(ANS – Munich) – "Welcome to Germany!" is the cry with which the Salesians and young people are greeting the relic of Don Bosco, contained within a statue, on pilgrimage to their country. As has already happened in many parts of the world, the pilgrimage is an occasion for prayer and knowledge of the history and charism of the Saint.

The pilgrimage in Germany began with a solemn Eucharistic Celebration on December 1st, in Munich. The Salesian church for the occasion was filled with parishioners and other parishioners and other Religious Orders. Fr Reinhard Gesing, vice provincial of St. Boniface Province presided at the Mass, with Fr Alfons Friedrich.

The next day the statue was taken to Germering, not far from Munich. At Don Bosco Parish, Fr. Andreas Christian Jaster presided at a Mass for families. More than 100 children, accompanied by their relatives, attended the Mass and waited to venerate the relic.

On Monday 3rd December, the statue arrived at the Marianum Institute, Buxheim. The students of some local schools, where the Salesians offer their pastoral work, welcomed the statue, and gave a brief presentation on Don Bosco.  Fr Erhard Staufer, vice rector of the community, presented the statue and prayed together with the children; finally, the students were allowed to touch the casket and take a group photo around it.

On Wednesday, 4th, at Benediktbeuern, an Institute of Spirituality and an Educational Centre, where the Salesians run a University, Fr Heiner Heim spoke to the students about the statue and who it concerns.

The Don Bosco Statue, with an important relic of Don Bosco inside it, will make a further 20 stopovers in churches and Salesian works in Germany and Switzerland over the coming weeks until 28th December. During the various stopovers in the programme, in addition to the Masses and the various liturgies, discussions and presentations on the figure and the work of Don Bosco will take place.

"If we open our hearts, the meeting with Don Bosco via the statue and the relic can strengthen our love for him and for the young people for whom we care," said Fr Gesing, being directly involved in the pilgrimage of the statue.

On YouTube there is a video showing some of the significant moments of the pilgrimage.

Published 11/12/2012