Hundreds head to Rome for Teresa's canonisation

Mamata, Usha Uthup to take part in ceremony

As many as 350 people from Kolkata will witness Mother Teresa’s canonisation at the Vatican on September 4. 

From the Sisters of Missionaries of Charity to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, from singer Usha Uthup to laypersons, will be present at the ceremony, to be part of history. 

As part of the official team from Kolkata, superior general sister Prema of Missionaries of Charity, which Mother Teresa started in Kolkata in 1950, and archbishop of Kolkata Thomas D’Souza will lead a delegation of 200 people. Another group of 150 Catholics from the city will also travel to Italy for the canonisation and later take on a pilgrimage tour of the holy shrines in Italy and the Vatican, the seat of the Roman Catholic Church. 

Bengal delegation

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will lead a delegation of the senior state government officials.

Mamata’s retinue is likely to include some well known faces from Bengal’s cultural world.

A team of enthusiasts from Kolkata, led by photographer Kounteya Sinha, who have volunteered to hold photography exhibitions across the streets of Rome and the Vatican to showcase before the world the sights of Kolkata, has already reached Rome. 

Music for Mother

Usha Uthup, who was among the brightest stars from the 1960s-1970s live music scene in Kolkata, recounted her 47-year-long association with Mother Teresa. 

She told reporters before leaving for Rome on Tuesday that her journey was an emotional one as she would sing two songs during the official ceremony at the Vatican.

“I’ll sing The poorest of the poor, a song I wrote and sang after Mother Teresa passed away. The other song is Lakh, lakh, hazaar, hazaar which talks of how she inspired millions,” Usha said.