Celebrations on Mother Teresa’s anniversary

TIRANA, Oct 20 – On the anniversary of Mother Teresa’s beautification, Prime Minister Sali Berisha and his spouse paid a visit to the mission of Mother Teresa Order in Tirana as an expression of honor and gratitude for this great figure of the Albanian nation and of all mankind, but even for continuation of efforts and human devotion to its Order in help of people in need.
“Today, it’s a marked day for all mankind, the Day of Beautification of Mother Teresa, the day marking the beginning of the sanctification of the woman who lived like a living saint, the Day of pride, of the Albanians, but even of all the citizens of the world. I came here to express my deep honor, the greatest respect, deep gratitude for this Albanian who extolled more than anybody else the name of man, the Albanian, the citizen of the world, Nobel Prize winner Gonxhe Bojaxhi. I came here to express my deepest honor to the Sisters of her Order who through Mother Teresa mission offer to these citizens in need the most human services with the greatest devotion and love,” said Berisha.
The mission shelters 50 persons in need or with restricted abilities, old people, women and children. Likewise, the mission is also of help to 100 Albanian families in need.
Berisha inquired about their problems and needs. While expressing gratitude to the Sisters of Mother Teresa Order for the love they show in taking care and easing pain of the people in need, he assured them of government support in fulfillment of their humanitarian mission.
To back their activity, the prime minister and the “Albanian children” foundation presented food assistance and clothing.
“I came here to assure the Sisters of Mother Teresa Order that the government will cooperate with them in easing the pain and suffering of the Albanian citizens. During the talk, the Sister informed me there are 100 Albanian families who get food supply from Mother Teresa Order and we are interested in their identification because they make what the state structures have not that complete, but which should be inspired from their devotion and job,” said the premier.
Berisha said the government was determined in its fight against poverty and to this goal it will establish cooperation not only with Mother Teresa Order, but even with other organizations so that in Albania there are no families living in misery.
On the return of Mother Teresa’s remains to Albania, Berisha said, “Gonxhe Bojaxhi became Mother Teresa in Calcutta of India and she deserves more than anything else to be named Mother Teresa of Calcutta. From this town and big country, she got transformed into a living saint of all mankind and there is no question she belongs to India; she belongs to Calcutta that made her Mother of mankind. My request is simply human because I believe that in the end every man, every woman would wish to rest by the side of the remains of mother and sister. I cannot say there will be a positive decision by the Indian authorities because this is a hard decision, but what I can say is that this is a topic of dialogue and I would like to emphasize that such a great and worthy symbol that unites our two nations cannot be other, but only such; it cannot turn into a contradiction between our two nations and countries.”
Earlier this month Berisha wanted the remains of Nobel Peace laureate Mother Teresa to be returned to the country.
Berisha said they had asked India for the Roman Catholic nun’s remains to be returned by the 100th anniversary of her birth in August.
Berisha said Albania has started negotiations with India’s government, which “will be intensified this year.”
FYROM and Albania have been engaged in a dispute over the national identity of Mother Teresa, who was born in FYROM to an ethnic Albanian family. She went to Calcutta, India, in 1929, and dedicated herself to the service of the poor and infirm, receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
After her death in 1997 she was buried in Calcutta and Pope John Paul II beatified her in 2003. Albania’s main airport outside the capital, Tirana, is named after Mother Teresa.
Following that an Indian official said that was an impossible move as Mother Teresa was believed to belong to Kolkata where she founded her order.