10 Photos Documenting Mother Teresa's Early Spiritual Journey (11 photos)

On August 26, 1910, Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu—known to the world as Mother Teresa of Calcutta—was born in Skopje. A Nobel Peace Prize laureate, saint, and founder of the Missionaries of Charity, her birth anniversary is celebrated with special solemnity in India. It was here in Kolkata, in the late 1940s, that Mother Teresa established a religious congregation dedicated to founding schools and hospitals for the poorest of the poor. Today, the Missionaries of Charity operates in over 100 countries worldwide.





To mark the occasion, here is a photo gallery reflecting humanity's forgotten calling, captured by photographer Homer Page, who met Mother Teresa at the very beginning of her spiritual mission.



Mother Teresa's Spiritual Mission.

In 1948, at the age of 38, Mother Teresa left her convent in India to establish her own religious congregation, the Missionaries of Charity, dedicated to aiding Kolkata's most destitute—the sick, the dying, and those suffering from leprosy. She also reached out to homeless children, offering them shelter and love. The refuge she opened, Nirmala Shishu Bhavan, welcomed every child who came through its doors.





Kolkata.

Teresa's mission began at a critical turning point for the city, as its population swelled with refugees fleeing the conflict between India and Pakistan during the partition at the end of British colonial rule.



The Sisters.

Inspired by the teachings of Christ, Teresa began her mission alone, but was soon joined by other sisters. Until 1963, when a branch for Catholic brothers was established, the order consisted exclusively of women.



A Day in the Life.

The sisters woke at 4:40 a.m. to attend Mass. Afterward, some ventured into the city to search for the sick and dying, while others stayed behind to care for orphans at the shelter. Pictured here, the sisters wash their saris.



Outreach Program.

The shelter also opened its doors to homeless mothers with infants and pregnant women.



Grace.

Mother Teresa carried out her work with humble devotion. Her order never sought large sums of money or launched grand plans—they simply did the work at hand. Mother Teresa maintained that the congregation needed no human leader, believing God would guide her and her sisters in fulfilling their mission.



The Shelter.

By 1957, when this photo was taken, Teresa had gained recognition far beyond Kolkata's homeless community who had found refuge under her care.



Capturing the Spirit.

Photographer Homer Page came across the Missionaries of Charity while documenting malaria relief for the UN in 1957. A few of these photographs appeared in Jubilee Magazine, while others—like this one—were never published.



Teresa Accomplished Extraordinary Work.

Half of the hospice's patients suffered from infectious diseases.



Today Would Have Been Mother Teresa's 113th Birthday.

Becoming a nun at age 18, Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu chose the name Teresa in honor of Thérèse of Lisieux, the 19th-century Carmelite nun known for her "Little Way"—a philosophy encouraging ordinary acts of kindness done with great love for God.