Kolkata, Sep 5 (IANS): Holding aloft candles, thousands of people from all walks of life Thursday prayed at special evening masses across this eastern metropolis to pay homage to Mother Teresa on her 16th death anniversary.

Throughout the day, elaborate prayers and masses were held across Kolkata to mark the day.

Nuns of the Missionaries of Charity, the Catholic order founded by Mother Teresa to help the poorest of the poor, the infirm and the dying, held special prayers at their global headquarters here, Mother House.

Devotees thronged the central Kolkata building since dawn to offer floral tributes and prayers at Mother Teresa's grave.

People from rural areas were seen kneeling before the grave with candles in hand, singing hymns. Mother Teresa died aged 87 Sep 5, 1997.

A big mass was held at the St. Xavier's College campus in the afternoon, where a large number of priests took part. Remembrance programmes were held at various schools.

Mother Teresa -- born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Macedonia, Aug 26, 1910, to an ethnic Albanian family -- made Kolkata her home and workplace for 68 years since 1929.

Honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, Mother Teresa was beatified Oct 19, 2003. Beatification is one of the stages through which the Catholic Church declares a person a saint.