Mother Teresa’s Path to Becoming a Saint

In the heart of Skopje, a modest town then under the Ottoman Empire and now capital of North Macedonia, a child was born on 26 August 1910 to a devout Albanian family. Named Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, she would come to be known by another name, one spoken with reverence across continents. Her journey from a simple household in the Balkans to the slums of Calcutta remains one of the most powerful human narratives of compassion, driven by unwavering spiritual conviction and a lifelong commitment to the destitute.

Raised in a deeply Catholic environment, Anjezë was profoundly influenced by her mother's strong moral values and acts of charity, particularly after the sudden death of her father when she was just eight years old. By the age of 12, she had already sensed a calling to religious life. That calling intensified over the years, and in 1928, at the age of 18, she left home for the Loreto Abbey in Rathfarnham, Ireland. It was there she learned English and adopted the name Sister Mary Teresa, in honour of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, the patron saint of missionaries.

Her next chapter began in India, where she was sent to teach at the Loreto convent school in Calcutta. For nearly two decades, she served as an educator, eventually becoming headmistress. However, her path would take a decisive turn in 1946. During a train journey to Darjeeling, she experienced what she described as a "call within a call"—a divine urging to leave the safety of the convent and dedicate her life to serving "the poorest of the poor". This moment marked the true beginning of her life's work.

By 1948, she had received Vatican permission to leave her convent and begin her mission in the slums. Donning a simple white sari with blue borders—now an iconic symbol—she ventured into the streets of Calcutta, initially with no funding, no institutional backing, and only faith as her guide. She trained in basic medical care and began working among the sick, the dying, and the abandoned.

In 1950, she founded the Missionaries of Charity, an order that would grow from a handful of sisters to thousands spread across the globe. Their mission was simple yet profound: to care for “the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for”. The order opened hospices, orphanages, and leprosy clinics—not only in India but later in countries facing crisis, from Ethiopia to Venezuela.

Her work was not without criticism. Some questioned the conditions in her homes for the dying, while others accused her of embracing suffering rather than alleviating it. Her refusal to accept donations that came with conditions and her strong anti-abortion stance further sparked debate in secular and liberal circles. Yet these controversies never diminished her global reputation as a figure of empathy and moral clarity. To millions, she was not a symbol of perfection but a model of unconditional love.

In 1979, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In her acceptance speech, she called on the world to recognise the poverty of spirit and loneliness present even in affluent societies. She refused the ceremonial banquet associated with the award, asking that the funds be given to the poor instead. Her actions consistently aligned with her beliefs, further deepening public admiration.

Recognition extended far beyond the Nobel. She was awarded India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, and was granted honorary citizenship of the United States. Pope John Paul II, with whom she shared a close spiritual kinship, openly praised her work. Despite global acclaim, she continued to live with humility, often seen carrying her own luggage and sleeping in simple quarters wherever she travelled.

Her health began to decline in the 1990s. Following a heart attack and years of fragile condition, she stepped down from her leadership role in the Missionaries of Charity in 1997. On 5 September of the same year, she died in Calcutta at the age of 87. The city mourned alongside the world.

Legacy, in her case, is not simply preserved in biographies or buildings named in her honour. It lives on in the continuing work of the Missionaries of Charity, now active in over 130 countries. It also echoes in the conversations on faith, service, and ethics that she stirred throughout her life. In 2003, she was beatified by Pope John Paul II, and in 2016, canonised as Saint Teresa of Calcutta by Pope Francis, following the recognition of two medically inexplicable healings attributed to her intercession.

More than two decades after her death, the sari with blue trim remains a symbol of hope in the world’s bleakest corners. Volunteers inspired by her example still tend to patients in slums and refugee camps, continuing a model of humanitarian service grounded in humility. Her life continues to provoke thought about the limits of service, the boundaries of faith, and the nature of human dignity.

Though not without her complexities, her unwavering dedication to the voiceless of society made her one of the most significant religious and humanitarian figures of the 20th century. Whether one sees her as a saint, a moral force, or simply a determined woman shaped by faith and circumstance, there is little doubt that she left an indelible mark on both religious history and the collective conscience of humanity.

From the narrow alleys of Calcutta to the corridors of the United Nations, her presence remains a reminder that greatness often begins with small acts of kindness performed quietly, away from applause.