- Sœur Emmanuelle
Infobox Person
image_size = 150px
name = Sœur Emmanuelle
caption =
birth_date = birth date and age|1908|11|16
birth_place =Brussels ,
Belgium
death_date =
death_place =
occupation = Nun and humanitarianSœur Emmanuelle (born Madeleine Cinquin,
November 16 ,1908 ) is a Belgian-born Frenchnun .She was born in
Brussels , Belgium, the daughter of a family of lingerie manufacturers. At the age of six she saw her father drown. She was educated at theSorbonne , earning a degree inphilosophy . In 1929 she took her religious vows and became a nun.She worked in Notre-Dame de Sion high school in
İstanbul in 1930s.In 1971 she witnessed the impoverished conditions of the trash collectors in
Cairo ,Egypt , and decided to live among them. She remained there until 1993, when she returned toFrance . It was upon her return that she gained the status of a media sensation in France, as she was well received by audiences and talk-show hosts.In addition to her charity work, she is known for her unorthodox religious views, including approval of the use of
contraception and favouring the idea of allowingpriests to marry. She has been voted one of the most popular people inFrance , and has been compared toMother Teresa . (Although she views the comparisons with Mother Theresa as "ridiculous"). In 2003, Frenchtelevision broadcast "Soeur Emmanuelle: An exceptional woman"."Les Amis de Soeur Emmanuelle" (The Friends of Sister Emmanuelle) is a charitable organization based in Brussels.
External links
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/silly/story/0,,1277790,00.html 95-year-old nun is France's favourite woman]
* [http://www.asmae.fr/www/index.php?id=18 De Madeleine Cinquin à Sœur Emmanuelle]
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