Bakhita: From Slave to Saint

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In 1948 Aurora Marin arrives with her family at the convent of the Canossian Sisters of Schio, Italy, where Sister Bakhita has just died. Aurora was hoping to see her before she died. She gathers her children around the picture of Bakhita and tells them of the incredible life of the woman that had raised her as her nanny.

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. She is treated as an outcast by the peasants and the other servants due to her black skin and African background, but Bakhita is kind and generous to others. Bakhita gradually comes closer to God with the help of the kind village priest, and embraces the Catholic faith.

She requests to join the order of Canossian sisters, but Marin doesn't want to give her up as his servant, treating her almost as his property. This leads to a moving court case that raised an uproar which impacts Bakhita's freedom and ultimate decision to become a nun. Pope John Paul II declared her a saint in the year 2000. Directed by Giacamo Campiotti (St. Giuseppe Moscati, Doctor Zhivago) and stars Fatou Kine Boye, Stefania Rocca, Fabio Sartor, Ettore Bassi, and Francesco Salvi. Includes a 16 page collector's booklet by Daria Sockey.

"A very beautiful film..." - Pope Benedict XVI

This DVD contains the following languages: Italian with English or Spanish subtitles.

This is a Region 1 DVD (playable ONLY in Bermuda, Canada, the Cayman Islands, United States and U.S. territories).

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St. Josephine Bakhita

Feast Day: Roman Rite Calendar - 02/08 Patron Of: Sudan, Sacred Heart Also known as     * Giuseppina Bakhita     * Madre Moretta     * Sister Moretta Memorial     * 8 February Profile     Born to a wealthy Sudanese family, she was kidnapped by slave-traders at age 9, and given the name Bakhita (lucky) by them. Sold and resold in the markets at El Obeid and Khartoum, finally purchased in 1883 by Callisto Legnani, Italian consul who planned to free her. She accompanied Legnani to Italy in 1885, and worked as a nanny for the family of Augusto Michieli. She was treated well in Italy and grew to love the country. An adult convert the Christianity, she joined the Church on 9 January 1890, she took the name of Josephine as a symbol of her new life.     She entered the Institute of Canossian Daughters of Charity in Venice, Italy in 1893, taking her vows on 8 December 1896 in Verona, Italy and serving as a Canossian Sister for the next fifty years. Her gentle presence, her warm, amiable voice, and her willingness to help with any menial task were a comfort to the poor and suffering people who came to the door of the Institute. After a biography of her was published in 1930, she became a noted and sought after speaker, raising funds to support missions. Born     * 1868 at Oglassa, Darfur, Sudan Died     * 8 February 1947 of natural causes in Italy Venerated     * 1 December 1978 by Pope John Paul II (decree of heroic virtues) Beatified     * 17 May 1992 by Pope John Paul II Canonized     * 1 October 2000 by Pope John Paul II at Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Italy     * thought to be the only saint originally from Sudan Patronage     * Sudan Name Meaning     * the lucky one; fortunate ( = bakhita); whom the Lord adds (Joseph)   All information used with permission of the Patron Saint Index.

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