Mother Teresa

Roman Catholic nun Mother Teresa won the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize for her humanitarian work in Calcutta, India.

Fast Facts

1. Born: August 27, 1910 in Uskub, Ottoman Empire (now Macedonia)
2. Given Name: Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu
3. Religion: Roman Catholic
4. Won Nobel Peace Prize in 1979
5. Died September 5, 1997 in Calcutta
6. Honorary citizen of the United States
7. Received India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna

Early Life

Young Agnes Bojaxhiu was committed to her faith from a very early age, and had been captivated by stories of missionaries throughout her teen years. She left home at age 18 to become a missionary herself, traveling to Ireland first to learn English, and never saw her family again.

Missionaries of Charity

On May 24, 1931, she took her religious vows and selected the name "Teresa" in honor of Thérèse de Lisieux, the patron saint of missionaries. Though she had traveled to Calcutta, India to teach children English, she was increasingly focused on the famine and poverty in the area. In 1948, she left the convent to tend to the sick and starving. She started in the "Missionaries of Charity" with Vatican approval in October 7, 1950, with the aim of aiding those who had otherwise been left behind by society. Today, the group includes more than 4,000 nuns.

Impact and Recognition

After a series of heart attacks in the 1980s, Mother Teresa suffered through chronic health problems until her death on September 5, 1997. She was given a state funeral by the Indian government.

In 2002, her healing of an Indian woman's tumor was officially recognized as a miracle. On October 19, 2003, the Vatican officially started the process of beatification for Mother Teresa, though a second miracle will need to be demonstrated in order for her to be fully canonized as a saint.

Some have been critical of Mother Teresa and her legacy. Writer Christopher Hitchens appeared in the Vatican as a witness against her canonization, arguing that her goal was to convert people rather than alleviate their suffering. Indian critic Aroup Chatterjee takes issue with her role in Indian politics and blames Mother Teresa for promoting a negative view of the city of Calcutta.

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