Also this year there were many Salesian institutions that, with the collaboration of the municipalities and the various organizing bodies, took part in this celebration. In Malaga, for example, the traditional "Carriage of the Pages" of Mary Help of Christians paraded, while in Monzón, some students of the Salesian school paraded as "Pages" of the Magi in the city procession, accompanying the demonstration with gestures of solidarity.
In Carmona, on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the institute, an allegorical float paraded which represented the bell tower of the church of Santiago, the first seat of the Salesian school. A few kilometers away, in Alcalá de Guadaíra, the Salesian house hosts the "Asociación de Amigos de los Reyes Magos" (Association of Friends of the Three Kings), which has been giving gifts to children of families at risk of exclusion for over 60 years. In Úbeda, a representation of the student body took part in the procession that paved the way for the Three Kings; while in Burriana the young people of the Salesian Youth Center enriched the traditional parade with a colorful dance show taken from their musical "Anastasia".
In the city of Alcoy, the Salesian school is used as a basis for the logistical organization of the preparation of pages; in Elche, the past pupils supported the city parade with the organization of the procession of King Belshazzar, as well as collaborating with Caritas by delivering toys to the parish of El Altet; without forgetting Sabadell, where the past pupils collaborate with the neighborhood associations to support the initiatives related to the "Postman of the Kings", who before the arrival of the Magi collects the letters with requests for gifts from the children.
In the field of solidarity, the work of houses such as Martí-Codolar, in Barcelona, stands out, which delivers gifts to the children of the social platform; or in Mataró, where the Epiphany campaign aims to ensure that all the children of the city can unwrap their presents on January 6th. It is a Salesian tradition that has lasted for more than 25 years, and which this year has distributed more than 300 gifts to 140 children from 86 families, thanks to the help of 130 sponsors and over 40 volunteers. While in Sant Boi with the campaign "Not a child without a toy", which for 40 years has distributed toys on Epiphany night to the most needy minors, the Salesian commitment has benefited more than 250 families, thanks to the work of school representatives, the youth center, the social platform, faith groups, the parish, and the Salesian Cooperators.
In Badalona, activities start as early as December with a tent for the collection of letters. Then from the evening of January 5, with the collaboration of the "El Gris" theater group, an evening full of magic and dreams is organized, in which the Magi distribute gifts to the children present. In La Orotava, instead, some families who collaborate with the Salesians receive letters from needy children and undertake to make their wishes come true for the night of 6 January.
In La Línea the tradition of the living nativity scene has been revived, while in La Almunia the Salesian work collaborates in the "Wise King for a Day" campaign, thanks to which many toys are collected by Caritas and students which are then cataloged and divided by age and type of requests from the children, and finally delivered, on the fateful date, to minors from needy families.
In Utrera, secondary school students take care of the gifts that the Three Kings deliver to children at risk of exclusion. While in Ibi, the Salesian school co-organized the first edition of the Village of Bethlehem, a living nativity scene created at the Salesian institute, thanks to the collaboration of 70 figures and which saw the setting up of three different macro-areas. "The school is very happy to offer a space where the magic of the Magi continues to arouse dreams and expectations," the local Salesians explained.
In short, throughout the country, there have been many and qualified initiatives linked to the mysterious figures of the Magi, celebrated with the distinctive traits of Don Bosco: joy and attention to the least.
Source: Salesianos.info
