Commemorative stamp marks Mother Teresa’s canonisation

Coinciding with the canonisation of Mother Teresa as St Teresa by Pope Francis in Vatican City on Sunday, IndiaPost issued a commemorative stamp in Mumbai. The stamp was unveiled by Union minister of state (I/c) for Communications, Manoj Sinha.

President Pranab Mukherjee, in his message issued from the Rashtrapati Bhavan, described Mother Teresa as an embodiment of compassion. “Mother Teresa provided dignity and respect to those who had been defeated by life. She was a messiah of the poor and a pillar of support for the weak and suffering. Her simple manners touched the hearts of millions of all faiths.”

“Every citizen of India will take pride in the recognition being accorded to Mother Teresa for her service to humanity and God through this canonization. Let the example of Mother Teresa inspire all of us to dedicate ourselves to the welfare of mankind,” the President said in his message.

The stamp was unveiled in the presence of Bishop Agnelo Gracias, Sister Rubella,representing Missionaries of Charity and several other dignitaries at the Divine Child High School, Andheri.

The Catholic community in the city celebrated Mother Teresa’s canonisation with several functions in the churches. A series of celebrations were held at churches in Mumbai, and neighbouring Thane and Palghar districts, as Mother Teresa was declared a saint by Pope Francis at the Vatican. Prayers were held all over the state too to rejoice the canonisation of the Nobel laureate, who spent her life serving the destitute and the abandoned.

A catholic church, dedicated to Mother Teresa, in Virar was rechristened as ‘Saint Mother Teresa Church.’ Mother Teresa had visited the church in April 1986 and the renaming ceremony brought alive her visit. “This is the only church in the country to be named after Saint Mother Teresa,” Fr Philip Vaz, the parish priest of the church, said.