In 1883, Bakhita was bought in Khartoum by the Italian Vice Consul Callisto Legnani, who did not beat or punish her. Saint Katharine Drexel was a contemplative in action whose work serving the poor inspires us today. Saint Josephine Bakhita is the patron saint of Sudan and her feast day is celebrated on February 8. [16] Two years later, when Legnani himself had to return to Italy, Bakhita begged to go with him. *Director of the archives of the Shrine of Saint Josephme Bakhita in Schio, LOsservatore Romano14 February 2020, page 8, EWTN | 5817 Old Leeds Rd. She then died. She wanted to be good, to obey the one who gave her joy in following his voice that enlightened her from the heart. Due to her family lineage, she grew up happy and relatively prosperous, saying that as a child, she did not know suffering. Bakhita underwent the excruciating ordeal of tattooing. She left Venice and arrived in Schio in 1902, after simply replying: Yes, Father, to the question concerning her transfer. Yes, she is a Catholic saint, but her story can serve as an inspiration to all, no matter what their religious beliefs may be. 2) The name 'Bakhita' was given to her by her ensalver, it means "lucky" or "fortunate". When her mistress returned from Sudan, Josephine refused to leave. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law. She felt that she was always walking in the light, guided by the One she did not know, but who she knew was present in the circumstances that brought her to Italy, allowing her to know and love Jesus who for us who are His children was crucified, and she was joyful to belong to him as his bride. Bilinge: Encontrando a Dios / Finding God, Encontrando a Dios / Finding God (Espaol), Encontrando a Dios / Finding God (English), Catequistas Y Maestros / Catechists & Teachers, En El Orden Restaurado: Descripcion Del Programa, Nuestra Seora De GuadalupeOur Lady of Guadalupe. February 8 is the feast day of Saint Josephine Bakhita. Copyright 2023 Eternal Word Television Network, Inc. Irondale, Alabama. Bakhita Charities is named after her. As she grew older, she experienced long, painful years of sickness, but she continued to persevere in hope, constantly choosing the good. The Archbishop who gave her the sacraments was none other than Giusseppe Sarto, the Cardinal Patriarch of Venice, who would later become Pope Pius X. Josephine became a novice with the CanossianDaughters of Charity religious order on December 7, 1893, and took her final vows on December 8, 1896. Three fundamental passages: relationships are formed from an encounter which make us a people. Saint Magdalene of Canossa referred to Venice as a city of projects; also from Venice came Gods dream for Mother Bakhita, who arrived at the Canossian Institute. These three sacraments are the sacraments of initiation into the Church and were always given together in the early Church. Customer Service She spent so much time in captivity that she forgot her original name. St. Josephine Bakhita, in full Josephine Margaret Bakhita, also called Mother Josephine Bakhita, (born c. 1869, Olgossa, Darfur (now in Sudan)died February 8, 1947, Schio, Italy; canonized October 1, 2000; feast day February 8), Sudanese-born Roman Catholic saint who survived kidnapping and enslavement. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Her simplicity was convincing and danger was averted. . "[27], Pope Benedict XVI, on 30 November 2007, in the beginning of his second encyclical letter Spe Salvi ("In Hope We Were Saved"), relates her life story as an outstanding example of the Christian hope. She was tattooed with 114 deep cuts, which were filled with salt so that the design formed by the lip ofher scars remained; marks which remained white and stood out on her very black skin; the children, towhom she told her story, who are now elderly, still remember them. She patiently suffered long painful years of sickness in her old age and continued to attest to Christian hope. Copyright 2022 Catholic Online. She was beatified on 17 May 1992 and canonized on 1 October 2000. She lay in state for three days, and mourners noticed that her limbs remained flexible. After the years of trauma that she endured, she did not remember the name her parents had given her and went by Bakhita from then on. It is the process of life that discovers happiness in being free in order to free humanity (n. 9-10, n. 114, n. 188, n. 213, n. 224); we are called to live a happy friendship as a fullness of humanity (n. 8, n. 27, n. 91-92, n. 200) and to communicate it with the humanizing power of tenderness (n. 88, n. 270- 272, n. 274, n. 284). She passed away on February 8, 1947. She became a Canossian nun in December 1896 and remained at the convent for another 42 years. Saint John Cassian's feast day is February 29. He canonized her on October 1, 2000. She was taken as a slave in her early life by Arab traders and suffered a difficult life, until her eventual freedom in Italy. She had brothers, sisters, and loving parents. During her 42 years in Schio, Bakhita was employed as the cook, sacristan, and portress (doorkeeper) and was in frequent contact with the local community. The case went to court, and the court found that slavery had been outlawed in Sudan before Josephine was born, so she could not be lawfully made slave. Died: 1947 in Italy 1869 8 February 1947) was a Sudanese-Italian Canossian religious sister who lived in Italy for 45 years, after having been a slave in Sudan. She