Italian PM visits Mother Teresa's tomb
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(Kolkata,
Feb 12, IANS)
Italian Prime Minister
Romano Prodi paid his respects at the tomb of Mother Teresa and urged the world
to emulate her path of compassion and peace.
Visiting the
Missionaries of Charity (MoC), the order founded by the late Nobel laureate who
was referred to as the saint of the gutters, Prodi said: "Mother Teresa is an
example of peace, compassion and sympathy and what the world needs today is
compassion."
Prodi and his wife Flavia Franz reached Mother House,
headquarters of the MoC, around 10.30 a.m. and was accorded a warm welcome. He
was received by Assistant Superior General Sister Nichole at the gate as Mother
Superior Sister Nirmala is in Africa.
The couple entered the
Mother's tomb to offer prayers in Italian and lit candles.
"It is
great joy for all of us that the Italian prime minister has come here. Mother
Teresa remains with us and we remember her everyday," said Sister
Nichole.
The couple was offered a book on Mother Teresa, booklets on
MoC and Mother's medallion. Prodi also met Italian volunteers working at the
MoC in Kolkata and enquired about their work here.
The couple
visited Sishu Bhavan, an orphanage run by MoC.
Prodi started his
five-day visit to India from Chennai on Saturday. He went to Bangalore and
Mumbai before coming to Kolkata.
He will make his last stop at New
Delhi on Feb 14 where he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
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