(ANS - Turin) - Tomorrow, 24 January 2015, there will be a civic commemoration in Turin in honour of Don Bosco and the bicentenary of his birth. Many guests and civil authorities have been invited. The event will also serve to pay homage to those who, in the course of these 200 years, have carried on the educational mission initiated by Don Bosco.

In the morning there will be a moment of celebration, with the Mass for the Bicentenary (10.30 a.m. GMT + 1) at the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, led by Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major of the Salesians. At the celebration, which is open to all, Mother Yvonne Reungoat, Mother General of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians will participate as well as  representatives of the other groups of the Salesian Family.

The Mass will be broadcast live on TELEPACE which can be seen on satellite on channel 140 SKY on the satellite platform Telepace  in streaming.

The National Civil Celebration will take place in the afternoon with a show entitled A modern love for 200 years. It will commence at 3:30 p.m. (GMT + 1) at the Teatro Regio. The celebration is intended as a thank you to those who have continued and still continue the educational project of Don Bosco, which is going strong two hundred years after the birth of the saint.

The newspaper "La Stampa" will be the media partner of the event, which will be broadcast live streaming on the website www.lastampa.it. The highlight of the afternoon will be the interview of the director of "La Stampa", Mario Calabresi, with the Rector Major.

Among the many authorities and personalities expected at the celebration will be the President of Piedmont, Sergio Chiamparino; the Mayor of Turin, Piero Fassino; and Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia of Turin.

Meanwhile, as one of the initiatives to pay homage to Don Bosco in his city, a musical comedy in two acts entitled "Giovan(n)i d’Oggi”  will be staged tonight at the Teatro Grande, Valdocco on 24 January and 14 February.

Published 23/01/2015