Vatican City: A public mass by Pope Francis and a special papal audience at the iconic St Peter’s Square, family feasts hosted by the nuns of Missionaries of Charity (MoC), musicals, exhibitions and release of a commemorative stamp will mark the canonisation of Mother Teresa as a saint here on September 4.
An estimated 5,00,000 people are expected to gather at the circular square in front of the Vatican on Sunday as a barrage of Indian officials led by external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj will gather beside Pope Francis and an estimated 350 nuns of Missionaries of Charity to witness the historic event, The Times of India reported.
Rome is abuzz with the fervour of canonisation with roads lined with books, magazines and curios on Mother Teresa. The Vatican will roll out the ceremony on Thursday that coincides with the start of the Holy Year of Mercy called by Pope Francis. The pontiff opened the Holy Door in St Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday, setting in motion the jubilee year that will see Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI participate as well.
The two-hour-long ceremony will start at 10.30 am local time . After the canonisation, a Mass of thanksgiving will be conducted by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, to glorify Saint Teresa.
Ambassador Anil Wadhwa said the Indian delegation is around 100-member strong and will include Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, CMs Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal, deputy CM of Goa Francis D Souza, secretary general of Catholic Bishops Conference, Rev Theodore Mascarenhas, former solicitor general Harish Salve and Supreme Court judge Kurien Joseph, among others.
Wadhwa said, “The canonisation is historic as it links India with the Vatican.” An estimated 1,50,000 Indians live in Italy.