Mother Teresa of Calcutta (August 26, 1910 September 5, 1997), born Agnesë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, was an Albanian Roman Catholic nun with Indian citizenship who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata (Calcutta), India in 1950. For over 45 years she ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying, while guiding the Missionaries of Charity's expansion, first throughout India and then in other countries.

By the 1970s she had become internationally famed as a humanitarian and advocate for the poor and helpless, due in part to a documentary, and book, Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and India's highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 1980 for her humanitarian work. Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity continued to expand, and at the time of her death it was operating 610 missions in 123 countries, including hospices and homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis, soup kitchens, children's and family counseling programs, orphanages, and schools.

The beatification of Mother Teresa took place on October 19, 2003, thereby bestowing on her the title "Blessed".


beatification:
be·at·i·fy    (bē-āt'ə-fī')   
tr.v.   be·at·i·fied, be·at·i·fy·ing, be·at·i·fies

1. 
   
   
   To make blessedly happy.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   
   Roman Catholic Church To proclaim (a deceased person) to be one of the blessed and thus worthy of public religious veneration in a particular region or religious congregation.
   
   
   
3. 
   
   
   To exalt above all others.
   
   
   

   be⋅at⋅i⋅fi⋅ca⋅tion

     [bee-at-uh-fi-key-shuhn] 
   
   –noun
   

   1.	the act of beatifying.

   2.	the state of being beatified.

   3.	Roman Catholic Church. the official act of the pope whereby a deceased person is declared to be enjoying the happiness of heaven, and therefore a proper subject of religious honor and public cult in certain places.