16 Facts About Mother Teresa You Probably Didn’t Know

Born in Skopje (modern Republic of Macedonia) and served in India for most of her life, Mother Teresa, was an Albanian Roman Catholic nun and missionary. She is revered all over the world for her benevolence and philanthropic activities and has always been a reservoir of inspirations for all the grey-matters of this living planet. To flounder deep into this great soul, here are some interesting facts about her life and her services to the man-kind:

Mother Teresa
image: flickr

1. Real Name

Although, she is known as Mother Teresa world-wide, her real name was Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu.
source: biography.com

2. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

She served in Calcutta (now Kolkata) for most of her life and was nicknamed as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta for her services to the Calcutta people.
source: wikipedia

3. Childhood Fascination

In her childhood, Mother Teresa was fascinated by missionaries and their services in Bengal, India.
source: motherteresa.org

4. When she left her home!

Moved by her desire to become a missionary, she left her home at the age of 18 in September 1928 and joined the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland.
source: wikipedia

5. Never saw her family members

After leaving her home at the age of 18, she never saw her family members in her life.
source: motherteresa.org

6. India Visit

In 1929, she arrived in India and began her novitiate in Darjeeling.
source: wikipedia

7. A Teacher

She worked as a teacher at the Loreto Convent School in Eastern Calcutta (now Kolkata) and after serving there for almost 20 years, she became the headmistress in 1944.
source: wikipedia

8. Call within a call!

Darjeeling Train

On 10 September 1946, while traveling by a train from Calcutta to Darjeeling, she received her inspiration which she described as her call within a call.
source: motherteresa.org, image: wikipedia

9. Blue-bordered white sari!

Mother Teresa

She wore a blue-bordered white sari for the first time on 17 August 1948 and stepped out of the gates of Loreto Convent to enter the world of the poor.
source: motherteresa.org, image: quotesgram.com

10. Missionaries of Charity

Missionaries of Charity

On 7 October 1950, she opened a new congregation, Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta (now Kolkata), after getting the permission from the Vatican.
source: motherteresa.org, image: trabol.com

11. Nobel Award

Mother Teresa with Nobel Award

In 1979, she was honoured with the world’s highest award, Nobel Award for peace and became the only women from India to be honoured with the Nobel.
source: wikipedia, image: yurtopic.com

12. India’s highest civilian award

Mother Teresa with Bharat Ratna

In 1980, she was awarded with India’s highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna.
source: wikipedia, image: lalitkumar.in

13. Official Biography

Mother Teresa official biography

Navin Chawla, an Indian Civil Servant, wrote and published her official biography in 1992.
source: wikipedia, image: goodreads.com

14. Documentary/Drama

Mother Teresa Documentary

In 1997, a documentary/drama, Mother Teresa: In the Name of God’s Poor, was made in which actress Geraldine Chapline played the role of Mother Teresa.
source: wikipedia, image: ravepad.com

15. Mother Teresa & Megan Fox

Megan Fox as Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa was portrayed by Megan Fox in the 2007 movie, How to Lose Friends & Alienate People.
source: wikipedia, image: yuku.com

16. Universal Citizen

Once Mother Teresa said: “By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus.”
source: wikipedia