Yes, she is a Catholic saint, but her story can serve as an inspiration to all, no matter what their religious beliefs may be. The daughter of Sudan sold into slavery as a living piece of merchandise and yet still free. Over the next decade of enslavement, Josephine was passed from owner to owner, bought and sold so many times that she forgot her birth name. Show the volunteers who bring you reliable, Catholic information that their work matters. She chose to remain with the Canossian Sisters. She was a member of the Daju people and her uncle was a tribal chief. It was during this time that she was introduced to formal religion and came to know the Daughters of Charity of Canossa, or the Canossian Sisters. She was forced to walk barefoot about 960 kilometres (600mi) to El-Obeid and was sold and bought twice before she arrived there. If you are one of our rare donors, you have our gratitude and we warmly thank you. Through Christ Our Lord. Saint Bakhita lived long ago. If you donate just $5.00, or whatever you can, Catholic Online could keep thriving for years. Although Bakhita never learned to read and write, she became well versed in scripture and told her story, which became her astounding biography. Permission Guidelines Josephine was born in the Daju village of Olgossa in Darfur. Canonized: October 1, 2000 by Pope John Paul II. [15] The Turkish general began making preparations to return to his homeland and sold his slaves. It was there that Bakhita first heard the gospel and believed that it was Gods will that she be free. She had brothers, sisters, and loving parents. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. On 1 December 1978, Pope John Paul II declared Josephine Venerable, the first step towards canonization. Her own story, in turn, can serve as a balm for others. The Pope prayed to Saint Bakhita and asked that she intercede and assist trafficking victims. Bakhita's skin underwent the painful and horrendous Sudanese custom of scarring slaves - where a pattern was cut into the skin with a razor. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law. Continue reading about St. Josephine Bakhita, St. Josephine Bakhita 14 Karat Gold Filled Pendant, St. Josephine Bakhita Pendant (14 Karat Gold Filled), Submit a Rosary Prayer Request to be Read Live Online. Saint Bakhitas feast day is celebrated on February 8. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. On the same day, she was also confirmed and received Holy Communion from Archbishop Giuseppe Sarto, the Cardinal Patriarch of Venice and later Pope Pius X. This decentralization from herself manifested a creative generosity; for this was already the beginning of a path of redemption that rooted altruism in her. A young student once asked Bakhita: "What would you do, if you were to meet your captors?" "Rejoice, all of Africa! 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. He was a much kinder master and he did not beat her. 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. She was known for her charisma and gentleness and even expressed gratitude that her past horrors had brought her to her current life. The Canossian Sisters went to court on her behalf and helped her obtain her freedom. She was a member of the Daju people and her uncle was a tribal chief. After only nine months, Bakhita unexpectedly left Africa with Mimmina who did not want to leave her behind. Printable Catholic Saints PDFs 26. Death: February 8, 1947. 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. 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. 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 2000, she was declared a saint, the first Black woman to receive the honor in the modern era. Although the figure led Bakhita and her friend safely out of the wilderness, the girls were caught by another slaver late the next day and sold on. After a long and dangerous journey across Sudan, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean, they arrived in Italy. -. The woman had a dish of white flour, a dish of salt and a razor. 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. Her black skin revealed different ancestry and a different life experience. If anyone asked her how she was, she would reply, "As the master desires.". Image credit: Saint Josephine Bakhita by unknown artist, unknown date. Saint Josephine Bakhita A Woman of Faith and Forgiveness Born: 1869 in Sudan Died: 1947 in Italy Beatified: May 17, 1992 Canonized: October 1, 2000 Introduction February 8 is the feast day of Saint Josephine Bakhita. They were met there by Augusto Michieli's wife, Maria Turina Michieli, to whom Legnani gave ownership of Bakhita. Saint of the Day for Monday, May 1st, 2023. (ca. If Catholic Online has given you $5.00 worth of knowledge this year, take a minute to donate. and endured untold hardship and suffering. Feb. 8 was chosen for the day of prayer because it is the feast day of Saint Josephine Bakhita, who was born in Sudan in 1869. Awareness of how much the family had already suffered increased her pain knowing that her people were suffering for her, too. Faith can be an important component in the road to recovery for many survivors, as was the case for Bakhita. For the next 42 years of her life, she worked as a cook and a doorkeeper at the convent. Shop St. Josephine Bakhita. 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. Shop St. Josephine Bakhita. She told about how the general's wife ordered her to be scarred. By the end of 1888, Turina Michieli wanted to see her husband in Sudan even though land transactions were unfinished. She was sold not just once, but multiple times. Indeed, realizing that she could not return home, little Bakhita, lifted up her innocent face and saw God. 