CALCUTTA, India, AUG. 26, 2001 (Zenit.org).- Hundreds of people gathered at Mother Teresa of Calcutta´s tomb today, to commemorate the 91st anniversary of her birth.
Dozens of religious of the Missionaries of Charity, founded by Mother Teresa 52 years ago in Calcutta, sang hymns before the white mausoleum. The nun died in 1997.
On Aug. 15, in a solemn celebration in the Archdiocese of Calcutta, the diocesan phase of the cause of beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta was concluded. The process now goes to the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints, which must complete the investigation on the sanctity of Mother Teresa´s life.
Born Aug. 26, 1910, in Skopje, Macedonia, she was baptized Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu.
On Sept. 5, the fourth anniversary of her death, «Brother´s Day» will be held for the third consecutive year, in an endeavor to make her legacy lasting.
The idea was launched in 1999 by Father Miguel Elías Alderete Garrido, priest and promoter of the «Catolicos» Internet page (http://www.catolicos.org.ar).
Sister Nirmala, Mother Teresa´s successor as head of the Missionaries of Charity, supported the initiative in a letter dated Aug. 7, 1999, so «long as the observance of the Day is to invite people to prayer and to putting love into action, without any kind of fund raising or collection of goods involved.»
Father Alderete Garrido said the day should be marked with works of mercy: «Open the doors of your home to the neediest; share your table with the hungry; clothe the naked; give drink to the thirsty; visit the sick; welcome the pilgrim.»
