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Millions Prepare to Celebrate the 'Forefathers' of Christianity in Africa

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Christians in the East African nation of Uganda are preparing to celebrate Martyrs Day on June 3.

The day commemorates the martyrdom of 45 Ugandan men who converted to Christianity between the years of 1885 and 1887.

The story goes that the king of the country at that time was so outraged by their decision to convert that he ordered the mostly young men to be burnt to death.

The men, whose ages were between 14 and 50, are referred to as the 'forefathers' of Christianity in Africa.

Twenty-two of the men were Catholic, the rest were Anglican.

Ugandan authorities estimate that nearly 2 million people will attend memorial services this Friday, including the country's president, Yoweri Museveni.

The celebrations theme this year is, "The truth will make you free."

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Thomas

Born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and of Indian descent, CBN News’ Senior International Correspondent and Co-Anchor, George Thomas, has been traveling the globe for more than 20 years, finding the stories of people, conflicts, and issues that must be told. He has reported from more than 100 countries and has had a front-row seat to numerous global events of our day. George’s stories of faith, struggle, and hope combine the expertise of a seasoned journalist with the inspiration of a deep calling to tell the stories of the people behind the news. “I’ve always liked discovering & exploring new