Special prayers, processions in Ker mark Mother's canonisation

Special prayers and mass processions were organised by churches in Kerala to celebrate the proclamation of Mother Teresa as a saint at the Vatican.
Hundreds of devotees took part in a procession organised at St Joseph Church here, while a special Holy Mass held at St Antony's Church at nearby Kochuthura, was also attended by a large number of parishioners.
Archbishop of Latin Archdiocese Soosai Pakiam led the prayers and gave a special message to the devotees at St Antony's Church.
Hundreds of people also took part in the special prayers organised at nearby Kurishumala pilgrim centre, marking the elevation of the Nobel prize laureate to the sainthood.

Devotees released 1,001 colourful balloons, bearing the image of the Mother, at St Joseph's Church in Pushpagiri in Thellakam in Kottayam district, where Archbishop Mar Joseph Powathil led special prayers.
A large number of people gathered at the church premises when the canonisation ceremonies were shown live on the big screen there.

Mother Teresa was today proclaimed a saint by Pope Francis, who hailed her as the personification of maternal love and a powerful advocate for the poor.
The canonisation mass in the Vatican was attended by 100,000 pilgrims, including 13 heads of state or government and hundreds of nuns from Teresa's order, the Missionaries of Charity.

The ceremony came on the eve of the 19th anniversary of Teresa's death in Kolkata, where she spent nearly four decades working for the destitute.