Claire Dawson
Mother Teresa, the Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun, dedicated her life to serving the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta. She founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1948 and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She died on 5 September 1997 at the age of 87, after suffering cardiac arrest in the Calcutta headquarters of her congregation. This paragraph introduces the topic of Mother Teresa's death and provides an overview of her life and achievements.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Death | 5 September 1997 |
| Age at Death | 87 |
| Place of Death | Calcutta headquarters of her Missionaries of Charity |
| Cause of Death | Cardiac arrest/heart failure |
| Last Words | "I cannot breathe" |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Known For | Missionary work with the poor |
| Awards | Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, Bharat Ratna |
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What You'll Learn
Mother Teresa died at 87
Mother Teresa, the Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun, died at the age of 87 on September 5, 1997, after a prolonged period of ill health. She suffered cardiac arrest in the Calcutta headquarters of her Missionaries of Charity. Her last words, according to a close friend, were "I cannot breathe".
Mother Teresa was born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910, in Skopje, then part of the Ottoman Empire. She was raised in a devoutly Catholic family and, at the age of 18, moved to Ireland to join the Sisters of Loreto. She later travelled to India, where she lived most of her life and carried out her missionary work.
Mother Teresa dedicated her life to serving the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta (now Kolkata). In 1948, she founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation dedicated to helping those in need. She opened her first hospice in 1952, converting an abandoned Hindu temple into the Kalighat Home for the Dying, where the poor could receive free medical attention and a dignified death according to their faith.
Mother Teresa's humanitarian efforts extended beyond India. During the Siege of Beirut in 1982, she bravely ventured into the war zone to evacuate 37 children trapped in a front-line hospital, negotiating a temporary cease-fire between the Israeli army and Palestinian guerrillas. She also expanded her charitable projects to Communist countries in Eastern Europe, providing aid to the hungry in Ethiopia, radiation victims at Chernobyl, and earthquake survivors in Armenia.
Mother Teresa's death left a profound impact on the world, with tributes pouring in from various world leaders, including Pope John Paul II and President Clinton. Despite her advanced age and prolonged illness, her passing was unexpected, and many mourned the loss of a compassionate and inspiring figure who had dedicated her life to serving others.
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She suffered cardiac arrest
In the weeks leading up to her death, Mother Teresa experienced a number of health issues and was in and out of hospital. On the evening of September 5, 1997, she sat up in her chair and greeted a visitor with a smile, but soon afterward, she suffered a cardiac arrest. Despite the efforts of the doctors, she did not regain consciousness and passed away later that day at the age of 87.
Mother Teresa was a Catholic nun and the founder of the Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation that serves the poor and needy in more than 130 countries. She dedicated her life to serving the poorest of the poor, and her work has inspired people all over the world. In the months preceding her death, Mother Teresa had been in and out of hospital with heart and lung problems, asthma, and malaria. She had stepped down from the leadership of her order in March due to her declining health and had undergone heart surgery to install a pacemaker in 1991.
On that fateful day in September, she was at the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta when she suffered cardiac arrest. She was surrounded by her fellow nuns, who prayed for her and sang to her as doctors tried to revive her. Despite their best efforts, she could not be resuscitated and was declared dead at about 9:30 p.m. local time.
Mother Teresa's death prompted an outpouring of grief around the world, and many heads of state and religious leaders sent their condolences. Her funeral was held on September 13, 1997, and it was attended by over 300,000 people, including representatives from over 150 countries, as well as the poor of Calcutta, for whom she had dedicated her life.
In conclusion, Mother Teresa's death was a sad moment for many people around the world who had been inspired by her dedication and service to the poor. Her legacy continues through the work of the Missionaries of Charity and all those who have been inspired by her example to serve and help those in need.
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She founded hospices for the poor
Mother Teresa, also known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun who founded the Missionaries of Charity. She was born in Skopje, then part of the Ottoman Empire, in 1910 and passed away in 1997. She dedicated her life to serving the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta, India's second-largest city.
In 1946, during a train journey to Darjeeling, Mother Teresa felt a calling to serve the poor and sick in India. She received Vatican permission for the diocesan congregation in 1950, which became the Missionaries of Charity. The congregation was dedicated to serving the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the sick, the orphaned, and the dying.
