Mother Teresa Is Now Patron Saint Of Kolkata

The Vatican on Wednesday (Sept 6) declared Mother Teresa a patron saint of the Archdiocese of Calcutta, PTI reported. The declaration came after the first anniversary of the sainthood of Mother Teresa on Monday (Sept 4).

“This is the first time in nearly a century-and-a-half that the Archdiocese of Calcutta got a new patron saint,” Archbishop Thomas D’Souza told AFP after the Mass where the announcement was made.

St. Francis Xavier was the first patron saint of Calcutta, declared by The Roman Catholic Church in 1986 .

“Saint Teresa of Calcutta is very special because she lived and worked in this city,” the archbishop added.

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The Vatican marked the day in the city where Mother Teresa spent her life dedicating herself to the welfare of the poor.

The honour was bestowed 16 months after Mother Teresa was proclaimed a saint by Pope Francis last September. She is now the co-patron saint of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta

Sharing the news, the archbishop of Calcutta, Thomas D’Souza, said that Mother Teresa belonged to the city and “we decided to declare mother our patron”.

Catholics overjoyed

Catholics in Kolkata are overjoyed with the news. “We are very happy that our Mother Teresa, who has done so much service for the poor and destitute in the city, irrespective of religion, caste or creed, has been made the patron of the Archdiocese of Calcutta,” said housewife Karabi Kanjilal.

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To welcome the new patron saint, over 500 people gathered at the Mass where vicar general Dominique Gomes read the decree, bestowing Mother Teresa as the second patron saint of the archdiocese.

"We are happy that Archdiocese of Calcutta has declared her as its patron, acknowledging her great work for the people," said Sister Prema, who heads of Missionaries of Charity, the order of nuns started by Mother Teresa in 1950.

From today, Mother Teresa's name will be mentioned as a patron when people under the archdiocese pray or a Mass takes place. The Vatican's ambassador to India, Giambattista Diquattro, headed the Mass and inaugurated a bronze statue of Mother Teresa carrying a child.

Feature Image Credit: Biography.com

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