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. Pay Your Bill, SUBSCRIBE TO OSV KIDS It was then that we felt how in these years the passage from testimony to devotion was taking place. Her story is noteworthy. She also cared for war victims during world war 1. Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. 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. She was known for her gentle voice and smile. For the first time in her life, Josephine was free and could choose what to do with her life. As her mistress watched, ready with a whip, another woman drew patterns on her skin with flour, then cut into her flesh with a blade. a quick bio of st. josephine bakhita. We ask for your prayers and intercessions for those enslaved among us. The assignment was easy until she offended her owner's son, possibly for the crime of breaking a vase. The colour of her skin had either frightened or attracted the little ones, who thought she was made of chocolate, and intrigued the grown-ups, who had never seen people of other ethnic groups; but that very colour became the privilege given them to have known and loved someone who was different, and to receive love in return. Whether airline employees, medical professionals, teachers, social workers, law enforcement, or businesses,ATI stops trafficking before it startsby partnering with you at the community-level toeliminate the threat. For the first time in her life, Josephine was free and could choose what to do with her life. St. Josephine BakhitaA Model of Faith. During World War II, the people of the village of Schio regarded her as their protector. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Customer Service Thank you. [16] Two years later, when Legnani himself had to return to Italy, Bakhita begged to go with him. Spanish court to investigate artists for exhibiting blasphemous sculptures, Full text of Bishop Paul Coakleys pastoral letter on gender dysphoria, transgender movement, Hundreds of faithful gather in prayer for Pope Francis at Budapests oldest parish church, Pope Francis says he did not lose consciousness before hospitalization in March, Pope Francis warns of technological domination, threat to human ecology at university in Hungary, The Good Shepherd calls us to open our hearts to love, Pope Francis says at Mass in Hungary, TEXT: Dont be couch potatoes! Pope Francis urges youth. Given the name "Bakhita", which means "lucky one" Tortured, abused, and mutilated Forced to receive over 60 tattoos made painfully with a razor and salt Finally at age 14 she was a nanny to an Italian family Learned about God from the Sisters of Charity while attending to a Christian child Saint John Cassian's feast day is February 29. Newsletter Signup Salt was poured into each of the wounds. Josephine Bakhita was made a saint on by October 1, 2000 by Pope John Paul ll. Canonized: October 1, 2000. Her special charisma and reputation for sanctity were noticed by her order; the first publication of her story (Storia Meravigliosa by Ida Zanolini) in 1931, made her famous throughout Italy. In Pope Francis Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, we grasped the indications of a path, that is, of a school of humanity, defined in the words of Romano Guardini, who calls human fullness the possibility to live humanly, equally shared with all those who are in the same place (cf. Who are the immigrants in your local community? Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. In 1883 she was sold to an Italian consul in Khartoum, Callisto Legnani, who treated her more humanely. All rights reserved. Saint Alexander's feast day is February 26. 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. She was bought and sold at least twice during the grueling journey. When she died her tenderness transfused into her mortal flesh and carried on attracting people. Before long, they were planning an escape. 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. As for many migrants today, she explained to those who asked her the reason for her choices, that if she had given in to the insistence to return to her land, she would have lost body and soul. In 1883, Bakhita was sold to an Italian family who treated her with kindness and respect. She is venerated as a modern African saint, and as a statement against the brutal history of slavery. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited. Josephine Bakhita is the Patron Saint of Human Trafficking. For the rest of her life, Bakhita remained in Italy and lived as a free woman. For the next 12 years she would be bought, sold and given away over a dozen times. This is the secret of her inner freedom, of her upstanding will, of her courageous choices born of a hope which does not disappoint, but sustains faith and charity of heart. Born in a village in Sudan, kidnapped by slavers, often beaten and abused, and later sold to Federico Marin, a Venetian merchant, Bakhita then came to Italy and became the nanny servant of Federico's daughter, Aurora, who had lost her mother at birth. 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. She rubbed the wounds with salt to make the scars permanent. Her uncle was a tribal chief, and her family was relatively prosperous. Josephine Margaret Bakhita, F.D.C.C. Canonized: October 1, 2000 by Pope John Paul II. She was given to people she did not know, albeit with the promise of good treatment, but as she left Genoa her heart was in turmoil. Towards the end of her testimony at the canonization process, where she recounted her meetings with Mother Bakhita which inspired her first biography entitled Storia meravigliosa(Tale of Wonder) in 1931, she said: When I wrote the story of Bakhita I scrupulously followed the accounts and considerations that Mother Bakhita had told me in Venice. While Mimmina was being instructed, Josephine felt drawn to the Catholic Church. Saint Josephine Margaret Bakhita was born around 1869 in the village of Olgossa in the Darfur region of Sudan. Shop St. Josephine Bakhita. MISSION: As a girl, Bakhita would look up at the moon and stars, resolving to serve their Master. 