Turin, Italy - May 21, 2017 - On May 21, the Rector Major inaugurated the graves designed to house the remains of the deceased Major Rectors. The blessing was attended by the members of the World Consultative Body of the Salesian Family; Fr Enrico Stasi, Superior of the Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta Special Circumscription, and his Council; the Vicar General and the Provincial of the FMA; and the visit team of the Basilica. Fr Ángel Fernández Artime greeted the architect Giampiero Zoncu, the craftsmen and volunteers who provided their services for the execution of the works and the reordering of the relic’s chapel. At this underground chapel, in the ancient sacristy, twelve sepulchral niches have been obtained. The tombs’ covering is of marble, in harmony with the other decorations of the shrine, while the entire funeral compartment is covered with white plaster. The simplicity and nobility have been the criteria that guided the work. At the end of the brief celebration, the Rector Major, thanking for the project that was completed within the deadlines, recalled the meaning of this intervention: “This is not a cult for people”, but a sign of affection and awareness for the work that have been completed by the deceased Major Rectors. The prayer of suffrage, in front of these graves, therefore becomes a commitment to cultivate the sense of belonging and unity to the charismatic heritage that they have witnessed in their ministry as Successors of Don Bosco.

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