In a social media post, Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha commemorated the 10th anniversary of Mother Teresa’s canonization, describing her as one of humanity’s greatest figures and “the most distinguished daughter of the Albanian nation.”

Berisha recalled September 5, 2016, when Pope Francis, in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, proclaimed Mother Teresa of Calcutta a saint.

According to him, her dedication to the poor, the sick, the abandoned and all those who suffered made Mother Teresa a figure of global stature. Berisha emphasized that she “was born Albanian, became a citizen of the world and remained, to the end, a proud daughter of her nation.”

Berisha described her canonization as an extraordinary honor for Albanians and as evidence of the contribution this nation has made to humanity through values, love and humanism.

At the end of his message, he expressed admiration and pride for Saint Mother Teresa.

Full statement:

Anniversary of the canonization of the Albanian Nobel laureate, Saint Mother Teresa

Dear friends,

This is a special day for the Albanian nation and for the entire Christian world. Today we commemorate the anniversary of Mother Teresa’s canonization, the most distinguished daughter of the Albanian nation.

On September 5, 2016, in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, Pope Francis proclaimed Mother Teresa of Calcutta a saint. Through her life, work and dedication to the poor and the needy, the Albanian woman became one of humanity’s greatest figures.

During that historic ceremony, Pope Francis described Mother Teresa as a “dispens­er of divine mercy.” This tribute honored an entire life devoted to people, especially those who had lost everything and needed nothing more than a helping hand and love.

Mother Teresa’s canonization was an extraordinary honor for Albanians. It was also the culmination of a remarkable life and a magnificent testament to the values that Albanians have brought in the service of humanity.

She was born Albanian, became a citizen of the world and remained, to the end, a proud daughter of her nation.

Today we remember Saint Mother Teresa with humility, admiration and pride. She devoted her life to the poorest, the sick, the abandoned and the suffering, giving millions of people hope, dignity and love.

Mother Teresa remains one of the brightest testimonies that the greatness of a nation is determined not only by its power or wealth, but also by the values, love and humanism it offers to humanity.

Eternal glory to the memory of Saint Mother Teresa, the great daughter of the Albanian nation!

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Every September 5, the Roman Catholic Church commemorates Saint Mother Teresa, the canonized Albanian nun, with a liturgical feast.

In Albania, the date is an official holiday. The Council of Ministers amended the law “On official holidays,” replacing September 19, Mother Teresa’s beatification day, with September 5, the day of her canonization.

She was canonized by Pope Francis on September 4, 2016, making the Albanian nun an enduring figure for Catholic believers and people around the world.

Mother Teresa, born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, came into the world in 1910 to Albanian parents.

When she was 18, she left Skopje, North Macedonia, to join the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland. After leaving, she would never see her parents again.

Later, her mission moved to Calcutta. In the Indian city, she realized that her calling was to serve the poor and people spending the final days of their lives on the streets.

“By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, I am Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. By vocation, I belong to the world. But my heart belongs entirely to the Heart of Jesus,” Mother Teresa said.

She visited Albania for the first time in August 1989. Ten years earlier, in 1979, Mother Teresa had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Several miracles have also been attributed to Saint Teresa. One of them concerns Monica Besra in Bengal, India, who was suffering from a 16-centimeter tumor-like swelling of tissue in the lower abdomen. Doctors had been unable to treat her.

On September 5, the anniversary of Mother Teresa’s death, the Mother Superior placed on Monica’s abdomen a medal of Mary that had been in direct contact with Mother Teresa’s body during the funeral, and prayed: “Mother, today is your day. You love the poor. Do something for Monica.”

After about 8 hours, Monica’s tumor had completely disappeared.

The second miracle concerns the healing of Marcilio Andrino in 2008. An infection in his brain had caused several abscesses to form.

His wife, Fernanda, placed a relic of Mother Teresa on her husband’s head and prayed for his recovery. On December 9, 2008, after experiencing severe pain, Marcilio fell into a coma. The following day, the doctor who was to operate on him found that he had awoken, while a scan showed several days later that the disease had disappeared.

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The acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, attended a ceremony in Skopje dedicated to the 116th anniversary of the birth of Mother Teresa, Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu.

During his speech, Kurti said that participants had gathered in Skopje to commemorate one of the best-known Albanian figures of the 20th century.

Describing her journey, he recalled that Mother Teresa was born in Skopje, while her family origins were linked to Prizren and Gjakova. According to Kurti, she felt the call in Letnica, began preparing for her mission in Ireland and later devoted her entire life to service in India.

Kurti emphasized that her work was not limited to a single nation, faith or state. He stressed that Mother Teresa’s universal dimension did not deny her origins, but broadened them.

The acting Prime Minister also mentioned her being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. He said that, when accepting the award, Mother Teresa did not present peace as a distant idea, but as something that begins with the individual, with caring for others and respecting everyone’s dignity.

According to Kurti, international recognition and the Nobel Prize were not the only reasons that made her a universal figure. Mother Teresa achieved this stature by standing beside the individual: while the world saw millions of people, she recognized one person; when the world discussed poverty, she approached the poor person. It was precisely through this closeness, he added, that she built a body of work that transcended racial, religious, national and state borders.

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