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Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu was born on August 26 1910 in Skopje, Macedonia. She was the youngest child. Both parents were originally from Kosovo. At age 18, she left home to join the Sisters of Loreto as a missionary. She first went to Ireland to learn English. Then she went to Darjeeling, India in 1929 and became a nun in 1931. She chose the name Teresa after Thérèse de Lisieux, the patron saint of missionaries.

She became a teacher at the Loreto Convent in Calcutta, India and in 1950 founded the “Missionaries of Charity” in that city which cared for the sick and dying. From that humble beginning and with the help of considerable donations, she expanded her charitable foundation to 610 missions in 123 different countries. She died on September 5th 1997. After her death, the Vatican began the process of beatification, which could eventually lead to her sainthood.

The $11.50 stamp (above) prepays the Same Day 1.5 kilogram rate. It shows a photo of Mother Teresa.

The special postmark depicts a sign saying "Missionaries of Charity, Calcutta India" with a holy cross in the background. Missionaries of Charity was founded by Mother Teresa in that city in 1950.