Benedict Daswa

Benedict Daswa distinguished himself through a life of intense faith and exemplary social commitment. As a catechist, liturgy leader, and promoter of charitable works, he actively contributed to the construction of the first Catholic church in his region at Nweli. As an educator, he was respected for his integrity and encouraged sports among the youth to keep them away from delinquency. Refusing witchcraft rituals within his football team, he left it to found a new one. As secretary of the traditional council, he defended social justice, notably opposing the forced marriage of a young girl to allow her to continue her studies.

In January 1990, following fires caused by lightning in Mbahe, the village elders decided to consult a traditional healer to find a culprit and demanded a financial contribution. Benedict Daswa categorically refused, explaining that lightning is a natural phenomenon and that his Christian faith forbade him from financing a witch hunt. On February 2, 1990, he was the victim of an ambush. Attacked with stones and clubs, he took refuge in a house. Hunted down by his attackers, he prayed on his knees before being finished off with blows from clubs and boiling water poured over his wounds.

The reputation of Benedict Daswa's martyrdom spread immediately. His cause for beatification was opened under the impetus of Bishop Hugh Slattery. On January 22, 2015, Pope Francis signed the decree recognizing his martyrdom in odium fidei. The beatification ceremony was celebrated on September 13, 2015, in Tshitanini by Cardinal Angelo Amato, in the presence of his family and 30,000 faithful. His liturgical memorial is set for February 1st. His remains rest at the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption in Nweli. In 2026, the cause for canonization progressed with the submission to the Vatican of documents relating to a miracle attributed to his intercession.

The spirituality of Benedict Daswa rests on an absolute coherence between his faith and his life choices, liberated from the fear of occult forces by his trust in Jesus Christ. Pope Francis praised his consistency and his refusal of pagan habits. He is invoked as a patron saint against witchcraft, occultism, and superstitions, and as a model for fathers, teachers, and catechists. On May 30, 2026, a monumental mosaic in his honor was unveiled at the Church of the Beatitudes in Zwavelpoort by Archbishop Anthony Dabula Mpako, testifying to the continued fervor surrounding his figure.