Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 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. Most people donate because Catholic Online is useful. Her constant smile, humility and simplicity won peoples hearts. A young student once asked Bakhita: "What would you do, if you were to meet your captors?" Read his story here. She also received the sacraments of her first holy communion and confirmation on the same day. It wasnt long before Bakhita realized they were lost. It does, however, foretell and describe her later life. 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. February 8 is the feast day of Saint Josephine Bakhita. Sharing the Word for May 1, 2023 Fourth Week of Easter Year 1. She then died. Through Christ Our Lord. 6 Facts About St Josephine Bakhita. The woman had a dish of white flour, a dish of salt and a razor. 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. The sisters she lived with experienced the humanizing power of motherhood in her friendship. Zanini, Roberto Italo (2013). She then died. The Pope prayed to Saint Bakhita and asked that she intercede and assist trafficking victims. 1751 Pinnacle Drive Suite 600 | McLean, Virginia 22102, National Human Trafficking Intelligence Center, Parent Coalition to End Human Trafficking. LIVED: Bakhita was born in 1869 in Sudan. All rights reserved. According to Josephine, she had always known about God, who created all things, but she did not know who He was. The first steps toward her beatification began in 1959. 42743. Our mistress stood behind us, whip in hand. 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. But the girls had no idea where they were going. 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. The Canossian Sisters went to court on her behalf and helped her obtain her freedom. MISSION: As a girl, Bakhita would look up at the moon and stars, resolving to serve their Master. All rights reserved. Saint Josephine Margaret Bakhita was born around 1869 in the village of Olgossa in the Darfur region of Sudan . Stay up to date with the latest news, information, and special offers. She was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery, eventually working in Italy as a nanny for a wealthy family. St. Josephine Bakhita, Virgin. 6 Facts About St Josephine Bakhita 1) Sudanese-Italian Canossian nun who survived 12 years of brutal slavery. She was declared free. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The feast of Saint Bakhita is in fact the day chosen by the Church to ask collectively for liberation from ancient and new contemporary slavery. If Catholic Online has given you $5.00 worth of knowledge this year, take a minute to donate. This ironic new name did not describe the brutal and humiliating treatment Bakhita received on a daily basis. Children who are now elderly, told us to call her Mother Moretta, because this is her name for us. Public Domain via Wikimedia. [20], On 7 December 1893, Josephine Bakhita entered the novitiate of the Canossian Sisters and on 8 December 1896, she took her vows, welcomed by Cardinal Sarto. 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. Mother Josephine Bakhita was born in Sudan in 1869 and died in Schio (Vicenza) in 1947. Today is Saturday," probably hoping that this would cheer her because Saturday is the day of the week dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus. Her kidnappers gave her the name Bakhita, meaning "fortunate. Forced to walk 600 miles to southern Sudan, she was bought and sold before arriving in El Obeid. She was bought and sold at least twice during the grueling journey. Bakhita has come back to you. Saint Josephine Margaret Bakhita was born around 1869 in the village of Olgossa in the Darfur region of Sudan. 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. Known as Mimmina, she was treated like a daughter by Bakhita. Permission Guidelines 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. Bombs did not spare Schio, but the war passed without a single casualty. Activity: The Kindness Chain. I thought I would die, especially when salt was poured in the wounds it was by a miracle of God I didn't die. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited. With the help of the Canossian Sisters, she won her freedom, became a Christian, and joined their order. In her final days she relived the agony of her enslavement and is said to have called out, Please, loosen the chains. He was a much kinder master and he did not beat her. These were her last audible words.[23]. Pope Francis visits with children in Budapest with visual impairments. She was surrounded by a loving family of three brothers and three sisters; as she says in her autobiography: "I lived a very happy and carefree life, without knowing what suffering was".[5]. [20] A strong missionary drive animated her throughout her entire life "her mind was always on God, and her heart in Africa".[21]. In the extremity of her last hours, her mind was driven back to her youth in slavery and she cried out: "The chains are too tight, loosen them a little, please!" What Do All Saints Day and Halloween Have in Common? Bakhita wished to stay in Italy when her owners readied for a relocation. She arrived in Italy for the first time. Because, if those things had not happened, I would not have become a Christian and would not be a Sister today.. On the advice of their business agent Illuminato Cecchini, on 29 November 1888, Michieli left both in the care of the Canossian Sisters in Venice. Her story is noteworthy. 