Getting to know: Blessed Isidore Bakanja
Cheridan Sanders
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Blessed Isidore BakanjaBlessed Isidore Bakanja was born around 1887 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (then the Belgian Congo). He was baptized on 15 August 1909 at eighteen years of age through the ministry of Cistercian missionaries. Isidore was a very devout convert and catechist. He had a great love for the Blessed Virgin Mary, which he expressed through recitation of the Rosary and by being invested with the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. One day after discovering that he was Christian, Isidore's employers ordered him to cease sharing the Gospel and to remove his scapular. Isidore's refusal to comply with the demands, resulted in him being beaten and chained. However, before dying from his injuries he said that he would pray for his persecutors in heaven. Isidore Bakanja is considered a strong witness to the grace of reconciliation.
Blessed Isidore Bakanja Martyr of the Carmelite Brown Scapular, pray for us!
All images courtesy of rio2013.com
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Category: General Posts, Saints and Blesseds, World Youth Day
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