One of France's most beloved figures, a Roman Catholic nun who lived among the poor she vowed to help, has died just weeks before her 100th birthday.
Sister Emmanuelle's charitable association says she died in her sleep in a nursing home in the southern French town of Callian.
The Belgian-born Sister Emmanuelle took her vows in 1929 and dedicated her life to helping the poor after witnessing the poverty of garbage collectors in Egypt.
She lived in the slums of Northern Africa and raised millions of dollars to build schools and hospitals before returning to France in 1993.
She was a frequent presence on French television and was also known for supporting contraception and the right of priests to marry.
Some information for this report was provided by AP.
