When the Father and Centre of Unity of the Salesian Family, the Rector Major Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, and the Mother General of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA), Mother Chiara Cazzuola, arrived at the Salesian school in Estoril, where the afternoon celebration took place, they could immediately feel the euphoria of the approximately 9,000 young Salesians from 78 countries present at the World Youth Day in Lisbon 2023. It was like a deluge of young men and women who went to welcome them to the celebration.

The young Salesians filled the Salesian house in Estoril with the typical atmosphere of the Salesian oratory, with games, music and abundant joy. There were stands and pavilions where young people of the most diverse nationalities could present their countries, through short shows, games or shows, as well as a central stage where the various moments prepared by the organisers of the afternoon program took place. At various times different Salesian hymns and songs were sung, each in their own language, demonstrating the universality of the Salesian message and charism throughout the world.

SYM Day was as much a festive celebration as it was a moment of depth and authentic Salesian spirituality. There were times when silence was absolute and others in which the different languages spoken in the chapel of the Salesians of Estoril alternated rhythmically in the prayer of the Vocational Rosary, a moment of communion and devotion in which the young people present called on God, through the intercession of Mary, for the accompaniment of vocations for the Salesian Family and the whole Church.

The whole afternoon was spent amid spontaneous expressions of joy and happiness manifested everywhere by young people from every country and continent, and with the Rector Major of the Salesians and the Mother General of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians who shared their joy and enthusiasm in an authentic and immediate way, witnessing to an attitude of true closeness and harmony, being fully at ease with them, and guiding and encouraging them.

At the end of the afternoon, the Salesians in Estoril presented a dance and music show about the dream at nine years of age, staged in an original and simple way.

After dinner, served in an orderly manner by the many volunteers, the young people quickly took their place in the courtyard to follow the Prayer Vigil, which started from St John Bosco's dream of the two columns.

The young people prayed for peace in the world, for the unity of the Church, for the evangelisation of other young people, for the construction of a better world, for the salvation of all. And they eagerly awaited the words of encouragement and guidance along the way offered by Mother Chiara Cazzuola and Fr Ángel Fernández Artime in their thoughts for the traditional Salesian "good night".

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