Pope Francis Declares Mother Teresa a Saint

— -- Pope Francis declared Mother Teresa a saint during Sunday Mass this morning in St. Peter's Square.

He made the declaration in front of tens of thousands of pilgrims who descended upon the square for her canonization, which begun with hymns followed by the rite of canonization.

Applause broke out in St. Peter's Square even before Francis finished announcing the rite of canonization.

Francis made Mother Teresa -- known for her work among the destitute, particularly in the slums of Calcutta, India -- the model of his Jubilee Year of Mercy.

Joining the thousands of pilgrims were hundreds of Missionaries of Charity sisters in their trademark blue-trimmed saris, who sat in the front row at the Mass.

Also at the Mass were 1,500 homeless people and 13 heads of state or government, including Queen Sofia of Spain.

Mother Teresa stepped down from the head of Missionaries of Charity on March 13, 1997.

She died less than six months later, on September 5, 1997, at the age of 87.

At the time of her death, Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity had over 4,000 sisters.