Josephine Bakhita

St. Josephine Bakhita was born around 1869 in Darfur, Sudan. She was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery, enduring brutal treatment. After being bought by an Italian diplomat, she eventually found refuge in a convent and converted to Catholicism. Bakhita became a Canossian nun and dedicated her life to serving others. She is celebrated for her gentle spirit and forgiveness of her captors. St. Josephine Bakhita is the patron saint of Sudan and victims of human trafficking. She was canonized in 2000 by Pope John Paul II.