was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery, eventually working in Italy as a nanny for a wealthy family. Biography [ edit] Early life [ edit] Her new family also had dealings in Sudan had when her mistress decided to travel to Sudan without Josephine, she placed her in the custody of the Canossian Sisters in Venice. Bakhita knew the reality of being a slave, an immigrant, and a spiritual seeker. She was gentle and charismatic, and was often referred to lovingly as the "little brown sister" or honorably as the "black mother.". Her last years were marked by pain and sickness. On 1 October 2000, she was canonized as Saint Josephine Bakhita. Suakin on the Red Sea was besieged but remained in Anglo-Egyptian hands. She was known for her gentle voice and smile. She was baptized in 1890 and given the name Josephine. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. There, cared for and instructed by the Sisters, Bakhita encountered Christianity for the first time. She became a novice at the Institute of St. Magdalene of Canossa on December 7, 1893, and took her final vows in 1896. He had destined me for better things." Her story is noteworthy. The figure pointed the way to go, and Bakhita led her companion in that direction. (ca. Large crowds followed her hearse to the cemetery. She then remained in the catechumenate for four more years. Saint Josephine Bakhita was born to a wealthy family in Sudan in 1869. In total, she bore 144 physical scars for the rest of her life. When she was on door duty, she would gently lay her hands on the heads of the children who attended the nearby school and caress them. When the Michielis returned from Africa and wanted to take Mimmina and Josephine back with them, the future saint refused to go. She also cared for war victims during world war 1. During World War II, the people of the village of Schio regarded her as their protector. She was a member of the Daju people and her uncle was a tribal chief. Her uncle was a tribal chief, and her family was relatively prosperous. Indeed, there are over 30,000 faithful who have been coming annually to Schio to [visit] Saint Bakhita from every region of Italy and from all the continents. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, Copyright 2022 Catholic Online. For the rest of her life, Bakhita remained in Italy and lived as a free woman. I thought I would die, especially when salt was poured in the wounds it was by a miracle of God I didn't die. Permission Guidelines After a long and dangerous journey across Sudan, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean, they arrived in Italy. Watch Two Suitcases: The Story of St. Josephine Bakhita, available to stream or on DVD from Amazon. He gave her her first crucifix and had the idea of having her live with the little girl she took care of, at the Catechumens of Venice, a place where she could be educated and learn about the love of Jesus and the Gospel of salvation. Her owners named her Bakhita, Arabic for lucky or fortunate. Customer Service:cservice @franciscanmedia.org, Technical Questions:support @franciscanmedia.org, Writers GuidelinesPrivacy PolicyPost a Prayer RequestDonor Portal. Alice Michieli was born in Zianigo, the municipality of Mirano in the Veneto region, in 1886. She was a member of the Daju people and her uncle was a tribal chief. Such was the trauma experienced that she forgot her birth name and her kidnappers gave her the name Bakhita meaning 'fortunate'. Ida Zanolini, in Positio, p. 113 233). 98% of our readers don't give; they simply look the other way. Beatified: May 17, 1992 Saint Josephine Margaret Bakhita was born around 1869 in the village of Olgossa in the Darfur region of Sudan. Author and Publisher - Catholic Online [28], Josephine Margaret Bakhita is honored with a Lesser Feast on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America,[1] also on 8 February.[29]. Birth: 1869. Bakhita converted to Christianity and was baptized and confirmed in 1890. The assignment was easy until she offended her owner's son, possibly for the crime of breaking a vase. As she said: If I were to meet those who kidnapped me, or even those who tortured me, I would kneel down and kiss their hands. Josephine was her confirmation name. Continue reading about St. Josephine Bakhita, St. Josephine Bakhita Sterling Silver Oval Pendant, St. Josephine Bakhita Pendant (14 Karat Gold Filled), Submit a Rosary Prayer Request to be Read Live Online. Heavenly Father, through the intercession of Saint Bakhita, grant us a poor and simple heart, like that of Mary and of your Son who became poor for the love of us. Flogging and maltreatment were part of her daily life. Saint Bakhita lived long ago. She had freely chosen to belong to God, by whom she felt loved, and accepted once again the separation from those she loved. And the shining figure in the night? Episcopal Church in the United States of America, "AFROL Background Josephine Bakhita an African Saint", "Canossian Daughters of Charity Who We Are", Black Catholic Theology: A Historical Perspective, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Josephine_Bakhita&oldid=1152154584, 20th-century Italian Roman Catholic religious sisters and nuns, Sudanese Roman Catholic religious sisters and nuns, Christian female saints of the Late Modern era, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using Template:Post-nominals with customized linking, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 1 October 2000, St Peter's Basilica, Vatican City by Pope John Paul II, This page was last edited on 28 April 2023, at 15:04. 