Beatification, the first step towards sainthood, had taken place after the Vatican approved the first miracle attributed to Mother. Canonisation requires at least two miracles.

The path to canonisation was cleared last December after the "second miracle" was approved. It involved "curing a Brazilian mechanical engineer suffering from multiple brain tumours in 2008". The Vatican had recognised the first "miracle" in 2003 - the healing of Monica Besra, who had an abdominal tumour.

The Missionaries of Charity issued a release on Tuesday saying that Pope Francis held a consistory of Cardinals and Bishops in which the "canonisation of Blessed Teresa was approved" and the date and venue of the canonisation were fixed.

According to Archbishop D'Souza, an added significance of the canonisation was that it would be held in the Jubilee Year of Mercy. "In the Catholic Church, the year from December 8, 2015, to November 20, 2016, is being celebrated as the Jubilee Year of Mercy. So mercy is the focus," he said.

A delegation led by the Archbishop and including Sister Prema, Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity, would travel to Rome for the ceremony.