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 body lay on display for three days afterwards. Despite the terrible things she had endured, Bakhita dedicated the rest of her life to serving God, her fellow sisters, and mankind; she was a much beloved, respected member of her community. Suakin on the Red Sea was besieged but remained in Anglo-Egyptian hands. Amen. 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 kidnapped by slave traders at the age of seven; they gave her the name Bakhita, which means lucky. She died in 1947 in Italy. There, cared for and instructed by the Sisters, Bakhita encountered Christianity for the first time. On February 8, the Church commemorates the life of St. Josephine Bakhita, a Canossian Sister who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Sudan. When speaking of her enslavement, she often professed she would thank her kidnappers. We are a team of people dedicated to defeating the scourge of human trafficking through uniquely targeted programs. She was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery, eventually working in Italy as a nanny for a wealthy family. On February 8, the Church commemorates the life of St. Josephine Bakhita, a Canossian Sister who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Sudan. Her historical experience suggests anthropological and spiritual reflections that amazingly manifest the divine imprint of the Creator in a good heart which the harshness of slavery, torture and tireless work have revealed almost as a precious metal purified by fire. In 2000, she was declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. Alice Michieli was born in Zianigo, the municipality of Mirano in the Veneto region, in 1886. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Bakhita knew the reality of being a slave, an immigrant, and a spiritual seeker. On this World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, as organizations, governments, and individuals all over the world pause to rededicate themselves to their anti-trafficking goals, it is important that we listen to the stories of survivors and let them guide us in our work. Saint Josephine Bakhita is an African saint, who was born in Sudan around 1869, and died on 8 February 1947, in Italy. [2] She was one of the Daju people;[3][4] her respected and reasonably prosperous father was brother of the village chief. She became a novice at the Institute of St. Magdalene of Canossa on December 7, 1893, and took her final vows in 1896. If anyone asked her how she was, she would reply, "As the master desires.". She was born in Sudan, Africa to a loving, and prosperous family. 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. Saint Katharine Drexel was a contemplative in action whose work serving the poor inspires us today. When she had made her patterns; the woman took the razor and made incisions along the lines. Meet St. Josephine Bakhita! He had destined me for better things.. Two years later, he took Josephine to Italy and gave her to his friend Augusto Michieli. Josephines body was mutilated by those who enslaved her, but they could not touch her spirit. This decentralization from herself manifested a creative generosity; for this was already the beginning of a path of redemption that rooted altruism in her. While she was in the custody of the sisters, she came to learn about God. After a long and dangerous journey across Sudan, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean, they arrived in Italy. In the new house in Schio she found herself dressed like the other Canossian sisters, but so different from them as to arouse curiosity and the desire to meet her. For had she not been kidnapped, she might never have come to know Jesus Christ and entered His Church. It is said that the trauma of her abduction caused her to forget her original name; she took one given to her by the slavers, bakhta (), Arabic for 'lucky' or 'fortunate'. She used to tell the teachers in the community "You teach catechism, I will stay in the chapel and pray for you that you may teach well.". Her last years were marked by pain and sickness. Continue reading about St. Josephine Bakhita St. Josephine Bakhita St. Josephine Vannini She was a source of encouragement. On 29 November 1889, at the Catechumens, something similar to a trial took place regarding her choice not to return to the life of slavery, and she was declared free. Born in Darfur in 1869, Josephine Bakhita was taken by Arab slave traders when she was 9. [25], Bakhita's legacy is that transformation is possible through suffering. The daughter of Sudan sold into slavery as a living piece of merchandise and yet still free. Josephine Bakhita was born around 1869 in Sudan. The consul was her guarantee. Finally in possession of her human autonomy for the first time in her adult life, Josephine chose to remain with the Canossian Sisters. In 1883, Bakhita was sold to an Italian family who treated her with kindness and respect. I am dark but beautiful: this is her song of love, the gift of her closeness to those who seek her as a humble sister freed from the love that God has planted in our hearts. Italian saint and former slave (18691947), Dagnino, p.10. 