Pope Francis on Tuesday approved sainthood for Mother Teresa

Pope Francis on Tuesday approved sainthood for Mother Teresa, the missionary nun who became a global if controversial symbol of compassion for her care of the sick and destitute. The pontiff set September 4 as the date for her canonisation, elevating the Nobel peace laureate to an official icon for the Catholic faith.
The move comes 19 years after the death of the Albanian nun who dedicated much of her adult life to working with the poor in the slums of Kolkata, India. Officials said the canonisation ceremony would take place at the Vatican — an announcement which had been expected but nevertheless disappointed Indian Catholics who had hoped for a visit by Francis. On Tuesday, hundreds attended a prayer meeting at Mother House in Kolkata, the global headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity where Mother Teresa is buried. Sushmita Roy, a housewife who was one of those attending, said Teresa had long been a saint in the eyes of Indian believers. “I came here today to pay homage to her,” Roy said. “It would have been great if the canonisation of Mother Teresa would have been held in this city where she spent her life.”