Early Days She was born on 26th

August 1910. Her real name was Agnes Gionxhu Bejuxhiu and she was the youngest child of Nikola, a politician, and Drane Bejuxhiu in Skopje in Yugoslavia.

Age 12 - decided on a religious life. Age 18 – joined the Sisters of Loretto a

roman catholic order . Age 21 – takes first religious vows and

chooses the name therse du lisieux after the saint of missionaries .

Indian SlumsIndian Slums

On September10th 1964 she got the calling to work with the poor. She began missionary work with the poor of Calcutta. She replaced the loretto habit with a simple white cotton chira with a blue border.

In 1948 she took Indian citizenship and opened her first school in Motjhil to serve the homeless and starving. It was difficult at first as there was no money and she had to beg for food and other supplies. She did some medical training in Paris.

October 7th 1950 – Vatican permission to set up Missionaries of Charity, to care for the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind and lepers.

She started with 13 nuns now there are over 4,000

1952 – opens Nirmal Hriday [pure heart] for the dying.

1955 – opens Nirmala Shishua Bhavan [ immaculate heart] for lost children or children's home.

1957 – opens Shanti Nagar [city of peace] a home for lepers.Her order became well known for this work!

1982 – siege of Beirut 1985 - Ethopia

1986 - Chernobyl

1988 - Armenia

1983 – 1st heart attack whilst visiting Pope John Paul II.

1989 – 2nd heart attack, fitted with a pace maker.

1992 – goes into hospital in USA for pneumonia and heart problems.

1993 – In May she broke 3 ribs, In August she suffers from malaria and in September she had surgery for a blocked blood vessel.

March 13th 1997 – she stepped down as head nun and is replaced by Sister Nirnala.

September 5th 1997 – She died of a massive heart attack in Calcutta at the age of 87.

Her funeral was on the 13th of September 1997. She was given a state funeral

1962 - Padma shri award 1971 - Pope John XXIII peace prize 1975 - Albert Schweiter international prize

1976 - Pacem in Terris award

1978 - Balzon prize 1979 - Noble Peace Prize 1983 - Order of Merit 1985 - Medal of Freedom 1994 - Golden Honour of the Nation [Albania]

1996 - Honorary citizenship of USA

1998 - Pope John Paul II begins the process to make her a saint.

This process is still going on !