(ANS - Novara) - After wandering around more than 130 countries of the world, the relic of Don Bosco has finally come back to Piedmont. Last Friday it reached the diocese of Novara and is now in Biella.

The relic left Conegliano, in the Province of North-East Italy, in the afternoon of Friday the 13^th and reached Borgomanero that evening. The relic was welcomed by Fr Stefano Martoglio, Provincial of the Special Circumscription of Piedmont-Valle d'Aosta, Fr Giuliano Palizzi, Rector of the local Salesian community, and a large number of young people and adults.

"The message of Don Bosco still has an extraordinary relevance, especially for young people,” said Fr Palizzi.“For the Salesians of Borgomanero, this is a special occasion coming after the events that marked the centenary of our presence in the city."

The following morning, a Mass was celebrated in the presence of the relic for teachers, students and their families in the Salesian School. The relic was then taken to Novara where it was escorted in procession to the cathedral. In the evening there was a vocational vigil for young people.

On Sunday the 15^th there were several solemn events. In the early morning, at the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians, there was a Mass in which the Salesian Guido Cesare Salza made ​​his perpetual profession.  Later in the morning, Mass was celebrated for the students of the schools. In the afternoon Bishop Franco Giulio Brambilla presided over a Mass celebrated specially for children. Altogether more than 2000 people took part.

On 16 December the relic was venerated by the students of the Immaculate Mary Vocational Training Centre run by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. The relic then left Novara and the next day continued its pilgrimage to Roppolo and Vigliano, two other small towns in the diocese of Biella where the Salesian Family is present.

Published 19/12/2013