2) The name 'Bakhita' was given to her by her ensalver, it means "lucky" or "fortunate". In March 1885 they left Suakin for Italy and arrived at the port of Genoa in April. She became a Canossian nun in December 1896 and remained at the convent for another 42 years. In the slave markets, where she was put up for sale, she always hoped to recognize her sister who had been kidnapped two years before her. Since the villa in Zianigo was already sold, Bakhita and Mimmina needed a temporary place to stay while Micheli went to Sudan without them. He did not waver and was adamant that Bakhita was free and had the right to choose, since slavery no longer existed in Italy. She was baptized on January 9, 1890 and took the name Josephine Margaret and Fortunata. She was loved by many in the city and was a bastion of comfort during the trials and bombings of World War II. She died on 8 February 1947 in the country of Italy, in the city of Vincenza. She was forced to walk barefoot about 960 kilometres (600mi) to El-Obeid and was sold and bought twice before she arrived there. In 1902, she was transferred to the city of Schio (northeast of Verona), where she assisted her religious community through cooking, sewing, embroidery, and welcoming visitors at the door. It was there that Bakhita first heard the gospel and believed that it was Gods will that she be free. She is a shining ray of hope for human trafficking victims and an inspirational demonstration of how a victim can recover from their trauma and become whole again. Bakhita knew how to value true riches and chose eternal treasures. If you are one of our rare donors, you have our gratitude and we warmly thank you. Josephine wrote that as soon as one wound would heal, they would inflict another. Not a a day went by without wounds being inflicted on her body. She also traveled and visited other convents telling her story to other sisters and preparing them for work in Africa. [19] On 9 January 1890, Bakhita was baptized with the names of 'Josephine Margaret' and 'Fortunata' (the Latin translation of the Arabic Bakhita). Most people donate because Catholic Online is useful. She would suffer a total of 114 scars from this abuse. He was a much kinder master and he did not beat her. With your help we can eradicate human trafficking in our lifetime. On February 8, the Church commemorates the life of St. Josephine Bakhita, a Canossian Sister who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Sudan. Bakhita: From Slave to Saint, p. 81. They brought her back to Italy to work as a maid and care giver to their baby, Mimmina. She was born in Sudan, Africa to a loving, and prosperous family. The next fifty years of her life were marked by simplicity, witnessing to Gods love through cooking, sewing, embroidery and attending to the door. Bakhita replied, "Yes, I am so happy: Our Lady Our Lady!" She then died. The most recent one known to us is the Casa Santa Giuseppina Bakhita"(Saint Josephine Bakhita House), dedicated as a temporary reception centre for women, located on the island of SantElena, in Venice. In Venice, her story of ransom from slavery, the gift of her faith was well known. Saint Alexander's feast day is February 26. Printable Catholic Saints PDFs. Her first owner, a wealthy Arab, gave her to his daughters as a maid. [26] On 10 February 1993, he solemnly honoured Bakhita on her own soil. Bakhita has come back to you. Everything is amazing in her, just as the restoring water which gushes out of a spring! Bakhita was not a Christian, but she had always looked to the night sky and wanted to know the One who had created the moon and stars. Their chance came one day when the overseer carelessly left them unchained and alone. She was baptized and confirmed in 1890, taking the name Josephine. Her mistress spent three days trying to persuade her to leave the sisters, but Josephine remained steadfast. What did she do while she was ministering She ministered as a cook, seamstress, sacristan, and doorkeeper, living simply and lovingly. [15] The Turkish general began making preparations to return to his homeland and sold his slaves. In 2019, Pope Francis drew attention to the scourge of human trafficking on Saint Bakhitas feast day and called upon government leaders worldwide to intervene and stop the trafficking of persons. Due to her family lineage, she grew up happy and relatively prosperous, saying that as a child, she did not know suffering. Find out where they obtain services in your community, and volunteer to help. For her arrival in Italy, there had been no need for a passport. The terrified girl was bought and sold at least two times over the next few months and forced to walk hundreds of miles on foot to a slave market in Al-Ubayyi in south-central Sudan. Six years later she entered the Canossian Sisters convent in Schio, Italy. Grateful to her teachers, she recalled, "Those holy mothers instructed me with heroic patience and introduced me to that God who from childhood I had felt in my heart without knowing who He was. On that 8 February 1947, young and old still sought her for a greeting, to touch her hand, still soft and warm, and to receive a last caress from her: they wanted to hold her forever. