This article covers the ceremonies at the Vatican that concerned India most directly: the beatification and canonisation of Mother Teresa, the canonisation of other Indian saints, and the creation of Indian cardinals, together with the Indian delegations that attended. It is based on the MEA brief updated in July 2026.

Beatification of Mother Teresa

According to the MEA brief of July 2026, after Mother Teresa passed away, the Pope took forward the process of verification leading to her beatification. The brief describes this as one of the fastest in history, as a gesture of goodwill and recognition of the work she did in India. The Pope beatified Mother Teresa on 19 October 2003, in the presence of an estimated gathering of over 325,000 people.

Shri P.C. Thomas, Minister of State for Law & Justice, led a delegation to the Vatican for the beatification on 19 October 2003.

Canonisation of Mother Teresa

On 15 March 2016, Pope Francis decreed that Mother Teresa be canonised. He canonised her in a mass at the Vatican on 4 September 2016.

External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj led the 11-member official Indian delegation to the Canonization Ceremony. The delegation included Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Minister for Food Processing Industries, and Justice Kurian Joseph, Judge of the Supreme Court of India. The External Affairs Minister called on Pope Francis during the visit, and the brief dates this call to 5 September 2016.

Three state-level delegations also attended, including delegations from West Bengal and Delhi led by the Chief Ministers and a ministerial delegation from Kerala, as did a delegation from the Indian National Congress Party. The brief records that hundreds of Missionaries of Charity sisters attended, along with 13 Heads of State and Government. It describes the canonisation as an important milestone for the Church and for Indo-Vatican relations, as well as for the community in India.

Other Indian saints

Indian delegations have attended the canonisation of other saints from India:

  • Shri Oscar Fernandes, MoS (IC) for Labour and Employment, with an official delegation, visited the Vatican from 10-13 October 2008 for the Canonization ceremony of Sister Alphonsa on 12 October 2008.
  • Prof. P.J. Kurien led the Indian delegation, which included Ministers from the Kerala State Government, for the canonization of Blessed Father Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Blessed Sister Euphrasia on 23 November 2014.
  • Shri V. Muraleedharan, MoS for External Affairs, led a delegation to Vatican City on 12-13 October 2019 for the Canonization Ceremony of Blessed Sister Mariam Thresia Chiramel Mankidiyan. The delegation included Shri Shyam Kumar, Minister of Forest and Environment, Horticulture and Soil Conservations and Mahud and Town Planning, Government of Manipur.

On 27 April 2014, a delegation led by Shri Oscar Fernandes, Minister of Road Transport & Highways, represented India at the Canonisation Ceremony of Pope John Paul II and Good Pope John (Pope John XXIII). It included Prof. K.V. Thomas, MoS for Food, and Justice Cyriac Joseph, Member of NHRC, and had an audience with Pope Francis at the end of the ceremonies.

Indian cardinals

India has sent delegations to the ceremonies at which Indian clergy were created cardinals:

  • A delegation led by Prof. K.V. Thomas, MoS for Food and Public Distribution, visited the Vatican from 17-19 February 2012 for the ceremony creating Archbishop George Alencherry of the Syro-Malabar Church as Cardinal.
  • A delegation led by Prof. P.J. Kurien, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, visited the Vatican on 24 November 2012 for the Investiture Ceremony of Major Archbishop Mar Baselios Cleemis, Head of the Syro-Malankara Church, as Cardinal.
  • A delegation led by Shri George Kurian, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, attended the ceremony for the creation of Monsignor George Jacob Koovakad as Cardinal on 7 December 2024.