Saint Josephine Bakhita
Saint Profile
Known as a “Witness of Hope,” Saint Josephine Bakhita was born in Sudan around 1869. As a child, she was kidnapped, given the name “Bakhita,” meaning “fortunate” or “blessed,” and sold into slavery, enduring unspeakable suffering. After coming to Italy, she finally recovered her true dignity and freedom in the love of God. In 1890, she was baptized and received the name Josephine, and in 1893 she entered the Canossian Daughters of Charity. Throughout her life, she served faithfully in humble roles such as porter and cook, bearing witness to God’s love and forgiveness. She died in 1947 and was canonized in 2000. Today, she is venerated as a patron saint of Sudan, and her feast day, February 8, is also observed around the world as the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking.
Symbol: Broken Chains
The broken chains symbolize Saint Josephine Bakhita’s liberation from a life of slavery. They also reflect her journey of faith, in which God’s love enabled her to overcome hatred and suffering. Her life remains a model of true freedom born of God’s love and a powerful witness of hope for our time.
Prayer
Lord, source of all hope,
as we remember Saint Josephine Bakhita,
who, even amid the suffering of slavery,
came to know your love and bore witness to hope,
grant that we may uphold one another’s dignity and freedom,
break the chains of hatred and violence,
and bring the light of hope to the world.
Amen.
