Pope Francis approves sainthood for Mother Teresa

Pope Francis on Tuesday approved sainthood for Mother Teresa, the missionary nun who became a global if controversial symbol of compassion for her care of the sick and destitute.  

The pontiff set September 4 as the date for her canonisation, elevating the Nobel peace laureate to an official icon for the Catholic faith. The move comes 19 years after the death of the Albanian nun who dedicated much of her adult life to working with the poor in the slums of Kolkata, India.

Officials said the canonisation ceremony would take place at the Vatican — an announcement which had been expected but nevertheless disappointed Indian Catholics who had hoped for a visit by Francis.