Mother Teresa, also known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, was a Catholic nun and missionary who dedicated her life to serving the poor, sick, and dying. She was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in 1910 in Skopje, Kosovo, then part of the Ottoman Empire. At the age of 18, she left her home and family to join the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish order of nuns, and was assigned to teach at a girls' school in Calcutta, India.
It was in Calcutta that Mother Teresa discovered her true calling. She was deeply moved by the poverty and suffering she saw in the streets, and in 1948, she received permission from her superiors to leave the convent and dedicate herself to serving the poor. She began by teaching the poor and caring for the sick in their homes, and soon attracted a small group of volunteers who joined her in her work.
Mother Teresa and her volunteers, who came to be known as the Missionaries of Charity, went on to establish a number of hospitals, orphanages, and homes for the elderly in Calcutta and beyond. They also started programs to provide food, clothing, and education to the poor. In 1952, Mother Teresa opened the Nirmal Hriday ("Pure Heart") home for the dying, where she and her volunteers provided care and comfort to those who were terminally ill.
Mother Teresa's selfless service to the poor and suffering earned her international recognition and admiration. She received numerous awards and accolades, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. In addition to her work with the Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa also worked to bring attention to the plight of the poor and to encourage others to join her in her mission. She traveled extensively, giving speeches and interviews, and her work inspired many people around the world to volunteer their time and resources to help those in need.
Mother Teresa died in 1997 at the age of 87, but her legacy lives on through the Missionaries of Charity, which has grown to include over 4,500 nuns and thousands of laypeople who continue to serve the poor and sick in more than 130 countries. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2003, and was canonized as a saint by Pope Francis in 2016. Today, Mother Teresa is remembered as one of the most compassionate and selfless individuals in modern history, and her example continues to inspire people around the world to dedicate their lives to helping others.
