A Roman Catholic cathedral has been co-dedicated to Mother Teresa at Baruipur in West Bengal's South-24 Parganas district, ahead of her centenary next year.
The Cathedral of Immaculate Heart of Mary and Blessed Teresa at Baruipur was inaugurated yesterday by the Missionaries of Charity's Superior-General Sister Prema at a solemn function attended by Archbishop of Kolkata Lucas Sircar and Bishop of Baruipur Salvadore Lobo.
"While the cathedral's chief patroness is the Sacred Heart of Mary, the co-patroness is Mother Teresa. This is the first cathedral in the world where she is the co-patroness," Bishop Lobo said.
Following her death on September 5, 1997, the Nobel laureate nun was put on the fast track to sainthood by Pope John Paul-II and was beatified (declared 'Blessed') at a ceremony at the Vatican in October 19, 2003 on the basis of claims of a miracle attributed to her.
In reply to a question, Lobo, the chief postulator for Mother Teresa's cause for sainthood, said a portrait of hers was being kept inside the cathedral's sanctuary.
The portrait would soon be replaced with a statue, the Bishop said.
