The apostle waits for final peace

Ill-embalmed, the face much-swollen, the feet turning green at the soles, and black patches visualising all over, the Angel of Mercy's body lies on a raised platform here in south Calcutta's St Thomas church.

And here Mother Teresa will stay, with streams of mourners flowing endlessly past, till 0900 hours, Saturday, August 13, when she will be carried to the Netaji indoor stadium for funeral services -- a two-and-a-half hour ceremony which will be witnessed by nearly 12,000 people from the world over.

These include United States First Lady Hillary Clinton, South African President Nelson Mandela, French President Jacques Chirac and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Heads of the states from Italy, France, Romania and several African countries are also expected.

The services will comprise a Catholic mass and a few words from Mother's successor Sister Nirmala. The mass, to be delivered by Archbishop Henry D'souza, would begin at 1000 hours in three languages -- English, Bengali and Hindi.

After this, Mother's body will be moved to the Missionaries of Charity headquarters and laid to a final rest in an exclusive affair, attended only by her co-workers, the military, cardinals, archbishops and bishops.

Thousands of handicapped, the leprosy-afflicted and orphans are expected to accompany Mother's body, as it is moved with full military honours to the Netaji stadium. The procession would comprise two chief mourners, sisters, fathers, brothers, volunteers and Mother's co-workers.

Calcutta's Vicar General Monsignor Francis Gomes said Mother would be given a gun salute by the army -- a rare national honour. The national flag will be draped on the body, exposing only her face.

The army would take charge of the body on Thursday to accord her the highest state honour. However, public viewing would not be disturbed because of this, the vicar general assured.

"Mother is watching all of us and seeing what is happening," said Sister Nirmala, superior general of the Missionaries of Charity, "She is blessing us."

Mother's body was re-embalmed to preserve it till Saturday. However, officials are apprehensive about its state. "The body was not embalmed properly. And it stayed in Mother House where there was no airconditioning from Friday night till Sunday morning," an official said adding, "It is extremely difficult to preserve it till the funeral."