Thousands welcome Don Bosco’s relic

Thousands welcome Don Bosco’s relic

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Aug 26, 2011 : Thousands of Christians from all over DK and its surrounding regions flocked to Our Lady of Health Church in Shirva on Thursday to view and worship the relic of Don Bosco, the founder of the Salesian Order for Priests and Nuns.

 

 

The relic began its worldwide pilgrimage in Italy on April 25, 2009 in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Salesian Order, known as the Society of St. Francis De Sales or the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Students from various Christian institutions welcomed the relic warmly at 8:15 a.m. by organizing a motorcycle rally from Bantakal to Shirva. The vehicle was received by Dr. Aloysius Paul D’Souza, the bishop of Mangalore Diocese, at Our Lady of Health Church Shirva at 9:00 a.m.

The bishop also celebrated the Mass for the Youth at 11:00 a.m.

The relic, which arrived at Shirva from Goa through Sirsi, will further travel to Bangalore through Hassan. It first arrived into India in April 2011 at a place called Dimapur in North East India. Currently, it is being taken through the 10 Salesian provinces in India. The relic will leave for Shri Lanka on Nov 30, 2011. It will tour 129 countries worldwide before concluding its seven-year pilgrimage to celebrate the 200th birth anniversary of Don Bosco.

The relic comprises the bones and tissues of Don Bosco’s right hand, which is placed with a wax image of his body, which is in turn placed in a large glass urn. The face of the wax image was sculpted using Don Bosco’s own death mask by Gianpero Zoncu.

Salesians in India

There are 400 Salesian centres in 10 provinces across India, and 26 of these centres are in Karnataka, including six in the Konkan province, spread over the dioceses of Mangalore, Karwar, and Belgaum.

Besides, the Salesians have adopted a village in Pavoor and are working for the development of the primitive tribe. The Pavoor Church is the only church that offers mass in Tulu.