The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-29
The Omdurman Nun.

nIteSn years. The MalulStS subjected
her 10 horrible crueIties both physical
and moral.
She was compelled 10 marry Greek
fellow prisoner, by whom she had i've
children. Only one OF them, child OF
Two, is living.
A new and strange situation has now
arisen in the strange history OF Sister
Gregolini. When General Kitcheners ar
my smashed the Mshdists and captured
Omdurman. she was rescued from slavery
and returned TO civilization.
With her child she has entered a con-
vent in Cairo. She declares that her mar
riage was invalid because she was forced
into it, and that her vows 10 become
a nun are as binding on her now as be-
fore she was made a prisoner.
The man, whose name is kokoTombo,
does not want 10 make his wife live
with him, but he claims the child. She re-
fuses 10 give il up. because its father
is an orthodox Greek and therefore OF an
other faith than herself The case is stu
before the foreign tribunals OF Egypt.
The story of Sister Gregolinis capture,
imprisonment and fifteen years of suf-
fering IS one that is hardly equalled in
human history. 1t is difficult TO under
stand how a delicate woman could have
survived such treatment.
She was one Of a number of nuns and
priests who were doing religious work in
the SOudan when the great outbreak of
Mahdism overwhelmed al traces OF Chris
tan civilization in that region.
She belonged TO a good family OF We
roma, in Italy, and was the Lady Superior
of the Mission Convent at e Obeid, in
the Soudan, from 1880 until 1888. when the
Mahdrs followers captured that city and
murdered or enslaved all its inhabitants.
=. H. .-rs- 81 ia.
mission.
After the destruction OF Khartoum. SIS
ter Gregolni and her companions in mis-
cry were kept in the new city of Omdur-
man. which was built near the old one.
The Mahdi finding that no torture would
make them abjUre their religion. forced
them 10 be slaves 10 certain Greek fef-
low-prisoners and &c be considered as
married. Sister Gregolini was assigned 10
a man named Kokorombo. They escaped
being taken into the harems.
In 1891 Father Ohrwalder and Sisters
Catherine Chincarini and Elizabetta Ven
turin and the slave girl Adila made their
escape, with the assistance OF Monsgnor
Soggaro, of Cairo. and Colonel Wingate,
one of the cleverest officers of the Egyp-
tan army. Their ride on camels over
500 miles of desert, infested with saw
ages was a wonderful achevement.
Poor Sister Gregolini had TO remain,
apparently condemned TO perpetual i'm
prisOnment. Monsignor Soggaro il is re-
ported, decided that he could not aid her
10 escape She had five children, all but
one of whom have died owing TO lack Of
nOurishment and the deadly climate.
Relief only came to her when General
Kitchener's victorious army crushed the
hordes of the Khalifa outside the walls
of Khartoum
G.. W. Stevens, in his extremely pictur-
esque work, with Kitchener to Khar-
toum," just published. devotes chapter
to the entry into Omdurman. in which
he mentions Sister Teresa Gregollni
Next morning the army awoke refresh
ed and was able to appreciate TO the
full the beauties of Omdurman. When
you saw it close and by the light Of day
the last suggestion Of stateliness vanish
ed. 1t had nothing left but size-mere
stupid multiplication of rubbish.
One or two relics Of civilization were
found. Taps in the Khalifa's bath, a
ships chronometer, a small pair Of com
passes in boys writing desk and larg-
er pair modelled clumsily upon them. the
dropping telegraph wire and cable 10
Khartoum, Gordon's old 'Bordein,' a shell
torn husk of broken wood round engines
that still worked marvellously a few half
naked Egyptians. once government ser
wants; Charles Neufield, the captive Ger
man merchant. quoting Schiller over his
ankle chains; Sister Teresa. the captive
nun, fCrcibly married to a Greek, pre-
senting green orange to Colonel Win
gate. the tried friend she had never seen
before-such was the pathetic fiotsam
overtaken by the advancing wave of Nah
dism now stranded by its ebb."
general of the Catholic church of the Do
ocese of New York. in speaking of the
case, says:
Mother Superior Teresa's case is GER
tainly a remarkable one, inasmuch as
il presents variety of phases that would
seem at first to cOmplicate matters. But
it is my impression that if the marriage
was accomplished under duress and II
fear inspired the bride 10 adopt that
course rather than a worse degradation,
the law Of the land, as well as the church.
would at once recognize the ceremony s
invalid.
THAT four children were born to her
strengthens the importance of the fact
that her destiny for the time being was
entirely controlled by physical fear. The
birth OF the children was a natural con-
sequence following her marriage. and the
same fear that forced her into ma.romO-
ny also forced her 10 the duties Of moth
erhood
Her return TO the convent instantly
upon her release indicates her supreme
love for the church and for her vows
and should set at rest all speculation as
To her religious motives.
Just what position Sister Teresa will
occupy in the convent since she has re-
turned, viii be determined by the Bishop
Of Cairo. VINO is by this time undoubted-
" I'm possession OF the facts In the case {
Her marriage, and the unfortunate events
OF the past make her none the Jess a
Sister. and in re-entering the convent she
has left behind her the events that CO me
into her life through physical fear. and
over which she had no control"