Prayer platform marks St. Teresa’s canonization anniversary by taking petitions to her tomb

Sept. 4 marks the 10th anniversary of the canonization of St. Teresa of Calcutta, an occasion the prayer platform Hozana is commemorating by taking prayer intentions from people around the world to her tomb.

The platform will collect the intentions and deliver them to the Motherhouse of the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta (Kolkata), India, where the saintʼs remains are laid to rest.

As Sharael Sánchez, head of Hozana’s Spanish-language division, explained to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, the initiative is being carried out in collaboration with the Missionaries of Charity and is seeking to enable “those who cannot travel to Kolkata to entrust what they carry in their hearts to that place.”

The response to this initiative has been significant. Last year alone, more than 700 intentions were submitted, written in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.

“How many hearts, from so many different places, will have commended themselves to St. Teresa in this way?” wondered Sánchez, who hopes that even more people will send in their petitions this year.

As Sánchez noted, the tomb of St. Teresa of Calcutta has become “a place of prayer and pilgrimage for the faithful from various countries.” Inscribed on the tombstone are words from Christ that encapsulate the heart of her mission: “Love one another as I have loved you.”

A life dedicated to poorest of poor

St. Teresa of Calcutta was born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in 1910 and is of Albanian origin. She entered religious life and later moved to India, where she dedicated her life to serving the poor, the sick, orphans, and the dying.

In 1950, she founded the Missionaries of Charity, a congregation that expanded its presence to numerous countries over the years. Her work and the witness of her service to the most needy earned her international recognition, and in 1979, she received the Nobel Peace Prize.

St. Teresa died on Sept 5, 1997, which is the day the Church celebrates her liturgical memorial. Her remains were laid to rest at the motherhouse of the Missionaries of Charity, the very place where Hozana now seeks to deliver the prayers of those from various countries who wish to entrust their intentions to the saint.

Pope Francis canonized her on Sept. 4, 2016, during a Mass celebrated in St. Peterʼs Square in Rome.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.