AUG Blessed ISIDORE BAKANJA 15 (1887 - August 15, 1909) Feast Day: August 15 Beatified: April 24, 1994 Venerated: April 2, 1993 Isidore Bakanja was born in 1887 at Bokendela in "Congo Free State" Belgian Congo (the Democratic Republic of the Congo). At the age of eighteen, Isidore accepted Christ through the local missionaries. He loved the Lord dearly and served him as a catechist. He also worked on a plantation. He told everyone he could about Jesus at every opportunity. Bakanja had a great love for the Blessed Virgin Mary that he expressed through the recitation of the Rosary and by being invested in the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. His employers had ordered him to cease sharing the Gospel as well as remove the scapular he wore as a witness to his faith. Isidore refused, and he was then chained and beaten. The plantation's inspector discovered Isidore and took him to a safe place to recover. However, it was too late, as Isidore's injuries were too severe. Isidore told the inspector to tell everyone that he was dying because he was a Christian. On his death bed, Isidore said he had already forgiven the man who had beaten him. Isidore promised to continue to pray for his supervisor while in heaven. He died on August 15, 1909, in Busira, E quateur, Democratic Republic of Congo. Isidore Bakanja is considered a strong witness to the grace of reconciliation that can be experienced between peoples of different races. Beatification Soon after, the local apostolic vicar was charged to conduct a canonical inquiry and presented to the Congregation of Rites. During 1913-14 over 24 witnesses were interrogated. But politics immediately intruded on the question of whether Mr. Bakanja would become a saint. These early proceedings met Belgian opposition, and this led to an agreement: the Belgian Government would protect missionaries' safety, and the missionaries would end discussion of Mr. Bakanja's case and Belgians' conduct toward the church and Zairians. Their matters rested for more than 50 years, until, in 1976, a group of the laity in Zaire known as the Catechists again raised the issue of Mr. Bakanja's beatification. He was venerated on April 2, 1993, by Pope John Paul II (decree of martyrdom) and beatified on April 24, 1994, by Pope John Paul II. His feast day is August 12 on the Carmelite Calendar of Saints, and August 15 in the general Church calendar. Courtesy of: CatholicCulture.org • wikiwand.com • peresblancs.org by: Dabrice Bartet .