(ANS – Rome) – Despite the climatic uncertainty, the Race of the Saints celebrated its fifth event yesterday, November 1st . An event with many Salesian features: sport as a celebration of life, the dimension of solidarity and a Christian view of November 1st , the Feast of All Saints.

The first event was in St. Peter's Basilica where, at the altar of the Cathedral, Fr Francesco Cereda, General Councillor for Formation, presided at the Eucharist on the Solemnity of All Saints in the presence of several hundred faithful, athletes and young people, some from Salesian works. "Like the Saints we'll be forever near God, and see him as he is, face to face. Fr. Cereda, explained in his homily-we are all heading towards the same goal. It is important to note the direction of our way, if we don't want to get lost on the road, prove inconclusive, spending ourselves unnecessarily ".

Then the focus shifted to the Piazza Pio XII, between St Peter's Square and Via della Conciliazione.

The big red bow left the two sections of the Race of the Saints at different times: the competition with approximately 3,100 professional and amateur athletes with less than a thousand lads, young people and families. The event was followed by Channel 5, the first private television channel in Italy.

Hosting  the transmission was Fr Gilson Marcos Da Silva, of the Salesian Province of Porto Alegre, witness of the solidarity campaign "LAR Don Bosco" promoted by the Don Bosco Foundation worldwide.

"LAR Don Bosco" is a welcoming House for street boys and girls in Porto Alegre, in Southern Brazil. The Race of the Saints, once again launched an appeal for solidarity to ensure continuity and qualification of care provided by LAR Don Bosco helping to finance expenses, which are essential for proper continuity of the services.
 
Various authorities were present at the event: the Hon. Lucia Funari, Councillor of Heritage and the House’s special Projects and Redevelopment of Roma Capitale, and Giuliana Salce, former athlete and Italian champion, promoter of anti-doping campaigns in sport.
 
The Race of the Saints was founded in 2008 as a sporting event coupled with the Solemnity of All Saints to enrich the liturgical celebration of a popular aspect and concretize, through the image of a crowd on the race, the idea of the Church on the road. Hence the choice of location of arrival and departure. Among the realities which harmonise with the initiative is the Don Bosco Foundation in the World that supports and promotes various projects.

Published 02/11/2012