Sacred Relic Of Don Bosco Comes To Perambur Church

The Sacred Relic of Saint Don Bosco, The Father, Friend , Protector and Champion of the youth is coming to Lourdes Shrine, Perambur on the 16th November evening and  will be in the Shrine till17November 2011 for nearly 26 hours. The relic of St. Don Bosco arrives at 6pm on Wednesday. 

At 10pm the Night Vigil begins around the relic of Don Bosco followed by Adoration and Holy Mass at 4am. On 17th November, Holy Mass will be held at 6.30am, 11am, 2.30pm and 5.30pm. There will  be time of prayer service, personal visits and paying homage 

The Sacred Relic of St.Don Bosco is on a world wide tour to mark the bicentenary celebration of the Saint's birth. The holy relic will be in Chennai city till 17th November 2011.

Huge crowds of people prayed at relic of saint Don Bosco. The relic is placed inside a wax statue of the saint and has been taken around the world in view of the bi-centenary celebration in 2015. 

The relic is brought in a special van from Italy. 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 canonization. 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. Images of young faces also surround the urn, as well as maps showing where the Salesian Family is present today.

Finally, 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 820 kilograms (over 1,800 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.. The relic is the right arm of Saint Don Bosco, which is embedded in a wax replica of the saint's body is said to have miraculous healing powers. Don Bosco was born in Becchi Italy in 1815 and died on 31st January 1888. Don Bosco was canonized in 1934.