(Born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu)
Apostle of Peace
Born – 26th August – 5th September 1997
The fruit of silence is Prayer, Fruit of Prayer is Faith,
Fruit of faith is Love, Fruit of Love is Service,
Fruit of service is Peace – Mother Teresa
Agnes Gondzha Bojaxhiu was born on 26 of August, 1910 in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia (then part of the Ottoman Empire) in the family of Nichola and Drana Boaxhiu as the youngest one of three children.
Her father was a famous trader and member of the City Council of Skopje as the only Catholic member. Bojaxhiu family house was open to all, especially to the poorest. On August 27, 1910 she was baptised in the Catholic Church “Sacred Heart of Jesus,” and took this date for her birthday. At five and a half years of age received her First Communion. In 1919 Nikola Bojaxhiu died and then her family suffered a financial difficulties. {loadposition mother}
An apostle of peace, Mother Teresa is known to the world for her love, compassion and sacrifice. Angel of Mercy and Mother T were just some of the titles used to describe her. She devoted her life for the poor, destitute and the dying. A noble Laureate, who authored a personal saga of love and compassion that touched millions of live around the world. She rendered her services to the poorest of the poor and her love for them was divine. Through their network of services, Mother Teresa and her missionary sisters brought succor to the ill fated humans suffering from diseases. Millions were helped, consoled, given a decent life or helped to die with dignity in God’s love. She was the greatest philanthropist of the Century, a person with boundless energy even in her old age.
During a Train journey towards Darjeeling on 10th Sept.1946, Mother Teresa got her inspiration from Lord Jesus. She left the Loreto Convent and got out on the streets of Calcutta to pick up the poor, sick and the abandoned in her unflinching arms. Thus, by 1950, the foundation of ‘The Holy Empire’ missionaries of Charity was established. Before this, she had already acquired her Indian Citizenship in 1948. Leprosy centers were opened, Shishu Bhavans set up for the Handicapped and a First Overseas center in Venezuela was set up in 1965. More than 568 centers of Missionaries of Charity spread across 132 countries and run by more than 4000 sisters conducts charity work. In 1966, Missionaries of Charity were treating 6000 Leprosy patients in Calcutta alone and 22000 in the rest of the world.
Mother Teresa was awarded ‘Padma Shri’ in 1962, Jawaharlal Nehru Peace Prize in 1972 and won the Noble Peace Price in 1979. In the same year, ‘John XXIII Peace Prize and ‘John F Kennedy Award’ were conferred to her. The highest ‘Bharat Ratna’ Award was conferred to Mother Teresa in 1980. Once, in his tribute, President K.R. Narayan had said ‘Such a one as her, rarely walks upon the earth’ Thus, she was an altruist who discovered the ‘Richness’ of life by totally merging her happiness with the divine mission of love and care for those millions discarded by society. For her, Service to humanity was Prayer in action.
In the News
The Railways will introduce a new train, Mother Express, named after Mother Teresa on August 26, 2010 to mark her birth centenary.Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said, “We have decided to launch the new train after Mother Teresa as a tribute to her on occasion of her birth centenary” She further added that the coaches of the train would be painted in blue, the trademark border of the habit worn by the order she founded. The route of the train would be announced later, but it would touch important destinations in the country.
Commemorative stamps would be released by the Postal Department here to mark the 150th birth anniversary of poet Rabindranath Tagore and Mother Teresa’s birth centenary.
Besides, the stamps, First Day Covers, diaries, greetings cards and calendars on Tagore and Teresa would be released this year.
There would be commemorative items too like coffee mugs which would have stamps and rare photos imprinted on them besides the messages of Tagore and Teresa.
These would be available at philatelic bureaus and could be sent to collectors by parcel, VPP on orders placed through email, fax, money order and letter, said officials of the GPO, which is the regional production centre for 11 states in the east and Northeast.
The postal department was hopeful that the products would be well received in Kolkata which has the highest number of 52,000 stamp collectors in the country.
