(ANS - Chiari) - DL Day takes its name from the initials of the two young saints of the Salesian Family, Dominic Savio and Laura Vicuña, who are still role models for young people. Every year, at the beginning of April, the Salesian Province and the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) of Lombardy and Emilia Romagna, organize a day in their honour.

This year it took place on Sunday 6 April. A large number of boys and girls,  accompanied by Salesians and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, invaded the playground of the Salesian House in Chiari.  On the previous Saturday, SYM staff had brought together the young people  of the Training School for Animators. Their preparation and presence guaranteed a perfect outcome of the  festivities on DL Day.

The theme of the day was Don Bosco’s dream of the ten diamonds. It included a great team game which involved trying to find the diamonds of the virtues. At the end of the day prizes were awarded: a prize for friendliness, a prize for participation and a prize for the best Banner for DL Day. The banner is then awarded to the winning team. This time it was won by the Oratory of Cesate .

The most important event of the day was the Mass presided over by the Vocations Director of the  province of Lombardy and Emilia Romagna, Fr Enrico Ponte.  Starting with the Gospel of the day and the figure of Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, Fr Ponte proposed St. Dominic Savio and Blessed Laura Vicuña as models for young people. They had both chosen Jesus as their best friend, and Fr Ponte invited the young people to become friends of Jesus.

At the end of Mass the young people in the pre-adolescent vocations group had a very important moment when they received a bracelet with the words "I'm staying with Don Bosco."  They made a public promise to continue the journey and move on to the GRAdo group and become animators.

The event got a lot of attention on the social networks widely used by young people. The Facebook page of the SYM of the Province updated its cover with a happy group photo. The live Twitter of the day was followed by the whole Salesian Family. DL Day was also an opportunity to launch the Lombardia Emilia SYM presence on Instagram.

The next big event for the Salesians of Italy Lombardy and Emilia will be the Feast of the Salesian Youth Movement at Treviglio on Sunday, 4 May. The guest of honour will be the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime!

Published 15/04/2014