Celebrating with Mary Help of Christians

Rome (Italy). On 24 May 2020, on the Solemnity of Mary Help of Christians, as per Salesian tradition, the feast is marked by Celebrations and one of the most heartfelt and attended evening processions at the city level. This year, due to the Pandemic Covid-19, in compliance with the procedures required by the civil authorities, the feast will be ‘special’ and it will be possible for everyone to participate while staying ‘at home’.

A significant moment for many devotees and for the Salesian Family who are experiencing this anniversary all over the world. This year the program has been re-thought “We wish – says the Provincial of the Salesians of Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta, Fr. Erico Stasi – to live this solemnity with a spirit of deep confidence in Mary. By opening our hearts and entrusting to Her the fears and hopes that animate these days, we will be able to experience the sweetness of being protected under her mantle.”

Here is the program with the live streaming times of the celebrations:

Sunday 24 May 2020 – Solemnity of Mary Help of Christians

The main celebrations will take place in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin:

• 11:00 (GMT + 2) – Solemn Eucharistic Con-celebration presided over by Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia, Archbishop of Turin.

Streaming Rete 7, on Facebook channel @ilcortiledivaldocco and on Facebook channel @agenziaans, with commentary in Italian;

• 17:00 – Solemn Eucharistic Con-celebration presided over by Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Streaming on Rete 7, on Telepace and on channel of Facebook @agenziaans, with commentary in Italian, English, Spanish and Portuguese; and only, in Spanish, also on the ANS YouTube channel and the Colombian broadcaster TeleVid.

• 20:30 – “from the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians to our homes.”

Meditated Rosary from the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians and in connection with 5 Salesian realities: Every mystery will be prayed by some realities: FMA Generalate – Rome; Salesian Pontifical University (UPS) – Rome; El Salvador, Panama, and ADMA Torino Valdocco.

At the end, the statue of the Help of Christians will be brought to the square in front of the Church and the Archbishop of Turin and the Rector Major of the Salesians will pronounce a prayer of entrustment to Mary Help of Christians.

Streaming on Rete 7, on Telepace and on channel Facebook @agenziaans with commentary in Italian, English, Spanish, and Portuguese; and only in Spanish, also on the ANS YouTube channel and the Colombian broadcaster TeleVid.

“You have the privilege of belonging to a religious family that belongs entirely to Mary and owes everything to Mary. Is not the FMA Institute the living monument that Don Bosco wanted to erect to Our Lady, as a sign of perennial gratitude for the benefits received? As long as at the School of Mary you learn to direct everything to Christ His divine Son, as long as you keep your gaze fixed on Her – who is the masterpiece of God, the model and ideal of every Consecrated Life, the support of every apostolic heroism – that source of generosity and dedication, interiority and fervor, holiness and grace, which has made you precious collaborators of Jesus Christ for the salvation of young people, will never dry up in your Institute. “I entrust them to you”. Here is what the Church expects of you. Answer her beyond her own hopes” (Paul VI on the Centenary of the FMA Institute, 5 July 1972).