A worldwide pilgrimage of a casket with the relic of Don Bosco has been underway since the 5th of April 2009, in preparation to celebrate the bi-centenary of Don Bosco’s birth (1815-2015).

Between the 14th and 18th of May, the relic of Don Bosco will be visiting the Maltese islands.

The relic will be arriving in Gozo on Sunday, the 17th of May. It will leave Malta at 9.00am, to be welcomed in Gozo, by the Bishop of Gozo Mario Grech and various organisations. It will leave for the Oratory Don Bosco at 10.30am and will pass through Palm Street and Vajringa Street. At 11.00am there will be a feast of youth worship, with the relics then leaving in a carcade at noon, travelling to Ta’ Pinu, where it will be exposed for public veneration. At 3.00pm there will be prayers for the sick and people with special needs. This is followed at 4.00pm by a meeting of prayer led by Fr Francis Zammit SDB for priests and consecrated persons. At 5.00pm there will be a solemn Mass with Mgr. Carmel Mercieca, which will be transmitted on PBS. The Relics of Don Bosco will depart from the Sanctary at 8.00pm.

Don Bosco founded the religious congregation of the Salesians, to have special care for young people and the poor.The relics of Don Bosco have been recomposed from the urn that contained his remains since 1929 when the body was exhumed for his beatification and canonisation. The bones and tissues of the right hand and arm have been taken and placed within a wax replica of St. John Bosco’s body, which in turn is enclosed in a large urn.

The urn was constructed specially for this pilgrimage. It is composed of a large glass box in which the wax replica is placed, and easily viewed.

The box is mounted atop a large wood and metal cart. Among the urn’s decorations are the words, “Da mihi animas, ceatera tolle,” which translates to, “Give me souls, take away the rest,” one of Don Bosco’s many quotes that guided his ministry from its earliest stages through today.

The years 1815 and 2015 are placed near the base, serving as a reminder of the purpose of this Relic Pilgrimage: in 2015, the Salesian Family, and the Church as a whole, will celebrate the 200th Anniversary of Don Bosco’s birth in 1815.

The urn weighs 570 kilogrammes (over 1,200 pounds!). The glass box, containing the relic, is 253 centimeters long (almost 100 inches), 108.3 centimeters wide (over 40 inches), and 132 centimeters tall (over 50 inches). The full urn is transported via two specially designed and built trucks.

To keep up to date with the visit to Malta and Gozo, please see the Don Bosco Fostna facebook page.

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