Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, famously known as Mother Teresa was an epitome of love, peace and humanity. Born on 26th August 1910, in present-day Skopje, the Republic of Macedonia to a staunch Catholic family who actively participated in local churches. Teresa won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress.
She is known for devoting her life to serving mankind. On her 110th Birth Anniversary, TSA brings you 10 unknown facts about her.
- She was only eight years old, when she lost her father.
- Teresa’s mother groomed her to serve mankind and taught her values. She often remembered her mother as someone who loved her dearly and made her love everyone who she came across.
- Her father was killed and poisoned by their enemies for political reasons.
- Teresa moved out of her family at the age of 18 and joined Sisters of Loreto in Dublin, took an oath and became a nun. This was probably her last meet with her family after which she never saw them.
- Many times in her life, she was seen experiencing dark phases that brought her pain. There were even moments when she started questioning the existence of God and doubted His presence. This came as a shock to many of her followers and associates, seeing a person who so strongly believed in God, become weak and doubting His Existence.
- In Kolkata, she started teaching the poor for free at a very young age and loved each child as her own.
- While traveling from Kolkata to Himalayan foothills to participate in a retreat, she remembers that Christ had indicated to her to stop teaching and serve the sick and the poor.
- Teresa was very vocal about women and their needs but once, she spoke against abortion and contraception which eventually brought her criticism.
- She was voted as one of the ten most admirable women 18 times in total.
- She founded a number of social serving societies, few of which are ”Charity of Brothers in 1963″, “The Contemplative Brothers in 1979” and “The Missionaries of Charity Father’s in 1984”.
