Mother Teresa. A name revered, a person much loved. Kolkata's very own Mother was declared a saint by Pope Francis in a ceremony at the Vatican on Sunday (September 4), and many, across faiths, would tell you that there couldn't have been a more deserving individual.
Born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in Albania (now Macedonia) on August 26, 1910, she arrived in India in 1929 and made Kolkata her home. She was an angel for the poor and destitute of the city, where she founded the Missionaries of Charity. Its mission was to care for, in her own words, "the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone." The organisation ran orphanages, AIDS hospices and charity centres worldwide, and cared for refugees, the blind, disabled, aged, alcoholics, the poor and homeless, and victims of floods, epidemics, and famine.
In 1952, she founded a free hospice for the poor in Kolkata called Nirmal Hriday.
Mother Teresa was honoured with many awards for her exemplary work among the weakest sections of the society which included the Nobel Prize, Bharat Ratna and Ramon Magsaysay Award.
She did not limit her charity work to India, and even travelled to assist and minister to the hungry in Ethiopia, radiation victims at Chernobyl, and earthquake victims in Armenia.
The two miracles done by her that were necessary for her to be declared a saint was when a tribal woman in India suffering from stomach tumour was apparently cured when a medallion with Teresa's photo was tied around her stomach, and when a Brazilian man recovered from severe brain disease minutes before surgery after his family prayed to Mother Teresa.
As the world celebrates Mother Teresa being declared a saint, we take this occasion to share with you some photos that show exactly why Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu of Albania came to be known as Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
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| Mother Teresa with former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. (Photo: News Portrait) |
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| Mother Teresa with Pope John Paul II. (Photo: News Portrait) |
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| Mother Teresa with Sister Nirmala (Photo: News Portrait). |
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| Mother Teresa with her followers (Photo: India Today). |
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| Mother Teresa touched many lives. (Photo: India Today) |
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| Mother Teresa dedicated her life to the service of the poor. (Photo: India Today) |
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| Mother Teresa with Pope John Paul II during the latter's visit to India. (Photo: India Today) |
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| Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II. (Photo: India Today) |
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| Mother Teresa with others nuns of the Missionaries of Charity. (Photo: India Today) |
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| The affectionate Mother. (Photo: India Today) |
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| When Mother left for her heavenly abode (Photo: India Today). |
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| Bidding Mother a final goodbye. |
Also read: What Mother Teresa taught me about life and other lessons
Also read: Why Mother Teresa told me she was a businesswoman