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited. If Catholic Online has given you $5.00 worth of knowledge this year, take a minute to donate. so that they will be released from their chains of captivity. This caused the superior of the institute for baptismal candidates among the sisters to complain to Italian authorities on Josephine's behalf. She was often beaten and kicked and whipped. Slaves also served to vent the anger of their masters who found sadistic pleasure in hearing them cry out in pain. They were met there by Augusto Michieli's wife, Maria Turina Michieli, to whom Legnani gave ownership of Bakhita. Renew Your Subscription She was sold several times, and had eight masters, including the intermediaries, like the kidnappers, who sought the propitious opportunity to resell her for a greater profit. When Mimmina was old enough to be sent to a boarding school in Venice, Bakhita accompanied her. Bakhita was drawn to the Catholic Church. Birth: 1869. On February 8, the Church commemorates the life of St. Josephine Bakhita, a Canossian Sister who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Sudan. She was of the Daju people; her respected and reasonably prosperous father was a brother of the village chief. The sisters answered her questions. She was bought and sold at least twice during the grueling journey. Which services in your area address the needs of women and children in poverty? Saint of the Day for Monday, May 1st, 2023. Death: February 8, 1947. On January 9, 1890, she was baptized and confirmed and received her first Holy Communion. But she always remained cheerful. Because, if those things had not happened, I would not have become a Christian and would not be a Sister today.. For, if these things had not happened, I would not have been a Christian and a religious today". Assisted suicide in the United States: Where is it legal? The consul was her guarantee. Activity: The Kindness Chain. 3) Her feast day marks an international day of prayer and awareness against human trafficking. LIVED: Bakhita was born in 1869 in Sudan. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Saint Josephine Margaret Bakhita was born around 1869 in the village of Olgossa in the Darfur region of Sudan. Where would she be taken? She was five years old when her older sister was kidnapped and when Bakhita was about seven years old, she experienced the same tragedy herself. Everyone assured us that they had met her. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Her body may have been devastated by cruelty, but not her soul, which was always aware of an innate dignity which only we can destroy in ourselves. In 1877, when she was 7-8 years old, she was seized by Arab slave traders, who had abducted her elder sister two years earlier. They travelled a risky 650-kilometre (400mi) trip on camelback to Suakin, which was the largest port of Sudan. Saint Josephine Bakhita, pray for us. Learn more about Saint Josephine Bakhita! She was kidnapped by slave traders at the age of seven; they gave her the name Bakhita, which means "lucky." She died in 1947 in Italy. "It is an act of justice for the rich to help the poor." Saint Josephine, affectionately known as Bakhita ("fortunate one"), was born in the southern Sudan region of Darfur. Pope Francis visits with children in Budapest with visual impairments. Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! For three days, her body lay in repose while thousands of people arrived to pay their respects. She soon became well loved by the children attending the sisters school and the local citizens. Death: February 8, 1947. She was a member of the Daju people and her uncle was a tribal chief. This martyrdom ended when, in 1882, she was bought by Callisto Legnani, an Italian consular agent in Sudan. "Rejoice, all of Africa! They are heavy! She is said to have died with a smile on her lips after seeing a vision of Our Lady coming toward her. It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If anyone asked her how she was, she would reply, "As the master desires.". She was born around 1869 in Darfur (now in western Sudan) in the village of Olgossa, west of Nyala and close to Mount Agilerei. In 1958, the process of canonization began for Josephine under Pope John XXIII. When visited and asked how she was, shed respond: "As the Master desires.". Josephine was born in the Daju village of Olgossa in Darfur. Josephine celebrated the sacraments of initiation, receiving the name Josephine. She said, "A woman skilled in this cruel art came to the general's house. Every slave was always given a new name. By. For three days, Michieli tried to force the issue, finally appealing to the attorney general of the King of Italy; while the superior of the Institute for baptismal candidates (catechumenate) that Bakhita attended contacted the Patriarch of Venice about her protege's problem. For the next 42 years of her life, she worked as a cook and a doorkeeper at the convent. Her kidnappers gave her the name Bakhita, meaning "fortunate. At the age of 13 she was sold to a Turkish general and every day his mistresses punished her with whips and beatings. Each ofATIs initiatives equips you in the fight against human traffickingby providing focused resources developed by survivors as well as experts with firsthand experience. In her later years, she began to suffer physical pain and was forced to use a wheelchair. Some of the testimonies collected were written by those who had known her in the family, for having received graces from her, for having heard about her from friends. This ironic new name did not describe the brutal and humiliating treatment Bakhita received on a daily basis. Bakhita was grateful for the kindness she discovered in the heart of those who were so different from her, but she could not remember [the location of] her village. