Pope Francis declared Mother Teresa a saint at morning Mass in Vatican.
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Mother Teresa of Calcutta, a Nobel peace laureate known as the “saint of the gutters” during her lifetime, was made a saint of the Roman Catholic Church yesterday.
“Let us carry her smile in our hearts and give it to those who we meet along our journey”, Pope Francis said.
Sister Mercy, here from India, was taught by Saint Mother Teresa.
Following the Mass, Gomez blessed and opened a chapel dedicated to Mother Teresa, where photographs and stories of her visits to Los Angeles will be displayed, as well as the relic, pieces of her hair in the form of a cross, for public veneration. They gathered around her tomb, which was decorated with flowers, a single candle and a photo of the tiny wrinkled saint.
“I hope someday I will be like her”, said one person in attendance.
Thousands attended the canonization ceremony of Mother Teresa at St. Peter’s square, which declared her as Saint Teresa of Kolkata. For Francis, Mother Teresa put into action his ideal for the church to be a merciful “field hospital” for the poorest of the poor, those suffering both material and spiritual poverty. According to her Vatican biography, almost 20 years after taking her vows, during a train ride in India, she felt a calling from Jesus to care for the poor.
“The crimes of poverty they themselves created”, he repeated again.
“She is a great example”, said Pastor Diaz.
3,000 police and security officials patrolled the area around the Vatican. “Her holiness is so near to us, so tender and so fruitful, that we continue to spontaneously call her Mother”.
Mother Teresa traveled throughout the world leaving an impact on people including right here in western MA. “All of India is proud”, said Marina Borneo Sam, who traveled from the slum area of Kolkata with her mother for the ceremony. “It’s about time she became a saint!” said Antonio Martinez, who celebrated the monumental occasion with his family at San Fernando Cathedral.
Maria Theresa is considered a symbol of Francis’ papacy, a pope that lives in a hotel room rather than the Apostolic Palace.
They’re getting seats of honour for the celebration and will then be served lunch in the lobby of the Vatican auditorium.
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She was born Agnes Gonxha in 1910 to Albanian Parents, in modern day Macedonia.
