Item 0208 - Ricordo Ufficiale della Canonizzazione di San Giovanni Bosco, fondatore dei Salesiani delle Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice e dei Cooperatori Salesiani

viii

The black and white booklet in eight pages is a memento of the canonisation of St John Bosco. At the front, there is a picture of the saint and at the back the ornamental urn carrying the body of the saint displayed at the Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians (Santuario di Maria Ausiliatrice) in Turin, Italy. On the second page, there is depicted the first dream of Don Bosco at the age of nine, a dream which had a great impact on his life. Don Bosco dreamt that he was fighting a large crowd of rowdy boys playing and cursing. Suddenly, a Man (Jesus Christ) appeared, who told the young Don Bosco "Not with punches will you help these boys, but with goodness and kindness!" Then a Woman (the Blessed Virgin Mary) appeared and while putting her arms around him, the boys changed to a pack of snarling wild animals and some time later these beasts changed again, to a frolicking flock of lambs. At this, the Virgin Mary told him and herepeated audibly several times in his life, "This is the field of your work. Be humble, steadfast, and strong!'" This dream was his call. On the third and sixth pages, one finds pictures of the two banners produced for his sanctification ceremony. Pages 4 and 5 depict the two miracles performed with the intercession of Don Bosco and through which his canonisation was possible. The seventh page overleaf depicts a painting of Don Bosco kneeling down in front of the Risen Christ on a cloud being held by angels.

• Taljan