2016-07-29 13:31:00

India's Foreign Minister to lead delegation to Mother Teresa's canonization


(Vatican Radio)  India’s Foreign Minister, Mrs. Sushma Swaraj will lead the Indian government’s delegation to the sainthood ceremony of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, on September 4 in the Vatican.  The official spokesman of the foreign ministry, Vikas Swarup made the announcement at press briefing on Thursday.  "In view of eh importance that we attach to this very significant event – the canonization of Mother Teresa – let me tell you, the government of India’s delegation will be led by the Honorable External Affairs Minister herself,” Swarup told journalists.  He noted that the composition of the delegation is being finalized and its members will be announced in due time. 

On Wednesday, Ashutosh, the spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that heads the government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi said that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be travelling to the Vatican as he has accepted the invitation of Missionaries of Charity to attend the event.  The Delhi chief minister met Mother Teresa in 1992, who asked him to work with the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, now called Kolkata.  He remained there for several months, before joining the Indian Revenue Service.    Earlier in May, Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of West Bengal state said she has accepted the invitation of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata to attend the ceremony in the Vatican.  However it is not clear the two will participate in private or will be part of the India’s official delegation.

Born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu‎ of ‎Albanian parents on ‎August 26, 1910, in Skopje, in ‎what ‎is ‎Macedonia today, Mother Teresa died in ‎Kolkata, on September ‎‎5, ‎‎1997.  ‎Affectionately known as the "saint of the gutter" for her ‎unconditional ‎love ‎for the poor, ‎abandoned and the marginalized, she earned several international ‎honours, including ‎the ‎Nobel Peace ‎Prize in 1979. ‎ ‎ 








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