St John Boscos relic to arrive on October 28

CHENNAI: For the Salesians in Chennai, this year is special. They will celebrate their founder’s 200th birth anniversary this year. The institutions have planned a month-long celebration in this regard. As a part of a world tour, Saint John Bosco’s relic would reach Salesian institutions in the city on October 28. The relic on tour is one of the two replicas of the right hand and arm of the saint embalmed within a wax mould.Saint John Bosco, popularly known as Don Bosco, established the Salesian congregation in 1841 to train and uplift poor youth across Turin. The social works of John Bosco were globally recognised and his followers increased from a mere 800 to over 30,000 within a span of a century, working for the upliftment of the youth. The man of purity was declared Blessed in the year 1929 and Canonised in the year 1934.According to Jayapalan Raphael, Provincial, Don Bosco North Tamil Nadu, the tour of the relic in India started in May at Dimapur province and proceeded to the northern states. He said that apart from major cities, the casket would travel to tier-two and tier-three towns as well.The casket would be handed over to North Tamil Nadu province of the order in Dharmapuri at a holy gathering. The veneration of the casket will take place at Don Bosco Shrine, Ayanavaram, marked as the only Salesian Shrine in Chennai.Addressing the gathering, John Alexander, Rector, Don Bosco Egmore, said plans were on to celebrate the holy event in a grand manner. Adding further on the preparations, he said the casket would be taken in a procession from the Ayanavaram Church to the Don Bosco School Auditorium in Egmore on October 30.Salesians, brothers, sisters and co-operators from across the city will take part in the procession. School and college students will be allowed to touch and feel the relic casket from 12 noon. The Don Bosco Egmore will host a public valedictory on October 31, following which public will be allowed to view the relic, he said.According to a press release, the casket will remain in Chennai till November 18, touring different parts of the city.