Although it has been 150 years since St Dominic Savio passed away in Mondonio, Italy, on March 9, 1857, he is still very much alive in the hearts of the students of Savio College, Dingli, and those who daily strive to emulate his leadership qualities.
However, Domenico wouldn't have reached his goals were it not wasn't for the guidance of another great saint, Fr Giovanni Bosco. Hence, when two Maltese Salesians came up with the brilliant idea of literally following in Don Bosco's footsteps by going up to Piedmont, Italy, from where he hailed, and retrace his footsteps, the experience wouldn't have been complete without also including a visit to all the places linked to Domenico's short but very significant life.
The dream came true last Easter Sunday, when 49 eager pilgrims, aged 11 to 65, flew to Milan, from where they were whisked off to Colle Don Bosco, on the outskirts of Turin, to start their one-week Salesian adventure that was to be an experience of a lifetime. The group comprised students, lay Salesian collaborators, parents, teachers and Salesian priests from Savio College and the Sliema Salesian Oratory.
Although the days were jam-packed with various visits and activities, there was always time reserved for Mass and for evening prayers because as Salesians we firmly believe in bringing God into all that we do and say.
The first day started in earnest with a Mass in the little chapel in front of Don Bosco's childhood home, followed by a visit to Don Bosco's birthplace, nestled on the rolling hills of Becchi.
His childhood home is still there and one needs very little imagination to actually envisage little John Bosco running there while helping his very capable mother, Mamma Margherita, to whom he owed his genius as an educator. It was in here that he dreamt his famous dream at the age of nine that hinted at what was in store for him throughout his long, fruitful life.
We also visited the Sanctuary of Don Bosco, built on the actual spot where he was born, his old parish Church in Castelnuovo, where both he and Domenico Savio received their first Holy Communion, and also an old farmhouse, Cascina Moglia, where he worked for a couple of months to earn a living and saved money to fund his studies.
The following day we hiked beneath a glorious azure sky from Colle Don Bosco to some neighbouring hamlets linked to Don Bosco's, Mamma Margherita's and Domenico's life. We first went to Murialdo, were one can mill around the house where the Savio family lived for ten years. Domenico's mother was a very able seamstress and his father was an ironmonger. The tools they used are still there for all to see.
It was impressive to walk around the house and remember that for ten years, the saintly Domenico lived here his normal but extraordinary life. Mass was celebrated in the quaint chapel of Murialdo where both John Bosco and Domenico Savio attended Mass regularly. It was here too that Don Bosco received his first private tuition in Latin from Don Calosso, the humble parish priest of the little village.
Mondonio was next on the trek. It was here where Domenico spent his last few months and where he actually died as he exclaimed, "Oh, what beauty I behold!" We stopped here for a while and rested, only to resume our walk on the arduous climb up to Capriglio, from where Mamma Margherita hailed. Here, in the same church where she married Francesco Bosco, John's father, all the married couples on our pilgrimage renewed their marriage vows.
In the evening, we held evening prayers under the stars as we thanked the Lord for all that we had experienced so far. In particular, we were grateful for realising that these saintly people lived humble and very normal lives, and that their greatness lay in the fact that they lived their life in an extraordinary way by doing everything with love for God.
Mid-way through our pilgrimage we were ready to go down to Chieri, where John Bosco attended school and later the seminary. Here we also visited the Caffè Pianta, the bar where he worked as a waiter for long hours after school. The humble corner where he huddled to do his homework is still there to remind us all how hard he worked to become the great priest we know today.
We then headed down to Turin and visited Valdocco, the mother house of Salesians worldwide. It was here that Don Bosco, together with his mother, started a mission that is still going strong today. He welcomed his first batch of street urchins, chimney sweeps, brick layers, etc., as they sought work in the bustling city, far away from their humble places of origin in the countryside around Turin.
It was the time of the Industrial Revolution when many left their fields in the hope of a better future in the beckoning city. Alas, many times their dreams were dashed when they found no work or bright future whatsoever but a bleak, tough existence.
In Valdocco we celebrated Mass in the tiny chapel where it all started - the Pinardi Chapel - which was initially a mere shed left unused by a certain Signor Pinardi who handed it over to Don Bosco as a place where he could gather his army of children. The four Salesians who participated in this pilgrimage renewed their religious vows at the end of this special Mass. It was a very touching moment indeed!
In Turin we visited the famous Egyptian Museum. We subsequently visited Superga and the view of the sprawling city of Turin down below was indeed a sight to behold.
The following day we returned to Valdocco. After celebrating Mass in Don Bosco's rooms, we visited the magnificent and recently restored basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians that Don Bosco built with a mere handful of cents in his pocket. He always insisted that each stone of this awesome church, represents a grace given by Our Blessed Mother in appreciation of those who contributed to its construction.
Here we literally met Don Bosco face to face. Don Bosco's actual remains lie within a statue encased in a glass tomb, just like our own Dun Gorg Preca is here in Malta. To be able to share a private word with him was a special moment indeed for all the 49 pilgrims on this Salesian pilgrimage in the footsteps of Don Bosco.
More visits in Turin followed in the afternoon as we visited the Consolata Church, where Don Bosco used to go to pray to Our Lady; the Duomo, where the Turin shroud is jealously kept; and the church of St Francis of Assisi, where Don Bosco met Bartolomeo Garelli on December 8, 1841. The last stop was at a Juventus shop where the bianconeri fans in the group shopped to their hearts' delight.
The pilgrimage's last day took us to the mountain peaks of Sestriere where all could enjoy the magnificent beauty of the rugged mountain peaks shrouded in a thick blanket of snow. Snowball fights could not be resisted at the sight of so much snow lying idly around.
The pilgrimage ended with a visit to the Salesian novitiate in Pinerolo where young men from around Europe join together to learn more about our Salesian way of life. There, we met Stefan Busuttil, a fellow Maltese and a past pupil of Savio College, who is relishing the experience as he delves deeper into his commitment in our Salesian life.
The final evening's prayers were held under the stars by Don Bosco's home in Becchi. There we prayed, sang, shared and thanked the Lord for such an awesome experience that left an indelible mark in the hearts and memory of all the pilgrimage's participants.
By coming in touch with our Salesian roots, all the pilgrims embraced the Salesian identity and made it ever more their own. They all grew even prouder of the rich heritage that Don Bosco imparted to us all. May this experience fill all the pilgrimage participants' hearts with a deep love for the Lord, inspiring them to live their daily lives in an extraordinary way.