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. Bakhita underwent the excruciating ordeal of tattooing. 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. Bakhita became a nanny for her new family, and she and her young charge lived at the convent run by the Canossian Sisters in Venice. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Then salt was poured into the open wounds to ensure it would scar. We do not know her exact birthdate, but we know that she was born in the village of Olgossa, which is near Darfur, Sudan. St Josephine Bakhita, also known as 'Mother Moretta' was kidnapped at the age of nine and sold into slavery. Alice Michieli was born in Zianigo, the municipality of Mirano in the Veneto region, in 1886. Everyone plays a rolein helping to end human trafficking. [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]. Omissions? In 2018, we published the testimonies of those who actually knew Mother Bakhita. ", After prayer and discernment, Josephine joined the religious order, pronouncing her religious vows on 8 December 1896 at the age of 27. Read his story here. Pope John Paul II canonized Josephine Bakhita in 2000. 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. She was often beaten and kicked and whipped. When it was time for him to return to Italy, she begged to be taken with him, and he agreed. She was eventually assigned to a convent in Schio, Vicenza. [14] In May 1992, news of her beatification was banned by Khartoum which Pope John Paul II visited nine months later. She also traveled and visited other convents telling her story to other sisters and preparing them for work in Africa. Born in the village of Olgossa (Darfur, Sudan) in 1869, Bakhita had a twin sister, she was loved and she lived peacefully. Bakhita Charities is named after her. As a slave, her experiences varied from fair treatment to cruel. She was loved by many in the city and was a bastion of comfort during the trials and bombings of World War II. The day when her life turned into a nightmare, that terrified 9-year-old girl forgot everything, even her . Due to her family lineage, she grew up happy and relatively prosperous, saying that as a child, she did not know suffering. At her canonization ceremony on October 1, 2000, Pope John Paul II said of St. Josephine: In todays world, countless women continue to be victimized, even in developed modern societies. As a slave, her experiences varied from fair treatment to cruel. Josephine was her confirmation name. One of her owners was a Turkish general who gave her to his wife and mother-in-law who both beat her daily. Josephine wrote that as soon as one wound would heal, they would inflict another. Through baptism she discovered that what makes us free is Gods breath in us and with this freedom she wanted to free everyone: with understanding, advice, gently, always giving thanks, saying: See you in Heaven!. Reception centres, training courses or places named after Saint Bakhita are being built throughout various parts of Italy. You will need: colored construction . She was given away to another family as a gift and she served them as a nanny. Children who are now elderly, told us to call her Mother Moretta, because this is her name for us. 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. Her owners named her Bakhita, Arabic for lucky or fortunate. Oh St. Bakhita, assist all those who are trapped in a Daughter of St. Magdalene. In 2015, her feast day became the first international day for prayer and reflection on human trafficking. Indeed, she spent twelve years in cruel slavery. 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. But that was not the end of her story. She patiently suffered long painful years of sickness in her old age and continued to attest to Christian hope. Dagnino, pp. Where would she be taken? Pope Francis visits with children in Budapest with visual impairments. While she was in the custody of the sisters, she came to learn about God. Of that traumatic mutilation she reportedly said, I thought I would die, especially when salt was poured in the woundsit was by a miracle of God I didnt die. When a wound from the whip began to heal, other blows would pour down on me. [3][22] During the Second World War (19391945) she shared the fears and hopes of the townspeople, who considered her a saint and felt protected by her presence. She was gentle and charismatic, and was often referred to lovingly as the "little brown sister" or honorably as the "black mother.". Josephine Bakhita was born around 1869 in Sudan. Her new owners, needing to do business in Sudan, temporarily placed her and their daughter in the custody of the Canossian Sisters at the Institute of the Catechumens in Venice in 1888. But, she felt the separation to such an extent that with trembling lips and shining eyes she listened to the stories of the soldiers returning from Africa, informing her of their experience there, of the situation of her people. For had she not been kidnapped, she might never have come to know Jesus Christ and entered His Church. Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! In 1883, the Turkish general sold her to the Italian Vice Consul, Callisto Legani. Bakhita knew how to value true riches and chose eternal treasures. She was known for her gentle voice and smile. Her remains were translated to the Church of the Holy Family of the Canossian convent of Schio in 1969. 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. Death: February 8, 1947. The assignment was easy until she offended her owner's son, possibly for the crime of breaking a vase. