Saturday's program was designed for young people and featured the "Don Bosco Youth Fest" celebration. In the morning, the registered participants gathered in Barauliany and from there, in an organized group, went to an open-air camp of the "Belarusfilm" film studios, where a historical "treasure hunt" based on the activities of the Salesians in Belarus took place; young people, divided into 12 teams, competed to find "the chalice of Don Bosco," as if it had been stolen and hidden somewhere inside the camp.
The participants then went to Minsk, to the Church of St. John the Baptist; together with the Salesians, they participated in an evening of adoration and praise, accompanied by meditation and song, and concluded with the thought of "Salesian Goodnight" offered by Fr. Pavel Shcharbitsky, Provincial Delegate for the Salesian presence in Belarus - dependent on the Polish-Warsaw Province (PLE).
On Sunday, September 25, the festive program continued, culminating with a solemn Mass of thanksgiving for the Salesian Society's centennial activity in that land. The solemnity and importance of the event were underscored by the presence of three bishops: the Archbishop Emeritus of Minsk-Mohilev, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusevich, and the vicars general of the archdiocese, Archbishop Yury Kasabutski and Archbishop Aliaksandr Yasheusky, SDB.
Present for the occasion were the Sons of Don Bosco and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians active in Belarus, Salesian Cooperators, representatives of the Association of Mary Help of Christians, animators, children, youth, parishioners, as well as all those close to the Salesian charism.
In his homily, Salesian Bishop Bishop Yasheusky noted that, like the first Salesians on Belarusian soil, their modern successors are inspired by the many virtues of their founder, among which the bishop singled out four in a special way: diligence, kindness, trust in God and love for Mary, the Help of Christians.
"The Sons of Don Bosco continue today to bear witness to the joy of the Gospel, as their predecessors did over the years. The same spirit binds the Salesian Family throughout the world, continuing the work of the Good Shepherd, who seeks and leads back those who are lost, sick, or wounded," said Bishop Yasheusky, expressing gratitude to his brothers for serving the people of Belarus.
During the Mass there was also the act of consecration of the Salesian Society to Mary Help of Christians, pronounced by all the Salesians gathered together, completed by the laying of some white roses at the feet of the statue of the Mother of God.
At the end of the celebration, there was the ceremonial laying of a time capsule, blessed by Archbishop Yury Kasabutski, containing a message for the Salesian Family to deliver to its posterity to be opened 100 years from now.
Afterward, Archbishop Emeritus of Minsk, on behalf of the Bishops' Conference in Belarus, also delivered words of congratulations to the Sons of Don Bosco and thanked them for the great support the Salesians have given to the local Church during his archiepiscopal ministry.
As a symbolic tribute each Salesian religious then also received from the youth a piece of bread, as a sign of home and warmth, and some yeast, which internally transforms the dough. After the prayer, all those present were invited into the oratory to complete the celebration with dancing, surprises, and a time of fraternal agape. The celebration was, finally, concluded with the prayer of three "Hail Marys."
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
https://www.infoans.org/en/component/k2/item/16396#sigProId360ad67d5e