humanitarianism

1910Which famous Catholic religious leader is known as one of the great humanitarians of the 20th century?

Saint Teresa of Calcutta, born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Macedonia, became one of the most revered humanitarians of the 20th century through her tireless work among the poor in India. Known for founding the Missionaries of Charity in 1950, Mother Teresa dedicated her life to serving "the poorest of the poor" in Calcutta’s slums and inspired a global movement of compassion that continues today. On 4 September 2016, she was declared a saint by Pope Francis, and by 2012 her order had expanded to over 610 foundations in 133 countries. As we mark the 115th anniversary of her birth in 2025, statues, schools, and places of pilgrimage around the world bear witness to her enduring legacy.

1863Who was known as 'The Angel of Marye's Heights' during the American Civil War?

Richard Rowland Kirkland, known as 'The Angel of Marye's Heights,' was a Confederate sergeant from Kershaw County, South Carolina, who gained lasting fame on the battlefield at Fredericksburg, Virginia. Amid the carnage of December 13, 1862, Kirkland risked his life to bring water and comfort to wounded Union soldiers stranded between enemy lines, a rare act of compassion during one of the Civil War's bloodiest confrontations. His selflessness became legendary, and in 1965—a century after the war—a bronze and granite monument by Felix de Weldon was unveiled at the Fredericksburg Battlefield, dedicated to "national unity and the brotherhood of man." Canteens still appear at its base, a tribute to one young soldier’s extraordinary humanity.