On September 5, Postmaster General Jack Potter will dedicate the new Mother Teresa stamp at a ceremony at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Albania in 1910. She founded The Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India. For her international work with the poor, orphaned, sick, and dying, Mother Teresa won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. When she died in 1997, her charities had grown to 610 missions in 123 countries.
Despite some initial complaints about the USPS's production of the stamp, as the release date approaches, controversy seems to have died down.
According to the Catholic News Agency, "Initial complaints about the stamp were raised by the Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation. People supportive of the Mother Teresa stamp sent a petition with more than 70,000 signatures to the Postmaster General this past February."
Across the globe, Mother Teresa has inspired many other countries to pay tribute to her on a stamp. Here are some of them:
  |
India |
The Republic of Mali
Djibouti
Ascension Island
Argentina
San Marino
The Republic of Madagasikara
Union des Comores
Friends of Palestine
Bangladesh
Somalia
Notice how several countries have chosen to pair Mother Teresa with Lady Diana or with some other person of significance.
For information on how to order the Mother Teresa First-Day Cover and the Mother Teresa First-Day-of-Issue Postmark, visit The Postal Store.
