Mother Teresa (Saint Teresa of Calcutta)

Early life and religious calling

Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu was born in Skopje (Skopje), then part of the Ottoman Empire, into an Albanian family. As a young woman she left home to join the Sisters of Loreto and took the religious name Teresa in honour of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. She trained as a teacher and spent many years teaching in Calcutta. In 1948 she described experiencing a strong call to live among and serve what she called "the poorest of the poor," and in 1950 she established a new religious congregation, the Missionaries of Charity, devoted to care of the destitute, the sick, people with HIV/AIDS, and those dying with little or no medical attention.

Work, expansion and spiritual life

The congregation began in Calcutta but expanded to other Indian cities and then internationally, opening hospices, homes and clinics. Members of the order provided basic nursing care, shelter, food and spiritual comfort. Mother Teresa said she was inspired by the example of Saint Francis of Assisi and by a personal commitment to live in close contact with those she served. Later published letters also revealed periods of spiritual doubt and interior struggle, sometimes described as a long "dark night of faith," which have been discussed in biographies and studies of her life.

Awards, public profile and controversies

Her public profile grew through media, books and films; the book and film Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge helped bring wide public attention. She received many honours, including the Nobel Peace Prize (1979) and India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna (1980). At the same time she attracted criticism on several grounds: some journalists, medical professionals and scholars questioned the standards of clinical care in certain homes, the role of suffering in her theology, and the acceptance of donations from controversial sources. She also publicly opposed abortion and contraception, positions that informed both support for and criticism of her public witness (on abortion and related views).

Beatification, canonization and legacy

After her death in 1997 the Catholic Church began the formal process that led to her beatification by Pope John Paul II in 2003 and her canonisation as Saint Teresa of Calcutta by Pope Francis on 4 September 2016. The Vatican recognised miracles attributed to her intercession as part of that process. Supporters emphasise the direct help she and the congregation offered to thousands of people and the global attention she drew to extreme poverty. Critics and historians often call for careful assessment of institutional practices, the balance between spiritual care and medical treatment, and the implications of faith‑based approaches to humanitarian aid.

Further context and reading

Mother Teresa's life intersects with issues of religion, colonial and post‑colonial India, global media, and the professionalisation of humanitarian aid. The Missionaries of Charity remain active worldwide and continue to inspire volunteers and debate. For introductory material on her life and mission see biographical summaries and religious context sources (biographical overview), accounts of her origins and formation (early years), and discussions of her spiritual influences (spiritual models).

• Born: 26 August 1910; Died: 5 September 1997.
• Original name: Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu.
• Founded: Missionaries of Charity (1950).
• Major honours: Nobel Peace Prize (1979), Bharat Ratna (1980).
• Beatified (2003) and canonised (2016); see official Church records for details (beatification and canonisation).