broke out, Ambrose and his cousin Achilles were arrested. Their friend Kigongo went back and informed the parents of his friends’ arrests. They were arrested on Wednesday morning 26th May, 1886 and were both in the group of Charles Lwanga. They were taken to Namugongo, and burnt to death on Thursday noon, 3rd June, 1886 at the age of 18.

Ambrose is the patron of societies and youth movements such as scouts, YCW, Xaverians etc.