September 5: The canonisation of Mother Teresa, the official declaration of Mother Teresa as a saint in the Vatican City on 4th September 2016 was celebrated with great pomp and show in the city of Allahabad yesterday morning. The celebration began in the morning when thousands of people gathered at Sisters of Missionaries of Charity, Muirabad, for a vehicle rally along with Bishop Raphy Manjaly, priests, nuns and people. The joy and enthusiasm of the people was very obvious when they moved in procession in their motor cycles, four wheelers and busses with devotion and discipline waving in their hands the flags of Mother Teresa while the DJ resounded meaningfully ‘dur desh ki ek prem kiran bharat desh me chamak gayi ….’, ‘dhanya Mother Teresa gareebo ki tu masiha …’, ‘teri mamta ki chaaya me dhanya ye sansaar … ’, ‘maa Mother Teresa tuje pranam …’. Moving on Stanley road the procession passed through Beli Raod, Police Line, Mayo Hall and Lok Sewa Ayog Chauraha, finally ending at St. Joseph’s Cathedral.
When Pope Francis canonised Mother Teresa at the Vatican on September 4, she was officially recognised as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. However, she was a living saint, a person worked selflessly for the care and uplift of the dying, destitute and orphans. Bishop Raphy Manjaly exhorting the people gathered for prayers enumerated Mother Teresa’s qualities. He said that Mother had complete trust in God; had tremendous love of God; was a symbol of humility and simplicity; was living Bible serving least and the lost and served humanity with deep sense of commitment. The Bishop, priests, nuns and laity offered prayers and sang hymns worshipping the heavenly Father, thanking for Saint Teresa of Kolkata.
After the prayer service, the Phila Foundation, Allahabad organised the release of special cover and postal cards in the Cathedral Campus in honour of Saint Teresa of Kolkata. Bishop Raphy Manjaly Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Allahabad; Mr. Sunil Kumar Rai Indian Postal Service, Director, Allahabad Region; Sr. Jeevan MC Superior of Directress of Shishu Bhavan Muirabad and other dignitaries released six different types of postal cards.
Fr. Francis Xavier, Rector St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Fr. Rolfie D’Souza Principal St. Joseph’s College, Fr. Reginald D’Souza Director Nazareth Hospital, Fr. Ronald Tellis Rector St. Joseph’s Regional Seminary, Fr. K.K. Antony Director DDWS, Sr. Rosamma FDCC, Sr. Terecine CJ, Sr. Rosily CJ, Rini Yesu Secretary Sahayta Mitra Mandali and Mr. Sanjay Parihar were some of the other dignitaries present to mark the occasion.
A special Inter Religious Prayer Service and cum Cultural program will be held in honour of Saint Teresa of Kolkata at 5.30 pm in St. Joseph’s College, Allahabad on 5th September 2016.