St. John Bosco relic expected today

CEBU, Philippines - The relic of St. John Bosco is set to arrive at 6 a.m. today at Pier 2, Bato, Samboan, Cebu, from Tampi, Amlan, Negros Oriental. From there it will be taken by convoy to Cebu City.

St. John Bosco’s relic is expected to arrive at the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City, at 10 a.m. today.

The arrival of the relic of St. John Bosco in the Queen City of the South is still part of its Visayas route pilgrimage.

Fr. Fidel Orendain, SDB, said the purpose of the relic’s international tour was in time for the United Nations’ and the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ declaration of 2010 as the international year of the youth.

Orendain said that the pilgrimage also seeks to “inspire and improve the lives of young people” regardless of their creed and nationality around the world.

He said the relic was even brought to non-Catholic countries like Korea and Cambodia where they were astonished by the warm response of the natives and politicians to the relic.

Orendain added that by the example of St. John Bosco’s simple personality and life, he hopes that a lot of young people can be inspired to live simply, yet be capable of huge acts of love just like the saint. 

The relic’s world tour started in April 25, 2009 in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Salesians of Don Bosco and since then has traveled around the world.

The pilgrimage relic of St. John Bosco is housed in a glass box mounted on a large wood and metal cart containing the bones and tissues of the right hand and arm placed within a wax replica of the 19th-century Italian saint.

Upon the relic’s arrival in Cebu City, the relic of the saint will visit eight sites and will stay until its departure for Manila in December 23.

The relic will visit Lourdes Parish and Don Bosco Technology Center in Punta Princesa, Don Bosco Boys’ Home in Liloan Cebu, Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, Don Bosco Youth Center in Pasil, Don Bosco Formation Center in Lawaan, Talisay City, and Mary Help of Christians School in Minglanilla.  (FREEMAN)