杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

When Mother Teresa was born, the city of Skopje was part of the Kosovo Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire. Today it is the capital of North Macedonia. In 1963, an earthquake destroyed the church of the Sacred Heart where she was baptized. But in 2009 a futuristic structure called the Mother Teresa Memorial House was erected on the spot.

杏MAP导航 Francis visited the Memorial House soon after his arrival in North Macedonia on Tuesday morning. Before greeting a number of poor people assisted by Mother Teresa鈥檚 Missionaries of Charity, the 杏MAP导航 prayed before the relics of the Saint in the chapel.

杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� Prayer

杏MAP导航 Francis began by thanking God for giving us the life and charism of Saint Mother Teresa: 鈥淵ou called her to bear witness to your love among the poorest of the poor鈥�, he prayed.

鈥淪he was able to do much good to those in greatest need, for she saw in every man and woman the face of your Son鈥�. Mother Teresa 鈥渂ecame the prayerful cry of the poor and of all those who hunger and thirst for justice鈥�, said 杏MAP导航 Francis.  

In the city where she was born and where she lived the first 18 years of her life, the 杏MAP导航 turned to Saint Mother Teresa: 鈥淗ere you began to see and meet people in need, the poor and the helpless鈥�, he said.

鈥淗ere you learned from your parents to love those in greatest need and to help them. Here, in the silence of the church, you heard the call of Jesus to follow him as a religious in the missions鈥�. 

Mother Teresa鈥檚 intercession

鈥淗ere in this place鈥�, prayed 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渨e ask you to intercede with Jesus, that we too may obtain the grace to be watchful and attentive to the cry of the poor, those deprived of their rights, the sick, the outcast and the least of our brothers and sisters鈥�.

The 杏MAP导航 continued by asking Jesus to grant us the grace 鈥渢o see Him in the eyes of all who look to us in their need鈥�to become signs of love and hope in our own day, when so many are poor, abandoned, marginalized and migrants鈥�.  

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded by asking Saint Mother Teresa to 鈥減ray for this city, for this people, for its Church and for all those who wish to follow Christ鈥� To follow Him, who came not to be served but to serve鈥�.