(ANS – Rome) – A crowd significantly larger than in recent years filled the large Basilica of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice al Tuscolano on Saturday, 24 May, for the traditional feast day involving the parish, the entire neighbourhood and many people who come from various places to join in this great event. The Eucharistic celebrations throughout the day were attended by a remarkable number of faithful, which even surprised the parish priest, Fr Valerio Baresi: 'At all the morning Masses, a "Sunday" crowd participated with devotion and attention. I was truly amazed!' The entire month of May was well accompanied and prepared by Rosaries prayed in the square, a solemn novena, concerts and other events.

In the evening, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, titular cardinal of the Basilica, as well as Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and Rector Major Emeritus of the Salesians of Don Bosco, presided over the Solemn Eucharistic Celebration in a Basilica filled with many people and many young people.

In his homily, Cardinal Fernández Artime emphasised Don Bosco's great trust in Mary Help of Christians, whose tender closeness he experienced for each of his young people, and invited everyone to renew their awareness of this maternal presence in our lives. He also mentioned the experience of faith lived during the Conclave, 'during which,' he said, 'we felt accompanied and guided by the Holy Spirit in choosing the new Bishop of Rome, Leo XIV.'

At the end of the solemn concelebration, a long procession wound its way through the streets of the neighbourhood, with a large turnout, which, according to regular attendees, had not been seen for quite some time. And indeed, even at a glance, it was really beautiful to see the float carrying the statue of Our Lady Help of Christians finally carried by a fine team of young people from the school, the vocational training centre and the oratory. it was truly beautiful to pray the Rosary and the litanies to the Virgin, led by the parish priest and the director; it was truly beautiful to follow the large crucifix of the Masone Confraternity that preceded the statue of Our Lady; it was truly beautiful to sing accompanied by the Torrimpietra Band and the Basilica choirs; it was truly beautiful to walk in procession through the streets of the neighbourhood, usually congested with Roman traffic, such as the two arteries of the Tuscolana and Appia Nuova; it was really beautiful to celebrate, pray and walk together with so many people and so many boys and girls (also from other Salesian houses in the capital), who were involved in various ways in this celebration...

The solemn blessing on the steps of the Basilica by the Cardinal closed the religious rites and opened up to the other celebrations, first of all the musical show in the adjacent Arena, masterfully conducted by the young people of the school and the oratory, who took turns on stage for various singing and instrumental performances, to the great appreciation of all. The crowd, which gradually poured into the stands along the streets of the neighbourhood, then gathered in the large courtyard of Pio XI to watch the last eagerly awaited moment, the fireworks display, which kept everyone looking up for over twenty minutes.

For Fr Michelangelo Dessì, it was his first time as Rector: "A flood of young people who prayed throughout the afternoon and evening, pushed the float, or simply poured into the courtyard to see the fireworks: an opportunity for proclamation that must be thought out more and more and better and better so that the good news of the Gospel may reach everyone".