(ANS - Valdocco)- Given the constant influx of e-mails from all over the world from groups who want to visit Valdocco and the Salesian places in this Bicentenary Year of the Birth of Don Bosco, the Salesians in Piedmont want to draw people’s attention to the following: advance booking is urgent. Intending visitors should get in touch immediately with the people in charge of hospitality. Remember that the Exposition of the Shroud (Turin, April 19-June 24) reduces the options for visitor accommodation at that time.

The birthplaces of the Salesian charism are a great heritage of the Congregation. A decision was taken at the General Chapter giving the Rector Major and his Council the duty to preserve, promote and enhance them. To this end, in this special year, several members of the local communities and many lay volunteers have formed working groups to ensure that visitors will be guided by trained personnel, will receive adequate materials and will be facilitated to participate in various celebrations.

At the start of the Bicentenary the Rector Major said:  "Pilgrimage today is a very popular and effective way of sharing a spiritual experience. The Salesian places exercise an attraction and act as a call to return to the sources of our charism. It is good to make a start by choosing the time and manner of the pilgrimage. Reservations must be made ​​at a single point of contact."

Considering the requests received so far, the best times for the pilgrimage to Valdocco are January, February, early March, September, October, November and December 2015.  Other dates are already heavily booked.

A web page with all relevant information and a link for reservations has been published on the website sdb.org.

Published 25/09/2014