Sœur Emmanuelle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sœur Emmanuelle, N.D.S.
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Emmanuelle in 2003
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| Born |
Madeleine Cinquin
16 November 1908 |
| Died | 20 October 2008 (aged 99) Callian, Var, France
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| Occupation | Catholic Religious Sister and human rights worker |
Sœur (Sister) Emmanuelle (born Madeleine Cinquin) was a kind and dedicated Religious Sister. She was born on November 16, 1908, and passed away on October 20, 2008. Sister Emmanuelle was known for her important work helping poor people in countries like Turkey and Egypt. Her efforts were so valued that she was given Egyptian citizenship in 1991.
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Early Life and Education
Madeleine Cinquin was born in Brussels, Belgium. Her father was French, and her mother was Belgian. Her parents were quite wealthy and owned a business making lingerie.
When Madeleine was only six years old, she experienced a sad event: her father drowned. Later, she studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, France. There, she earned a degree in philosophy, which is the study of knowledge and existence. In 1929, she decided to become a Religious Sister. She joined the Congregation of Our Lady of Sion, a group of sisters dedicated to helping others.
Teaching and Helping Others
In the 1930s, Sister Emmanuelle began her career as a teacher. She taught at the Notre-Dame de Sion High School in Istanbul, Turkey. She lived there for many years, until the 1960s. During this time, she also had teaching assignments in Tunis (Tunisia) and Alexandria (Egypt).
Working with Trash Collectors in Cairo
In 1971, Sister Emmanuelle saw how difficult life was for the trash collectors in Cairo, Egypt. These people lived in very poor conditions. She decided to move and live among them to help. She stayed there for more than 20 years, working tirelessly to improve their lives.
In 1993, Sister Emmanuelle returned to France. When she came back, she became very well-known in France. People loved her story and she was often invited to speak on television shows.
Recognition and Legacy
Sister Emmanuelle became one of the most popular people in both France and Belgium. Many people compared her to Mother Teresa, another famous nun who helped the poor. However, Sister Emmanuelle humbly said the comparison was "ridiculous."
In 2003, a French television channel showed a documentary about her called Soeur Emmanuelle: An Exceptional Woman. In 2005, she was voted fifth in the Walloon (Belgian) version of "The Greatest Belgian" contest.
Her Final Years
Sister Emmanuelle passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 20, 2008. She was in Callian, Var, France. She was 99 years old, just a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday.
Her work continues through "Les Amis de Soeur Emmanuelle" (The Friends of Sister Emmanuelle), a charity group based in Brussels.
Tributes and Honors
The French singer Calogero wrote a song for her called "Yalla." This word means "move on, move forward" in Arabic, which was something Sister Emmanuelle often said to encourage people. He sang the song to her for her 98th birthday.
In 2018, ten years after her death, the city of Paris named a street after her. The 'allée Soeur-Emmanuelle' is located near the headquarters of the Congregation of Our Lady of Sion.
Writings
Sister Emmanuelle also wrote several books, sharing her experiences and thoughts. Here are a few of them:
- Chiffonnière avec les chiffonniers (Ragpicker with the Ragpickers)
- Une vie avec les pauvres (A Life with the Poor)
- Yalla, en avant les jeunes (Yalla, Go Forward Young People)
- Vivre, à quoi ça sert ? (Living, What's the Point?)
She also worked with other authors on books like:
- L'Évangile des chiffonniers (The Gospel of Ragpickers)
- Richesse de la pauvreté (The Wealth of Poverty)
- Le Paradis, c'est les autres (Paradise is the Others)
See also
In Spanish: Sor Emmanuelle para niños
- Maggie Gobran