Mother Teresa opened her first hospice in 1952, converting an abandoned Hindu temple into the Kalighat Home for the Dying, free for the poor. It was later renamed Kalighat, the Home of the Pure Heart (Nirmal Hriday). Those brought to the hospice received medical attention and the opportunity to die with dignity according to their faith. For instance, Muslims were read the Quran, Hindus received water from the Ganges, and Catholics received extreme unction.
Over the years, Mother Teresa expanded her charitable work globally, opening hospices, orphanages, and leper houses in various countries, including Venezuela, Italy, Tanzania, Austria, the United States, and many other nations in Asia, Africa, and Europe. By the time of her death, she oversaw more than 500 missions in over 100 countries, including hospices, homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy, and tuberculosis, and soup kitchens.
Mother Teresa's dedication to serving the poorest of the poor and founding hospices for those in need has left a lasting impact on the world. She was a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, honoured as the "saint of the gutters" for her unwavering commitment to helping those in need.
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She was hospitalised against her will
Mother Teresa, born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun. She founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation dedicated to serving the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta. She received the Jewel of India award, the nation's highest civilian honour, in 1980. She was also awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
Mother Teresa died on September 5, 1997, at the age of 87, in the Calcutta headquarters of her Missionaries of Charity. Her death was caused by cardiac arrest after a years-long period of ill health.
Mother Teresa was hospitalised multiple times during her life, often against her wishes. Navin Chawla, a close associate, noted that she was admitted to the hospital "against her will". Sunita Kumar, who worked closely with Mother Teresa for 36 years, confirmed that Mother Teresa had a strong dislike for expensive hospitals and that it was difficult to convince her to go. On one occasion, she even tried to escape from the hospital at night.
Mother Teresa's periodic hospitalizations were instigated by staff members against her wishes. She preferred to provide comfort and dignity to those who were refused admittance to hospitals, rather than seek hospitalisation herself. Despite her reluctance to be hospitalised, Mother Teresa allowed others to care for her and provide medical treatment when it was necessary.
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She was canonised in 2016
Mother Teresa, the Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun, dedicated her life to serving "the poorest of the poor" in the slums of Calcutta. She founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation that provided aid to the impoverished and destitute in India and beyond. Her humanitarian efforts were recognised by world leaders, earning her numerous honours, including the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honours, and the Nobel Peace Prize.
Mother Teresa passed away in 1997, and the process to declare her a saint began within two years of her death. On 17 December 2015, Pope Francis recognised a second miracle attributed to Mother Teresa: the healing of a Brazilian man with multiple brain tumours. This miracle fulfilled the requirement for canonisation, and on 4 September 2016, Pope Francis canonised Mother Teresa as Saint Teresa of Calcutta in a ceremony in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. Tens of thousands witnessed the ceremony, including 15 government delegations and 1,500 homeless people from across Italy. The event was televised live on the Vatican channel and streamed online.
Mother Teresa's canonisation was a significant event, not only for the Catholic Church but also for the people of Calcutta (now Kolkata) and India as a whole, where she had devoted her life to serving the poor and needy. Her feast day is observed annually on 5 September, the anniversary of her death.
On the first anniversary of her canonisation, Mother Teresa was made the co-patron of the Calcutta Archdiocese, alongside Francis Xavier. A Mass was held in the Cathedral of the Most Holy Rosary, where a decree was read, instituting her as the second patron saint of the archdiocese. A bronze statue of Mother Teresa carrying a child was also inaugurated in the church.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Mother Teresa died at the age of 87 on September 5, 1997, in the Calcutta headquarters of her Missionaries of Charity.
Mother Teresa was admitted to hospital for angioplasty in 1996, but she disliked expensive hospitals and preferred to be in Kolkata. She also received basic medical training at Holy Family Hospital in Patna.
Mother Teresa was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta to serve the poorest of the poor. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and was canonised by the Catholic Church in 2016.
Mother Teresa's work inspired many, and she was known as the "saint of the gutters". She left behind a charitable organisation with 4,500 sisters and brothers working in nearly 600 homes worldwide.
