Sister Prema, the superior-general of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata (Calcutta) said: "A week ago, we began the preparation for celebration of Mother Teresa's birth centenary next year. Today, we commemorate the 12th anniversary of her death. The heroic sanctity of her life assures us that her death on earth meant her birth in heaven," she said in a statement.
On Wednesday, special prayers were also organised at the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata where nuns, co–workers, volunteers, friends and reporters gathered to commemorate the 99th birth anniversary of the Mother.
"Mother Teresa opened her heart to love all people. She continues to inspire us all to open our eyes to see the dignity of a child of God in the poor and to bring peace and joy to them through our humble services," Sister Prema said.
Meanwhile, Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) said it celebrates the 5th September - the death anniversary of the 'Saint of the gutters', as the 'Feast Day of Blessed Mother Teresa'. GCIC says, inspired by the Mother, it renews its commitment to serve those despised and marginalized by society - our Dalits (untouchables) and those persecuted for Faith. GCIC, Bangalore-based Christian advocacy group has been the voice of the persecuted Christians in India.
People from various faiths have come forward in remembering the Mother.
According to Press Trust of India, All India Minority Forum president Idris Ali, who organized an all faiths' prayer, urged Federal Railways Minister Mamata Bannerjee to rename Kolkata's Metro railway station after the Mother. Kolkata was formerly known as Calcutta.
"Everyone prayed and remembered Mother Teresa, her life for the poor, sick and helpless," Sister Prema said.
A year of programs has been launched to celebrate the birth centenary of the humanitarian icon who was popularly known as the 'Saint of the Gutter'.
"Next year, on this day, we will commemorate the centenary of Mother Teresa's birth. Our sincere endeavour to be channels of God's love and peace to the poor will be the best gift we all can prepare for," Prema said.
Mother Teresa was was fast-tracked to sainthood by Pope John Paul-II after her death in 1997. She 'beatified' (declared blessed) by the Pope in a ceremony at the Vatican on October 19, 2003, on the basis of claims by a tribal woman in North Bengal that she was cured of a stomach tumour after praying to her.
Tersa's beatification allows her to be venerated in MoC churches the world over. She will be worshipped in all the Roman Catholic churches if declared a saint, for which proof of another miracle of a medical nature is required.
Albanian born Mother Teresa came to India in 1929 at the age of 18 and took up teaching and became an Indian citizen in 1948.
In 1950 she established the Missionaries of Charity, which currently has over 4,800 nuns and 757 branches in 145 nations.
For over 45 years the Catholic nun ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying, for which she was accorded with several national and international awards during her lifetime. They include the Magsaysay Award in 1962, the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize in 1971, the John F. Kennedy International Award in 1971 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She also won India's highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 1980.
Note: With John Malhotra of Christian Today India in New Delhi.