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. An example followed by her successors, who pointed her out both to scholars and the poor, declaring her patroness of the victims and those who work to free people from all slavery, touching the flesh of Christ in those they serve. Listening to nature and her heart manifested in her the law of love that unites us all, making us capable of a social life in which rights and duties are expressed in the happy union of truth and justice, an encounter of gift and gratitude. Her story is noteworthy. Her memories remind us that what bonds us is the same need for love, well beyond our individual beliefs. 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. -Her friendly voice -The way that she thought about death The theme: With Bakhita at the school of humanity was chosen in Schio following an encounter between the Schio-Sudan Bakhita Association, the parish of Saint Peters, where theShrine of Saint Bakhita is located and we Canossian sisters, members of the community where Mother Moretta (Black Mother) lived, almost continuously, from 1902 until 8 February 1947. Most people donate because Catholic Online is useful. But the girls had no idea where they were going. Bakhita replied, "Yes, I am so happy: Our Lady Our Lady!" Bakhita says: "During all the years I stayed in that house, I do not recall a day that passed without some wound or other. ATIs tools are designed to ensure that your efforts deliver effective results. In 2000, she was declared a saint, the first Black woman to receive the honor in the modern era. Shop St. Josephine Bakhita. 98% of our readers don't give; they simply look the other way. She was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery, eventually working in Italy as a nanny for a wealthy family. Her voice was pleasing to the little ones, comforting to the poor and suffering. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. 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. She soon became well loved by the children attending the sisters school and the local citizens. state of slavery; Birth: 1869. Bakhita Charities is named after her. Printable Catholic Saints PDFs. And although bombs fell on their village, not one citizen died. She was baptized on January 9, 1890 and took the name Josephine Margaret and Fortunata. At the end of 1884 they escaped from a besieged Khartoum with a friend, Augusto Michieli. Saint Bakhita lived long ago. Five interesting facts about St. Josephine Bakhita is she was a former slave who became a Canossian Religious sister in Italy. so that they will be released from their chains of captivity. Mothers lifted her hands and placed them on the heads of their children, praying for her blessing. Without hesitation, she replied: "If I were to meet those who kidnapped me, and even those who tortured me, I would kneel and kiss their hands. During World War II, the people of the village of Schio regarded her as their protector. She and other enslaved women were forced to undergo a traditional Sudanese practice that left her permanently scarred with 114 patterns cut into her skin and rubbed with salt and flour. She arrived in Italy for the first time. She was deeply moved by her time with the sisters and discerned a call to follow Christ. 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. 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 Bakhita was born in 1869, in a small. Since the villa in Zianigo was already sold, Bakhita and Mimmina needed a temporary place to stay while Micheli went to Sudan without them. All rights reserved. Her kidnappers gave her the name Bakhita, meaning "fortunate. Josephine entered the Institute of St. Magdalene of Canossa in 1893 and made her profession three years later. Josephine Bakhita was born around 1869 in Darfur (now in western Sudan). She was also known as Mother Moretta, our Black Mother. MISSION: As a girl, Bakhita would look up at the moon and stars, resolving to serve their Master. Bakhita remained in the catechumenate where she experienced the call . Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! Josephine wrote that as soon as one wound would heal, they would inflict another. For her arrival in Italy, there had been no need for a passport. When her mistress returned from Sudan, Josephine refused to leave. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited. She left for the second time, a land she felt she would never see again. But she always remained cheerful. She left Suakin, then a flourishing port on the Red Sea, and arrived in Genoa where she witnessed what Italian migrants, leaving the same port to look for work, would experience on their arrival in foreign lands. Bakhita was drawn to the Catholic Church. 2023 Loyola Press. She was deeply moved by her time with the sisters and discerned a call to follow Christ. Saint Josephine, affectionately known as Bakhita (fortunate one), was born in the southern Sudan region of Darfur. 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. On February 8, the Church commemorates the life of St. Josephine Bakhita, a Canossian Sister who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Sudan. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Josephine-Bakhita, Pope Francis venerating St. Josephine Bakhita. These three sacraments are the sacraments of initiation into the Church and were always given together in the early Church. Josephine celebrated the sacraments of initiation, receiving the name Josephine. Intercede with God on their behalf 2) The name 'Bakhita' was given to her by her ensalver, it means "lucky" or "fortunate". Flogging and maltreatment were part of her daily life.
Andrea Taylor Obituary,
Vitesse Moyenne D'un Adolescent,
Snarled Aloud Into A Savage Laugh Analysis,
Articles I