Sœur Emmanuelle

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Sœur Emmanuelle (born Madeleine Cinquin, November 16, 1908) is a Belgian-born French nun.

She was Madeleine Cinquin, 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 the Sorbonne, earning a degree in philosophy. In 1929 she took her religious vows and became a nun.

She worked in Notre-Dame de Sion highschool in İstanbul in 1930s.

In 1971 she witness the impoverished conditions of the trash collectors in Cairo, Egypt, and decided to live among them. She remained there until 1993, when she returned to France. 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 favoring the idea of allowing priests to marry. She has been voted one of the most popular people in France, and has been compared to Mother Theresa. (Although she views the comparisons with Mother Theresa as "ridiculous"). In 2003, French television broadcast Soeur Emmanuelle: An exceptional woman.

Les Amis de Soeur Emmanuelle (The Friends of Sister Emmanuelle) is a charitable organization based in Brussels.