Kizito was beatified by Pope Benedict XV in 1920 and canonised by Pope Paul VI on 18 October 1964. Kizito is the patron saint of children and primary schools.
Kizito was born around 1872 in the small village of Waluleta, central Uganda to a non-Christian family. Due to his friendly, witty and hard-working attributes, he was selected to work as a royal page in the apartment of King Mwanga II.
Despite the King’s demands for all Christians to renounce their faith or face death, Kizito became a passionate student of the faith and took every opportunity to beg the local priests to baptise him. Fearing Kizito might be killed on duty, he was persistently refused baptism on the grounds that he was simply too young and lacking instruction. However, when the persecution of Christians began in Uganda, he was finally baptised on 25/26 May 1886 by Charles Lwanga, the leader of Uganda’s Christian community at the time, and took the name, John the Baptist.
However, a day after, despite Lwanga’s advice to all palace children to run and hide from Christian prosecutors, Kizito refused to go. He was burnt alive alongside Lwanga on 3 June 1886 in Namugongo. His last words were “Goodbye friends, we are on our way.” At the age of fourteen, Kizito became the youngest of the 22 Ugandian martyrs killed by the King.
He was beatified by Pope Benedict XV in 1920 and canonised by Pope Paul VI on 18 October 1964. He is the patron saint of children and primary schools.
By Father Samuel Ofia, Missionary Society of St Paul
It is very inspiring that an African child of only 14 years can stand and oppose the King in defence of his Catholic faith. In a culture where children are only seen but not heard, St Kizito has become the model for all children.
Let us pray:
God of infinite goodness, you said that children should be allowed to come to you. We pray for children all over the world, especially for those in danger. That through the intersession of St Kizito, you will give voice to the voiceless and protection to our children, through Christ or Lord, Amen.
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