Former X-Factor judge Rita Ora leads celebrations in Rome as Mother Teresa is made a saint
Singer performed at concert on behalf of her role as an honorary ambassador of Kosovo
RITA Ora stepped out for a surprising and eye-catching tribute as Mother Teresa was made a saint.
The 25-year-old chart star wore a cocktail dress with a sheer lace bodice for an amazing and moving performance in Rome.
Rita sang What Child is This? as an honorary ambassador of Kosovo at a concert for Mother Teresa.
The former X Factor judge, who was born to Albanian parents and came to Britain as a refugee, said: “I was aware of Mother Teresa from my family at a young age as she’s a fellow Albanian.
[youtube //www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yslQ3MtroQ]
“I learnt more about her significance and the impact she had around the world as I got older.”
Rita’s short-sleeved gown also displayed her tattoos on arms and wrist.
More than 100,000 people, including world leaders and royalty, gathered in St Peter’s Square yesterday to hear Pope Francis make Mother Teresa a saint.
The Pope said: "For the honour of the Blessed Trinity... we declare and define Blessed Teresa of Calcutta to be a Saint and we enrol her among the Saints, decreeing that she is to be venerated as such by the whole Church.'"
Speaking from the steps of St. Peter's Basilica, Francis said Mother Teresa spent her life "bowing down before those who were spent, left to die on the side of the road, seeing in them their God-given dignity.
"She made her voice heard before the powers of the world, so that they might recognise their guilt for the crimes of poverty they themselves created."
He added: "Mother Teresa loved to say, 'perhaps I don't speak their language but I can smile'".
"Let us carry her smile in our hearts and give it to those whom we meet along our journey, especially those who suffer."
Applause erupted in St Peter's Square before Francis even finished pronouncing the rite of canonisation at the start of Mass.
Yesterday he praised the care Mother Teresa had for the poor and the sick, while taking a swipe at world leaders for their 'sin of indifference' to those suffering throughout the world today.
"Tomorrow, we'll have the joy of seeing Mother Teresa proclaimed a saint," he said. "She deserves it!"
The pontiff decried those who 'turn the other way not to see the many forms of poverty that begs out for mercy'.
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Choosing "to not see hunger, disease, exploited persons, this is a grave sin. It's also a modern sin, a sin of today," he told the gathered thousands.
Later the Pope fed 1,500 homeless people with free pizza.
Mother Teresa died in 1997 and was beatified - the first step towards becoming a saint - in 2003, after her first cure - of a woman with an ovarian tumour - was recognised by the Church.
Pope John Paul wanted to declare her a saint immediately, bypassing the beatification process, but was dissuaded by cardinals.
Her second 'miraculous cure' - of a man supposedly healed of a brain infection - was recognised last year, leading to her canonisation.
Throughout the weekend, pilgrims prayed at vigils and flocked before dawn to the Vatican under heavy security to try to get a good spot for the morning Mass.
Who was Mother Teresa of Calcutta?
Mother Teresa was born in Uskub, Ottoman Empire on August 26, 1910.
Her birth name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu.
Her father died when she was eight and she was raised by her mother.
Agnes grew up in the Roman Catholic Church and decided to devote her life to God at an early age.
When she turned 18, Agnes joined the Sisters of Loreto to become a missionary to India.
Before she could go to India, she had to learn English.
She spent a year Ireland learning to speak English at the Loreto Abby.
A year later, Agnes began her missionary work in Darjeeling, India.
She learned the local language, Bengali, and taught at the local school.
In 1931, she took her vows as a nun and chose the name Teresa.
When she was 36 years old, Mother Teresa felt the call from God to help the poor of India.
She received some basic medical training and then set out to help the sick and needy.
She had very little support and, while trying to feed and help the poorest of the poor, she herself was constantly hungry and even had to beg for food.
Missionaries of Charity In 1950, Mother Teresa formed a group within the Catholic Church called the Missionaries of Charity.
She described the purpose of the Missionaries of Charity as an organisation that would take care of "the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone".
When she first started the Missionaries of Charity there were only 13 members.
Today, the group has over 4,000 members who care for people all over the world.
She worked almost up until her death on September 5, 1997.