A statue of Saint Josephine Bakhita, the patron of human trafficking victims, will be placed in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.
Timothy P. Schmalz, a Catholic artist dedicated the bronze sculpture as the dedication to all women, especially the religious sisters who work to free women from modern-day slavery.
The artwork depicts the saint, herself once a slave, freeing a mass of people from underground. It will arrive on the feast day of Saint Bakhita, 8 February, at the Vatican ahead of the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking.