Mother Teresa to be made a saint on Sept. 4

VATICAN CITY (AP) – Mother Teresa will be declared a Roman Catholic saint on Sept. 4.

Pope Francis set the canonization date Tuesday, paving the way for the nun who cared for the poorest of the poor to become the centerpiece of his yearlong focus on the church’s merciful side.

The announcement was expected after Francis in December certified a second miracle attributed to Mother Teresa’s intercession – the final hurdle to make her a saint.

The canonization date falls on the eve of the 19th anniversary of her death.