Isidore Bakanja was born in Congo, into the Boangi tribe, sometime between 1880 and 1890. From a young age, he had to work as a builder or in the fields in order to earn a living. He converted to Christianity at the age of eighteen through his contact with Cistercian (Trappist) missionaries.
After his conversion, Isidore put his gifts as a catechist to good use wherever he went, including at his workplace on the rubber plantations of Ikili. His commitment to sharing the Christian faith was so strong that his employer, a colonialist, forbade him from continuing to teach his fellow workers, telling him: “You will make the whole village pray, and no one will work!”
On 22 April 1909, the work superintendent tore from Isidore’s neck the brown scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, which he wore as an expression of his Christian faith and, in particular, of his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The superintendent then ordered Isidore to be brutally flogged one hundred times, until he began to bleed.
Following this severe beating, Isidore’s health deteriorated considerably. To one of those who visited him during the final days of his life, he said: “If you see my mother, or if you go to the judge, or if you meet a priest, tell them that I am dying because I am a Christian.”
Blessed Isidore endured his suffering with great patience and forgave those who had harmed him. As he lay dying, he would often say of the man responsible for his suffering: “When I am in heaven, I shall pray very much for him.” Like St Thérèse of Lisieux, Isidore desired that, after his death, he would continue from heaven to do good for those on earth.
Blessed Isidore Bakanja died on 15 August 1909 as a result of the severe wounds he had suffered as a ‘punishment’ for his faith. He died holding a rosary in his hand and wearing the brown scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. He was beatified by Pope St John Paul II on 24 April 1994.
From the life of Blessed Isidore Bakanja, we can learn several important virtues:
- Courage: Isidore courageously defended his faith despite the threats, suffering and harsh treatment he endured.
- Forgiveness: Before his death, he forgave those who had mistreated him, showing profound Christian love.
- Perseverance: He endured pain and injustice without giving up or abandoning his Christian values.
- Humility: Isidore Bakanja lived a simple life and served others without seeking praise or recognition.
- Faithfulness to God: He remained faithful to his Christian beliefs even when he was persecuted because of them.
Isaac Zammit
SDC Candidate
