In a historical and proud moment for India, Pope Francis on Sunday declared Mother Teresa ‘Saint Teresa of Calcutta’ in a ceremony at the Vatican as celebrations broke out across India especially in her adopted city of Kolkata.
Thousands of people including a sizeable number of Indians flooded the St. Peter’s Square in the holy Vatican City of Rome since morning to witness the canonisation ceremony of Mother Teresa.
The ceremony began at around 1.30 pm IST with prayers followed by Pope Francis addressing the gathering of over one lakh people.
There were celebrations and special prayers on the occasion in different parts of the country including Goa, Mumbai and Delhi but the revelry was grand and elaborate in Kolkata.
The Albanian nun had made Kolkata her home and in 1950 set up the Catholic order Missionaries of Charity, hailed across the globe for its service to the poorest of the poor and the infirm.
Mother Teresa took care of the hungry, naked, homeless, crippled, blind, lepers and all those who were shunned by the society.
Mother Teresa died on September 5, 1997 but the branches of Missionaries of Charity in several countries continue their service to humanity, reaching out to the needy, regardless of their religion or social status.
