Mother Teresa’s 115th Birth Anniversary: A Global Celebration of Compassion and Service
Kolkata, India – August 26, 2025
Today, the world commemorates the 115th birth anniversary of Saint Teresa of Calcutta, fondly known as Mother Teresa, a global icon of compassion, selflessness, and humanitarian service. Born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910, in Skopje, North Macedonia (then part of the Ottoman Empire), Mother Teresa’s life and legacy continue to inspire millions through her unwavering dedication to serving the poorest of the poor. Celebrated as Mother Teresa Day in many parts of the world, this occasion is marked by prayers, charitable activities, and reflections on her profound contributions to humanity.
Early Life and Calling
Mother Teresa was born into a devout Catholic family of Albanian descent. Her early exposure to stories of missionaries sparked a deep desire to serve others, leading her to commit to a religious life by age 12. At 18, she joined the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland, adopting the name Sister Mary Teresa. In 1929, she arrived in India, initially teaching at St. Mary’s High School in Kolkata (then Calcutta) and later serving as headmistress at the Loreto Convent School.
A pivotal moment came on September 10, 1946, during a train journey from Kolkata to Darjeeling. Mother Teresa described receiving a “call within a call” from Jesus, urging her to leave the convent and serve the destitute in Kolkata’s slums. This divine inspiration led her to found the Missionaries of Charity in 1950, a religious congregation dedicated to caring for the “hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society.”
The Missionaries of Charity and Global Impact
The Missionaries of Charity began with humble roots in Kolkata, where Mother Teresa established an open-air school for slum children and Nirmal Hriday (“Pure Heart”), a hospice for the dying, in 1952. Over the decades, the congregation expanded to over 6,000 sisters serving in 130 countries, operating homes for those with HIV/AIDS, leprosy, and tuberculosis, as well as orphanages, schools, and mobile clinics. By the time of her passing, the order had established nearly 500 centers worldwide, offering compassion and dignity to the marginalized.
Mother Teresa’s work transcended borders, religion, and caste, embodying her belief that “it’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” Her efforts earned her numerous accolades, including the Padma Shri (1962), the Ramon Magsaysay Peace Prize (1962), and the Nobel Peace Prize (1979) for her work in “bringing help to suffering humanity.” In 1980, she received India’s highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna.
Canonization and Legacy
Mother Teresa’s canonization as Saint Teresa of Calcutta on September 4, 2016, by Pope Francis marked a significant milestone in her legacy. The Catholic Church recognized her as a saint following two miracles attributed to her intercession: the healing of a woman in India with a stomach tumor and the recovery of a Brazilian man from a coma. Her feast day, observed on September 5, coincides with the International Day of Charity, established by the United Nations in 2013 to honor her contributions.
Her legacy endures through institutions named in her honor, such as Mother Teresa Sarani (formerly Park Street) in Kolkata, the Mother Express train, and Mother Teresa Women’s University in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu. The Tirana International Airport in Albania, renamed Nënë Tereza, also pays tribute to her Albanian heritage.
Celebrations on Mother Teresa Day 2025
Today’s celebrations in Kolkata, the heart of Mother Teresa’s mission, include special Masses, prayer services, and acts of charity organized by the Missionaries of Charity. Volunteers and nuns gathered at the order’s motherhouse in Kolkata to honor her life, with many visiting her tomb to offer prayers. Across India, schools, universities, and community organizations held events to promote her teachings of compassion and service.
Globally, Catholic communities and humanitarian organizations marked the day with initiatives inspired by Mother Teresa’s words: “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” In Skopje, North Macedonia, her birthplace, memorial services and exhibitions highlighted her Albanian roots and global impact. Social media platforms, including X, saw an outpouring of tributes, with users sharing her quotes and stories of her work, emphasizing her timeless message of love and kindness.
Controversies and Criticism
Despite her revered status, Mother Teresa’s work has faced scrutiny. Critics, including the late Christopher Hitchens, argued that her focus on suffering as a path to spiritual growth sometimes overshadowed practical relief efforts. Allegations of poor medical care in her facilities and her associations with controversial figures, such as Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier, have been points of contention. Additionally, a 2018 child trafficking scandal involving a nun and a worker at a Missionaries of Charity shelter in Jharkhand sparked controversy, though it occurred over 20 years after her death and was not linked to her directly.
These criticisms, however, have not diminished her global influence. Supporters argue that her work provided dignity and care to those society overlooked, and her personal sacrifices—living in poverty and facing her own “dark night of the soul”—reflect her commitment to her mission.
A Call to Action
Mother Teresa Day 2025 serves as a reminder of the power of small acts of kindness. Her life challenges individuals and communities to address poverty, loneliness, and injustice with compassion. As she once said, “The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.” Her teachings continue to resonate in a world grappling with inequality and division, urging people to “spread love everywhere you go.”
As the world reflects on her 115th birth anniversary, Mother Teresa remains a beacon of hope, inspiring generations to serve with humility and love. Her legacy, carried forward by the Missionaries of Charity and countless individuals, ensures that her mission to care for the “poorest of the poor” endures.
For More News Updates Follow Us On Www.tconews.in
