(ANS – Warsaw) – On Sunday 26 May, the relic of Don Bosco began its pilgrimage to the St Stanislaus Kostka Province of Warsaw. The urn with the relic of Don Bosco is visiting the different Salesian Houses. Attendance everywhere has been beyond expectations.

The official start of the pilgrimage was celebrated in Warsaw on 27 May with a solemn Concelebration in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in which the four Salesian Provincials of Poland participated. In the afternoon, Bishop Henryk Hozer of Varsavia-Praga presided at a Mass which was broadcast live on Radio Maria and the Catholic TV station “Trwam”. That evening some Salesians took part in a two-hour programme about Don Bosco on Radio Maria.
 
The relic then began its pilgrimage to the Salesian communities, drawing large crowds everywhere. Local authorities took part in the events that were organized, together with teachers and members of the educative community, young people from other educational settings, the general faithful and supporters of Salesian work. Bishops and Auxiliary Bishops from the 10 dioceses where Salesians of the province work also paid homage to Don Bosco. Each meeting had its own specific characteristics: well prepared liturgies, good music, high quality artistic exhibitions and joyful youth displays.

The urn stopped also at a community of the Michaelites at Marki, in a small village where the request came from the mayor who is a Salesian past pupil, and in a diocesan parish where the parish priest is particularly active in youth ministry. Forty motor-cyclists escorted the urn from Elk to Rozanystok, a journey of about 100 km. On 2 June, Mass was celebrated at Tolkmicko and broadcast on Polish Television, particularly for the benefit of Polish people abroad.

During the visit of the relic, the Salesians of the Warsaw Province organized some special pastoral events like the provincial games at Tolkmicko, organized by Salos (the Polish Salesian Youth Sports organization), or took part in other events such as the Meeting of the Youth of the Diocese of Rozanystok and the celebration of Corpus Christi at Elk.  At Suwałki, near the border, the relic was venerated also by the communities from Lithuania.

Two CDs of songs dedicated to Don Bosco were recorded for the pilgrimage. One of them was the official hymn of the pilgrimage entitled, “Jesteś? Bosko!” (Are you there? Don Bosco!).  Some theatre shows have been composed, among them one on the dreams of Don Bosco, and another on the origins of the Oratory at Valdocco. Wydawnictwo Salezjanskie, the Salesian Publishing House in Warsaw, has brought out some new publications, for example, the book Słówka nieokrojone by Fr Marek Chmielewski, Provincial of Pila.
 
The pilgrimage of the relic of Don Bosco to the Warsaw Province will end next Saturday, 8 June.

Published 06/06/2013