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. MISSION: As a girl, Bakhita would look up at the moon and stars, resolving to serve their Master. She rubbed the wounds with salt to make the scars permanent. In 1885, to avoid the danger to his life as a result ofpolitical unrest, Consul Legnani was forced to leave Africa and Bakhita convinced him to take her with him. The judge concluded that since slavery was illegal in Italy, she had actually been free since 1885. But that was not the end of her story. Tarjeta De Oracin De Nuestra Seora De Guadalupe, Tres Maneras Para Obtener Un Mejor Provecho De La Misa. Josephine Bakhita, you were sold into slavery as a child What was she known for? The choices of love experienced by Bakhita first freed her, giving her the taste of comfort regarding her lost sisters, finding herself in a situation of unprecedented possibilities with regard to her loved ones. In 1883, Bakhita was sold to an Italian family who treated her with kindness and respect. Updates? But she always remained cheerful. He had paid for her journey and had entrusted her to friends in Genoa, provided that they treated her well, thus guaranteeing her food, home and a job. What happened to the Catholic Knights Hospitaller? Her first owner, a wealthy Arab, gave her to his daughters as a maid. Josephine Bakhita (c. 1869 - 8 February 1947) was a Sudanese-born former slave who became a Roman Catholic Canossian nun in Italy, living and working there for 45 years. She was declared free. Mothers lifted her hands and placed them on the heads of their children, praying for her blessing. She who worked under many masters was finally happy to address God as master and carry out everything that she believed to be Gods will for her. My face was spared, but 6 patterns were designed on my breasts, and 60 more on my belly and arms. Thus, from 13 to 16 years old she experienced a Christian welcome and civil respect. When she had made her patterns; the woman took the razor and made incisions along the lines. Bakhita became babysitter to Mimmina Michieli, whom she accompanied to Venices Institute of the Catechumens, run by the Canossian Sisters. [20] A strong missionary drive animated her throughout her entire life "her mind was always on God, and her heart in Africa".[21]. Salt was poured into each of the wounds. Bakhita became devoted to the child. How can you, your family, or an organization you belong to reach out in solidarity. The choice of her freedom implied a priority of affection, which made her decide not to lose what remains forever; hers was the wisdom of the small and pure of heart who see God. St. Josephine Bakhita, Virgin. Your email address will not be published. Her remains were translated to the Church of the Holy Family of the Canossian convent of Schio in 1969. Josephine Bakhita was born in 1869, in a small. Finally in possession of her human autonomy for the first time in her adult life, Josephine chose to remain with the Canossian Sisters. Faith can be an important component in the road to recovery for many survivors, as was the case for Bakhita. When Pope Francis enlightens us on social justice, to give us the joy of the Gospel, he seems to illustrate the program already carried out by Saint Bakhita that uses the word humanity to describe what, instead, was inhuman, such as the treatment of slaves. Read his story here. Intercede with God on their behalf Learn about their countries of origin, customs, and current needs. Privacy Statement, Five ways for parents to prepare children for First Holy Communion, Four quick and crafty ways to celebrate Thanksgiving with Catholic kids, 9 tips for a successful family prayer time. Learn more about the people of Sudan and the ongoing conflict in their country. The six Eucharistic celebrations of the Solemnity of Saint Bakhita in Schio, also recalled the sacrifices made for the cause by Don Antonio Doppio and Don Giacomo Bravo, who died in Sudan, the native land of Saint Bakhita, where they had gone to start solidarity projects. Venezuelan migrant thanks God, recounts journey through dangerous jungle to U.S. On December 1st, 1978, Pope John Paul II declared her venerable. Her most Get Access Saint Rita Research Paper Saint Rita of Cascia was a girl who always showed an early desire to become a noun at a young age. Saint Josephine Margaret Bakhita was born around 1869 in the village of Olgossa in the Darfur region of Sudan . Public Domain via Wikimedia. -Her friendly voice -The way that she thought about death The amazement of being so loved flowed from her heart as a river of tenderness that comforted, in a multiplicity of expressions, with the indelible touch of her presence. When speaking of her enslavement, she often professed she would thank her kidnappers. 'Bakhita' was not the name she received from her parents at birth. It seemed that Bakhita had failed in her quest for freedom. She also received the sacraments of her first holy communion and confirmation on the same day. With a passion to eradicate human trafficking, Elizabeth Lee is ATIs Volunteer/Intern Coordinator and Senior Advisor. She was beatified in 1992 and canonized eight years later. Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation.