# Mother Teresa

> Albanian-Indian Catholic nun and missionary (1910–1997)

**Wikidata**: [Q30547](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q30547)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Teresa)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/mother-teresa

## Summary
Mother Teresa was an Albanian-Indian Catholic nun and missionary who lived from 1910 to 1997. She is widely recognized for her humanitarian work and for founding the Missionaries of Charity. Her efforts focused on serving the poor and sick, earning her numerous international awards and honors.

## Biography
- Born: 1910
- Died: 1997
- Nationality: Albanian-Indian
- Known for: Founding the Missionaries of Charity and humanitarian work
- Employer(s): Missionaries of Charity
- Field(s): Religious service, missionary work

## Contributions
Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950, an organization dedicated to serving the poor. She also established the Kalighat Home for the Dying in India in 1952, providing care for those in need. Her work led to the creation of various institutions and memorials named in her honor, including Mother Teresa Sarani in Kolkata, India, Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza in Albania, the Mother Teresa Memorial House in Skopje, North Macedonia (established 2009), the Cathedral of Saint Mother Teresa in Pristina, Kosovo (established 2007), Mother Teresa Square in Tirana, Albania (established 1941), and Mother Teresa Hospital in Tirana, Albania. Additionally, Mother's Wax Museum in New Town, West Bengal, India, was established in 2014, featuring her.

## FAQs
**What was Mother Teresa's primary role?**
Mother Teresa was an Albanian-Indian Catholic nun and missionary. She dedicated her life to religious service and evangelism, particularly through her work with the poor and sick.

**What organization did Mother Teresa establish?**
Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950. This organization was created to provide care and support to the most vulnerable members of society.

**Where did Mother Teresa primarily conduct her work?**
Mother Teresa was an Albanian-Indian figure, and her work significantly impacted India, where she established the Missionaries of Charity and the Kalighat Home for the Dying. Her influence also extended globally, as evidenced by various international recognitions.

**What are some of the notable awards Mother Teresa received?**
Mother Teresa received numerous prestigious awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize, the Bharat Ratna (India's highest civilian award), the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the United States, and the Ramon Magsaysay Award. She was also granted several honorary doctorates and citizenships.

## Why They Matter
Mother Teresa matters because her life and work profoundly impacted global humanitarian efforts and inspired countless individuals to serve the less fortunate. Through the Missionaries of Charity, which she founded in 1950, she created a lasting institutional framework for caring for the poor, sick, and dying, particularly exemplified by the Kalighat Home for the Dying established in 1952. Her dedication to selfless service earned her the Nobel Peace Prize and numerous other international accolades, cementing her legacy as a symbol of compassion and charity. Without her, the specific model of care provided by the Missionaries of Charity might not exist, and the global awareness of the plight of the poorest of the poor might have been less pronounced.

## Notable For
*   Founding the Missionaries of Charity in 1950.
*   Establishing the Kalighat Home for the Dying in India in 1952.
*   Being an Albanian-Indian Catholic nun and missionary.
*   Receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
*   Being awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award (inception 1954).
*   Receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the United States (inception 1963).
*   Being granted honorary citizenship of the United States (inception 1963).
*   Receiving the Ramon Magsaysay Award (inception 1958).
*   Being awarded the Templeton Prize (inception 1972).
*   Receiving the Balzan Prize (inception 1961).
*   Being awarded the Pacem in Terris Award (inception 1964).
*   Receiving the Damien-Dutton Award (inception 1944).
*   Being awarded the Congressional Gold Medal (inception 1776).
*   Receiving the Order of the Smile (inception 1968).
*   Being awarded the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding (inception 1965).
*   Receiving the Albert Schweitzer prize (Switzerland).
*   Being awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award (inception 1954).
*   Receiving the Grand Order of Queen Jelena (inception 1995).
*   Being awarded the National Order of Honour and Merit (inception 1926).
*   Receiving the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education (inception 1981).
*   Being awarded the Order of Merit (inception 1902).
*   Receiving the Order of the British Empire (inception 1917).
*   Receiving honorary doctorates from Laval University (Canada), the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom), the University of Hong Kong (People's Republic of China / British Hong Kong), the University of Alberta (Canada), the Jagiellonian University of Krakow (Poland), and the University of Paris (France).
*   Being an honorary citizen of Zagreb, Croatia.
*   Having several landmarks named in her honor, including airports, hospitals, museums, and cathedrals.

## Body

### Personal Identity and Background
Mother Teresa, known by her aliases Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, and Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu, was an Albanian-Indian Catholic nun and missionary. She lived from 1910 to 1997. Her identity as both Albanian and Indian reflects her origins and the primary location of her life's work.

### Religious Calling and Mission
As a Catholic nun and religious sister, Mother Teresa dedicated her life to a public apostolate and ministry. She functioned as a missionary, a member of a religious group sent to do evangelism, focusing on humanitarian service. Her work was rooted in her faith, leading her to establish an organization dedicated to serving the poor.

### Founding the Missionaries of Charity
In 1950, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity. This organization became the primary vehicle for her humanitarian efforts, focusing on providing care for the sick, the poor, and the dying. The Missionaries of Charity's work began in India, a country where Mother Teresa held citizenship and where much of her foundational work took place.

### Humanitarian Initiatives in India
A significant outcome of Mother Teresa's work was the establishment of the Kalighat Home for the Dying in India in 1952. This building served as a crucial facility for providing care to those in their final stages of life, embodying the mission of the Missionaries of Charity. India, including the Dominion of India period (1947-1950), was central to her activities.

### Global Recognition and Awards
Mother Teresa received extensive recognition for her humanitarian contributions, both nationally and internationally. Her accolades include:

*   **Nobel Peace Prize**: One of the five Nobel Prizes, recognizing her efforts for peace.
*   **Bharat Ratna**: India's highest civilian award, with an inception date of June 2, 1954.
*   **Presidential Medal of Freedom**: The joint-highest civilian award of the United States, bestowed by the President, with an inception date of 1963.
*   **Ramon Magsaysay Award**: A national award in the Philippines, with an inception date of 1958.
*   **Templeton Prize**: A religious award, with an inception date of 1972.
*   **Balzan Prize**: An annual monetary prize for outstanding achievements in humanities, natural sciences, and culture, with an inception date of 1961.
*   **Pacem in Terris Award**: A Catholic peace award given annually since 1964.
*   **Damien-Dutton Award**: An award with an inception date of 1944.
*   **Congressional Gold Medal**: An award bestowed by the United States Congress, with an inception date of 1776.
*   **Order of the Smile**: An international award with an inception date of 1968, originating from Poland.
*   **Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding**: An award from India, with an inception date of 1965.
*   **Albert Schweitzer prize**: An award from Switzerland.
*   **Padma Shri**: India's fourth highest civilian award, with an inception date of 1954.
*   **Grand Order of Queen Jelena**: An order from Croatia, with an inception date of 1995.
*   **National Order of Honour and Merit**: The National Order of Haiti, with an inception date of May 28, 1926.
*   **UNESCO Prize for Peace Education**: An award with an inception date of 1981.
*   **Order of Merit**: A dynastic order recognizing distinguished service in Commonwealth realms, with an inception date of June 1902.
*   **Order of the British Empire**: A British order of chivalry, with an inception date of June 4, 1917.

### Honorary Titles and Doctorates
Mother Teresa also received numerous honorary titles and academic recognitions:

*   **Honorary Citizen of the United States**: A title of honor conferred by either the United States Congress or the President of the United States, with an inception date of January 1, 1963.
*   **Honorary Citizen of Zagreb**: A title of honor conferred by the City of Zagreb, Croatia.
*   **Honorary Doctorate at the Laval University**: From Quebec, Canada.
*   **Honorary Doctorate from the University of Cambridge**: From the United Kingdom.
*   **Honorary Doctor of the University of Hong Kong**: From People's Republic of China (after July 1, 1997) or British Hong Kong (before June 30, 1997).
*   **Honorary Doctorate from the University of Alberta**: From Canada.
*   **Honorary Doctor of the Jagiellonian University of Krakow**: From Poland.
*   **Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Paris**: From France.

### Legacy and Memorials
Mother Teresa's impact is further recognized through various places and institutions named in her honor:

*   **Mother Teresa Sarani**: A famous thoroughfare in Kolkata, India.
*   **Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza**: The international airport serving Albania.
*   **Mother Teresa Memorial House**: A museum in Skopje, North Macedonia, established on January 30, 2009.
*   **Cathedral of Saint Mother Teresa in Pristina**: A church in Pristina, Kosovo, established in 2007.
*   **Mother Teresa Square**: A square in Tirana, Albania, established in 1941.
*   **Mother Teresa Hospital**: A hospital in Tirana, Albania.
*   **Mother's Wax Museum**: A museum in New Town, West Bengal, India, established in 2014, which features her.

Her website, motherteresa.org, serves as a digital repository of information about her life and work.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. [Source](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1748-720X.2005.tb00500.x/pdf)
3. [Internetowa encyklopedia PWN](https://encyklopedia.pwn.pl/haslo/Teresa;3986597.html)
4. [Mother Teresa -Facts, from nobelprize.org:](http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1979/teresa-facts.html)
5. [The Nobel Prize Amounts](https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/about/amounts/)
6. [Source](https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47639)
7. [Université Laval: Liste complète des récipiendaires de 1864 à aujourd'hui](https://www.ulaval.ca/notre-universite/prix-et-distinctions/doctorats-honoris-causa-de-luniversite-laval/liste-complete-des-recipiendaires-de-1864-a-aujourdhui.html)
8. Australian honours system
9. [Source](https://books.google.fr/books?id=BJAJ1qTHU5AC&pg=PA141)
10. International Standard Name Identifier
11. CiNii Research
12. [Voice of America. 2016](http://www.voanews.com/a/pope-francis-awaits-sainthood-mother-teresa/3492574.html)
13. MusicBrainz
14. IMDb
15. Find a Grave
16. FemBio database
17. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
18. GCatholic.org
19. Ökumenisches Heiligenlexikon
20. AlKindi
21. Babelio
22. Munzinger Personen
23. SNAC
24. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
25. Virtual International Authority File
26. CONOR.SI
27. BBC Things
28. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
29. Enciclopedia Treccani
30. Via P227 lookup with GND value from PM20 folder. 20th Century Press Archives
31. The Movie Database
32. LIBRIS. 2016
33. Dizionario di Storia
34. [Source](https://encyklopedia.pwn.pl/haslo/Teresa;3986597.html)
35. Golden
36. KBpedia
37. Catalogo of the National Library of India