Monica Besra, the tribal woman from West Bengal whose testimony of a miraculous cure from an abdominal tumour through Mother Teresa's intercession paved the way for the nun's beatification, will attend the ceremony scheduled at the Vatican on October 19.

Besra is a resident of Dangram village in South Dinajpur district.

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In 1998, she was treated for abdominal tumour at the state-run Balurghat Hospital and subsequently, for tuberculosis at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. Earlier, she had been treated at the Missionaries of Charity-run hospital at Potiram near Balurghat and at the Malda Hospital.

Besra claimed that she was cured of her tumour after she placed an image of Mother Teresa on her abdomen and prayed for recovery. Her claim was accepted by the Vatican as a miracle by Mother Teresa, paving the way for her beatification.

As per the Canon Law guiding the Roman Catholic Church, a similar miracle would be necessary after the date of the beatification ceremony to confirm Mother Teresa's sainthood.

Besra would be flown to the Vatican from Kolkata along with nuns of the Missionaries of Charity, who are scheduled to leave in two batches - one on September 27 led by Sister Nirmala and another some time next week, a spokesperson of the Missionaries of Charity, founded by Mother Teresa, told PTI in Kolkata on Thursday.

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