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. In her later years, she began to suffer physical pain and was forced to use a wheelchair. For 10 years, this inheritance has been taken up by the Bakhita Committee which has now become an Association in order to continue the caring work that today Bakhita would have liked to carry out for her own people. Each ofATIs initiatives equips you in the fight against human traffickingby providing focused resources developed by survivors as well as experts with firsthand experience. He canonized her on October 1, 2000. 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. She was gentle and charismatic, and was often referred to lovingly as the "little brown sister" or honorably as the "black mother.". She was deeply moved by her time with the sisters and discerned a call to follow Christ. Bakhita lived and worked in various locations in Africa until an Italian consul bought her and moved his family back to their hometown of Schio, Italy. 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. Josephine Bakhita, you were sold into slavery as a child She passed away on February 8, 1947. you found true redemption in your encounter with Christ and his Church. 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. 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. Once, they hid behind a thorn hedge for two hours while a long caravan passed nearby. 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. Birth: 1869. Bakhita became babysitter to Mimmina Michieli, whom she accompanied to Venices Institute of the Catechumens, run by the Canossian Sisters. 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. 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. Death: February 8, 1947. Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! She is the only saint originally from Sudan and she is now the patron saint of Sudan. 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. Children and adults alike flocked to her, enjoying her good heart, good nature, good works, and her love of people. [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. If you are one of our rare donors, you have our gratitude and we warmly thank you. Mother Moretta, universal sister, who is still speaking to us. Bakhita converted to Christianity and was baptized and confirmed in 1890. He rejoiced at seeing her again. Josephine wrote that as soon as one wound would heal, they would inflict another. This caused the superior of the institute for baptismal candidates among the sisters to complain to Italian authorities on Josephine's behalf. Saint Josephine Margaret Bakhita was born around 1869 in the village of Olgossa in the Darfur region of Sudan. Although Bakhita never learned to read and write, she became well versed in scripture and told her story, which became her astounding biography. When her mistress returned from Sudan, Josephine refused to leave. She wanted to be good, to obey the one who gave her joy in following his voice that enlightened her from the heart. When Mrs. Michieli returned to fetch her daughter and the enslaved nanny, Josephine resolutely refused to leave the institute. 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. When a wound from the whip began to heal, other blows would pour down on me. At the end of 1884 they escaped from a besieged Khartoum with a friend, Augusto Michieli. Thank you. Even while she was outwardly denied freedom and human dignity, her spirit was 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. What was she known for? Provide comfort to survivors of slavery and let them look to you as an example of hope The sisters answered her questions. On 1 December 1978, Pope John Paul II declared Josephine Venerable, the first step towards canonization. Shop St. Josephine Bakhita. She left for the second time, a land she felt she would never see again. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law. Three fundamental passages: relationships are formed from an encounter which make us a people. She was born around the year 1869 in the African country of Sudan, in the region of Darfur, in the city of Olgossa. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Bakhita: From Slave to Saint, p. 81. 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 Bakhita is still with us today. It was that freedom of spirit that allowed her to follow her heart and live her true vocation. Josephine was born in the Daju village of Olgossa in Darfur. She told about how the general's wife ordered her to be scarred. . Her owners named her Bakhita, Arabic for lucky or fortunate. 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. ATIs tools are designed to ensure that your efforts deliver effective results. (ca. 98% of our readers don't give; they simply look the other way. Illuminato Checchini, administrator of the Michieli family, who had fatherly feelings for her, was waiting for her in Zianigo. This was the school of the Creator that she attended after the school of her family, which she always longed for. Bakhita is a saint in the Catholic Church. She rubbed the wounds with salt to make the scars permanent. At the age of 13 she was sold to a Turkish general and every day his mistresses punished her with whips and beatings. Her remains were translated to the Church of the Holy Family of the Canossian convent of Schio in 1969. Josephine Margaret Bakhita, F.D.C.C. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. Free with the freedom of the saints. Although she was just a child, she was forced to walk barefoot over 600 miles to a slave market in El Obeid. Saint Josephine Bakhita, pray for us. And although bombs fell on their village, not one citizen died. [19] On 9 January 1890, Bakhita was baptized with the names of 'Josephine Margaret' and 'Fortunata' (the Latin translation of the Arabic Bakhita). She was eventually assigned to a convent in Schio, Vicenza. