(ANS – Guayaquil) –On Sunday, August 16th, the Salesian Family celebrated at a global level the 200 years of the birth of the Father and Teacher of the Young. In Ecuador, from August 16th to 22nd several events marked this celebration: a musical in honour of Don Bosco, the Eucharist in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Guayaquil, and the relics of Don Bosco which passed through the streets of the city and visited the monasteries of Carmen Alto and Saint Catherine of Siena.
In Ecuador the official concluding celebration of the Bicentenary was held in the city of Guayaquil. A musical work in honour of Don Bosco was presented in the indoor stadium of “Domingo Comín” Educational Unit. The musical was done representing various key episodes of the life and vocation of the Saint of the Youth.
Later on, the Salesian Family and friends close to the Salesian work participated in a fraternal meal in the playground of the school. At 15.00 hours, one hundred people gathered in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Guayaquil to celebrate the Solemn Mass concluding the Bicentenary Year. The Eucharist was presided over by Msgr. Antonio Arregui Yarza, the local Archbishop. Msgr. Antonio Arregui said, “I am aware of the happiness one feels as one mentions the Saint who dedicated all his life to others… I join in the emotion of the Congregation in celebrating the 200 years of life of this Saint of the youth.
At 17.00 hours the relics of Don Bosco passed through the streets of the city, where groups of various Salesian educational centres, teachers, members of the Salesian Family and friends close to the Salesian work, followed in procession until they reached the “Cristobal Colon” Educational Unit.
On August 20th and 21st Don Bosco’s relics visited the Monastery of Saint Catherine of Siena, where a sister said, “We ask Don Bosco to bless us from heaven with abundance of vocations and to fill the Salesian Family with blessings”.
From August 21th to 24th the relics were transferred to the Monastery of Carmen Alto. There, Sr. María Verónica de la Santa Faz, Prioress of the Monastery, declared, “We are very happy to receive the relics of Don Bosco. He is a saint who did many works in favour of the youth, and thanks to his sons and daughters all over the world the Salesian Family continues to bear fruit”.
Published 25/08/2015
