An estimated 120,000 pilgrims attended the Mass, according to Vatican Radio.
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Fox News Senior Foreign Affairs Corespondent Amy Kellogg has more from Rome.
World dignitaries, political leaders, the famous and the great flocked to this city yesterday to honor the tiny nun who lived in poverty all her life – but the most powerful tribute was paid by the quiet women in the massive crowd.
The pope did not shy from Teresa’s fierce opposition to abortion, praising as a merciful saint who defended the lives of the unborn.
“Mother Teresa loved to say, ‘Perhaps I don’t speak their language, but I can smile, ‘” Francis said.
Throngs of pilgrims flooded the Vatican on September 4 to celebrate the highly anticipated canonization of Mother Teresa, an event that Catholics and non-Catholics alike have looked forward to since the nun’s death in 1997. For Mother Teresa, her good deeds have been recognized for her years of service as founder of the Missionaries of Charity sisterhood.
And the head of a Hindu nationalist organization said the nun had ulterior motives in performing her charity work by aiming to convert those served to Christianity.
Mother Teresa died in 1007 at the age of 87 – and was beatified in 2003, the first step towards sainthoods. Sister Grace said that she had been asked if the canonisation of Mother Teresa, which is one of the church’s highest honours, was long overdue.
After Mother Teresa was officially declared a Saint on Sunday, Pope Francis opted to celebrate in true cool Pope fashion: with a huge pizza party for the homeless.
Mother Teresa was a pro-life warrior who spoke truth to power about the injustice of abortion and used her global influence to spread the pro-life message.
Mother Teresa’s canonization took just 19 years, considered extremely quick in matters of the Catholic Church.
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Born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910 in Skopje, now in Macedonia, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her lifetime of service to the poor in 1979.