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. The girls passed long hours telling one another about their families and how they had been kidnapped. Various testimonies have depicted her freely giving thanks, in order to free every creature, to educate to self-giving until death. 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. In 1877, when she was 78 years old, she was seized by Arab slave traders, who had abducted her elder sister two years earlier. [9], In El-Obeid, Bakhita was bought by a rich Arab who used her as a maid for his two daughters. When visited and asked how she was, shed respond: "As the Master desires.". They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. What happened to the Catholic Knights Hospitaller? Born in Olgossa in the Darfur region of southern Sudan, Josephine was kidnapped at the age of 7, sold into slavery and given the name Bakhita, which meansfortunate. Top 10 facts about Josephine THE Empress Josephine of France, first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, died 200 years ago today, on May 29, 1814. Their chance came one day when the overseer carelessly left them unchained and alone. Show the volunteers who bring you reliable, Catholic information that their work matters. 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. She was known for her charisma and gentleness and even expressed gratitude that her past horrors had brought her to her current life. Indeed, she spent twelve years in cruel slavery. Due to her family lineage, she grew up happy and relatively prosperous, saying that as a child, she did not know suffering. New Subscription Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Where would she be taken? 3) Her feast day marks an international day of prayer and awareness against human trafficking. Death: February 8, 1947. In 1902 she was assigned to the Canossian convent at Schio, in the northern Italian province of Vicenza, where she spent the rest of her life. To this end, we invite you to learn more about the life of an extraordinary trafficking survivor from history. In 1883 she was sold to an Italian consul in Khartoum, Callisto Legnani, who treated her more humanely. During the war, because of her colour, she was also mistaken for being a spy, but she did not get upset, she accompanied those who wanted to arrest her to where she lived and, showing them the window in her room, explained that since her arrival in Italy she had received the gift of vocation. "[17], When Michieli returned to take her daughter and maid back to Suakin, Bakhita firmly refused to leave. Her sacraments were administered by Archbishop Giuseppe Sarto, who would later become Pope Pius X. How can you, your family, or an organization you belong to reach out in solidarity. One of her owners was a Turkish general who gave her to his wife and mother-in-law who both beat her daily. 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. Her voice was pleasing to the little ones, comforting to the poor and suffering. Her body lay on display for three days afterwards. To all our readers, Please don't scroll past this. 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. Bakhita became devoted to the child. 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. What happened to the Catholic Knights Hospitaller? The sisters answered her questions. Thank you. She was a member of the Daju people and her uncle was a tribal chief. Read her story here. When it was time for him to return to Italy, she begged to be taken with him, and he agreed. Saint Josephine Margaret Bakhita was born around 1869 in the village of Olgossa in the Darfur region of Sudan. 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. I had then the confused feeling that, since she was an extraordinary soul, my writing would sooner or later be useful, thinking that in time the Church would take this story and this extraordinary soul into account (cf. Spend some time reflecting on areas of your life where you are not free. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law. Bakhita herself never mentions this incident. You will need: colored construction . [26] On 10 February 1993, he solemnly honoured Bakhita on her own soil. Advertising Her Baptism set her on an eventual path toward asserting her civic freedom and then service to Gods people as a Canossian Sister. He was a much kinder master and he did not beat her. Tarjeta De Oracin De Nuestra Seora De Guadalupe, Tres Maneras Para Obtener Un Mejor Provecho De La Misa. a quick bio of st. josephine bakhita. Copyright 2022 Catholic Online. In some instances these are homes that hosted her during her life, and which have now been made available for humanitarian corridors as in Olate in the province of Lecco or they are employment training centres, even places to play football in high risk areas. At the age of nine, she was kidnapped and sold into slavery, where a series of owners humiliated, tortured and mutilated her. Bakhita says: "During all the years I stayed in that house, I do not recall a day that passed without some wound or other. "[10], She once said that the most terrifying of all of her memories there was when she (along with other slaves) was marked by a process resembling both scarification and tattooing, which was a traditional practice throughout Sudan. school catchment east dunbartonshire,