Canonization makes it a saintly Sunday

Pope Francis declared revered nun Mother Teresa a saint in a canonization mass at St Peter’s square, attended by millions of devotees. “For the honour of the Blessed Trinity we declare and define Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (Kolkata) to be a Saint and we enrol her among the Saints, decreeing that she is to be venerated as such by the whole Church,” the Pontiff said in Latin at the historic St Peter’s Square in the Vatican. 

Born to Kosovan Albanian parents in Skopje in 1928, she won the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize. The elevation of one of the icons of 20th century Christianity came a day before the 19th anniversary of her death in Kolkata, the Indian city where she spent nearly four decades working with the dying and the destitute.

With the 16th century basilica of St Peter’s and an azure sky providing the backdrop, the faithful basked in the late summer sun. Such was the demand from pilgrims, the Vatican could easily have issued double the number of tickets but for space restrictions. Helicopters had earlier buzzed over the headquarters of the Roman Catholic church, testifying to the huge but relatively discreet security operation under way. Some 3,000 officers were on duty to ensure the day passed off peacefully.