St. Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe, also known as St. Joseph Mukasa or St. Balikuddembe, was a Ugandan Catholic martyr who was killed for his faith in 1886. He is one of the 23 Catholic martyrs of Uganda who were canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1964.

St. Joseph Mukasa was born in the early 1860s in the Buganda Kingdom, which is located in present-day Uganda. He was a member of the Baganda tribe and worked as a page in the court of King Mwanga II. At that time, Buganda Kingdom was in the midst of a power struggle between the Christian and Muslim factions at the royal court.

St. Joseph Mukasa was a convert to Christianity and served as a catechist, teaching others about the Catholic faith. He was known for his kindness and generosity, and was highly respected by his fellow pages and other members of the court.

In 1885, King Mwanga II ordered the execution of a group of Christian converts including Bishop James Hannington, the first Anglican bishop of East Africa, who was killed in the eastern district of Busoga, on his way to Buganda. St. Joseph Mukasa was also targeted for his faith and was killed by the king’s soldiers on November 15, 1885.

St. Joseph Mukasa was beatified by Pope Benedict XV in 1920 and was later canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1964. He is honored as a patron saint of catechists and is celebrated by Catholics in Uganda and around the world on November 18, which is his feast day.