Archbishop Luwum is a recent addition, yet one who fits the traditional mold of Christian martyrdom. Luwum was the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Uganda when Idi Amin seized power in the early 1970's. In events that would seem remarkably familiar to any student of early Christianity, Luwum challenged the dictator for his excessive, often brutal, treatment of the Ugandan people. In return, the Archbishop was arrested, told to read from a prepared "confession" and then executed on this day in 1977. While the government originally claimed him to be a victim of an automobile accident, his body, when released to his family, bore wounds consistent with multiple gunshots. It has always been rumored that he was martyred by Amin himself.
Above, on the right, is the statue to Luwum that is found in the martyr's corner at Westminster Abbey.
