Saint Teresa of Calcutta

Mother Teresa was one of the most important figures of the 20th century. She felt her calling from God was to help the sick and poor people of India. Working almost up until her death in 1997, she is still an inspiration to people all over  the world.

Early Life

She was born in the city of Skopje, which is the capital of the Republic of Macedonia, on August 26th 1910. She was given the name Agnes and brought up by her mother as her father died when she was only eight years old.

Devotion to God

She was from a Roman Catholic family and devoted her life to God from a very young age. At 18, Agnes joined the Sisters of Loreto to become a missionary in India. She was based in Darjeeling and had to learn the language so that she could be a teacher at a nearby school. Agnes then took her first vows as a nun and became known as Teresa. At 36, she felt a calling from God and went to help the sick and the needy of India. Agnes had very little support and often went hungry herself. Inspired by what she was doing, other women joined her and the Missionaries of Charity was formed.

Awards and Achievements

Later in her life, Mother Teresa was awarded many honours for her work, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She also received India’s highest civilian award in 1980.

Her Death

She died on the 5th September 1997 in Calcutta, India. Mother Teresa was given a large funeral by the Indian government, as a way of saying thank you for all her hard work. People from all over the world mourned her.

Her Legacy

Today, her legacy continues through the Missionaries of Charity, which now has over 4500 nuns who care for people all over the world. The organisation runs schools, soup kitchens and homes for orphaned children. All the services they provide are free. This special lady will always be remembered for the love and care that she showed to many people in her lifetime. She once said, ‘Not all of us can do great things, but we can all do small things with great love.’  In 2003, Pope John Paul II began the process of making her a saint, and she was canonised (officially declared as a saint) as Saint Teresa of Calcutta on 4th September, 2016.