Vatican affirms Mother Teresa miracle

The way has been cleared for Mother Teresa's beatification after the Vatican finally put its seal of approval yesterday on a miracle attributed to the Nobel Peace Prize-winning nun.

This puts her one step closer to sainthood.

Sisters of the Calcutta-based Missionaries of Charity, the global order founded by Mother Teresa in 1950, were overjoyed and held a special thanksgiving Mass at her tomb in the eastern Indian city.

Mother Teresa's successor, Sister Nirmala, said: 'I am grateful to God. We are all very, very happy.'

The miracle involved Indian woman Monica Besra, 30, who had an abdominal tumour. She prayed to Mother Teresa and was healed.

The beatification of Mother Teresa, who was known as the 'saint of the gutters', is now a certainty and she could be declared a saint next year.