Mother Teresa

20th-century Roman Catholic nun and missionary

Mother Teresa (born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu; 26 August 1910 – 5 September 1997) was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary. She was born in Skopje, then part of the Ottoman Empire and now the capital of North Macedonia. After living in Macedonia for eighteen years, she moved to Ireland and then to India, where she lived for most of her life.

Early Life

Mother Teresa was born on 26 August 1910 into an Albanian family in Skopje. She was baptized in the Roman Catholic Church the day after her birth. Her father, Nikollë Bojaxhiu, was involved in Albanian politics and her mother, Dranafile Bojaxhiu, was a deeply religious woman who instilled in her children a commitment to charity.

Missionaries of Charity

In 1950, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious congregation that had over 4,500 nuns and was active in 133 countries by 2012. The congregation manages homes for people dying of HIV/AIDS, leprosy, and tuberculosis. It also runs soup kitchens, dispensaries, mobile clinics, children's and family counseling programs, as well as orphanages and schools.

Nobel Peace Prize

In 1979, Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her humanitarian work. She refused the conventional ceremonial banquet given to laureates, asking that the $192,000 funds be given to the poor in India.

Later Life and Death

Mother Teresa suffered from numerous health problems in her later years, including heart, lung, and kidney issues. She died on 5 September 1997 at the age of 87 in Kolkata, India. She was given a state funeral by the Government of India in recognition of her services to the poor of all religions in the country.

Canonization

Mother Teresa was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church on 4 September 2016. The canonization was held in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City and was led by Pope Francis.

Legacy

Mother Teresa's work has been recognized and acclaimed throughout the world and she has received numerous awards and distinctions, including the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 1980. Her life and work have inspired many other charitable organizations and individuals to follow in her footsteps.

See Also

• Missionaries of Charity
• Nobel Peace Prize
• Roman Catholic Church
• Kolkata
• Albanian people