It-Tnax -il Appostlu Is-Sena tal-Fidi A Martyr's Letter Extraordinary ...

were also the former President of the Republic,
the Hon. Joaquim Chissano, diocesan priests, men
and women religious of many Congregations and a
large number of faithful. The day after the casket
went first to the Salesian novitiate; then a long
procession took the relic to the diocesan shrine of
Our Lady of Fatima. Again on the move, the relic
reached the city of Moamba, where the Salesians
run a technical school with boarding, the missionparish
and the pre-novitiate. In the afternoon
the casket was taken to Inharrime, a distance of
300 km, where it was awaited by a large crowd
of youngsters, Salesians and FMAs. Many children
and young people paid their respects to the relic
through to the next morning, with prayer and
traditional song and dance. After this, the casket
was taken to Bagamoyo, an outlying district of
Maputo, where the only parish of the whole country
dedicated to Don Bosco is situated, presently run
by the Orioni Fathers.
SPAIN-MADRID
In June the casket of Don Bosco arrived
for a brief visit in Spain. On 6th it arrived at the
Salesian Institute of Atocha, for the official start
of its pilgrimage in the Madrid Province. Present at
the welcoming ceremony were the Archbishop of
Madrid, Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela and Fr
Luis Onrubia, Provincial of Madrid. 1,500 students
from the Institute accompanied by their teachers
and the Salesians filled the courtyard for a special
Hajja Salesjana
day of celebration in which the atmosphere of the
early days of the Valdocco Oratory were recreated.
The enthusiasm was palpable and the youngsters
shouted out loud “Welcome home,” when the
casket of Don Bosco made its solemn entrance.
Accompanied by the “Jesús de Medinaceli” Band
from Alcalá de Henares the casket crossed the
courtyard right up to the stage where it was
received by the Archbishop, the Rector Manuel
Aparicio, the Provincial and other dignitaries.
Two upper school students spoke and then the
Archbishop of Madrid officially welcomed the relics
of the saint in the name of the whole diocesan
church. Then everyone, young and old, made their
way in procession to the Church, dedicated to
Mary Help of Christians where there was a Liturgy
of the Word, at which the Cardinal presided. The
celebration ended with the Cardinal’s blessing on
all those present.
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