On the evening of 30 May 1865, at the end of the month of Mary, Don Bosco said that he had seen a large altar in a dream, dedicated to the Virgin and the young people of his Oratory who, in procession, were singing as they approached it. Some sang with angelic voices, others with broken voices, others were out of tune; there were even boys yawning, bored.
Everyone brought a gift to offer Mary, but what a variety of gifts! Some brought a bunch of roses, some lilies, some violets; there were those who brought lambs, rabbits, fish, nuts, grapes, etc., etc. There were also those who brought the Virgin some very strange gifts: some who brought a pig's head, a cat, a plate of toads. A beautiful Angel, perhaps the Guardian Angel of the Oratory, stood in front of the altar and received the gifts and placed them on the altar. Before this, however, he removed the beautiful but scentless flowers, such as dahlias and camellias; above all, he removed the thorns and nails that were hidden in some bouquets.
The young people who brought strange and unworthy gifts also came forward.
"What for?" How dare you offer this to Our Lady!" said the Angel to the first " Don't you know that this animal symbolizes the ugly vice of impurity? Mary Most Pure cannot tolerate such a sin. Step aside. You are not worthy to stand in Her presence. ”
To those who offered a cat the angel said:
“Don't you know better? A cat represents theft, and you dare present it to Mary?”
To those who carried a plate of toads, the Angel shouted indignantly: "Toads symbolize the shameful sin of scandal, and dare you offer them to Our Lady?”
There were also some who advanced with a knife planted in their hearts, a symbol of sacrileges.
"Don't you realize that there is death in your soul?” the angel asked. For heaven's sake, have that knife removed from your heart!” And they too were rejected.
When everyone had offered their gifts, two Angels appeared holding two baskets full of magnificent crowns, made of beautiful roses. The Guardian Angel crowned all the young people whose gifts had been accepted, and said to them: “It was Our Lady's wish that you should be crowned today with these beautiful roses. See to it that they may never be taken from you. Humility, obedience and chastity will safeguard them for you. With these three virtues you will always find favor with Mary and one day receive a crown infinitely more beautiful than that you wear today.”
The crowned young people expressed their joy with the song "Lodate Maria" with voices so loud that Don Bosco woke up.
Don Bosco himself gave this interpretation: scentless flowers are good works done for human ends; thorns, disobedience, nails, serious sins.
And he ended by saying, “My dear boys, I know which ones were crowned and which ones were cast out by the Angel. In this dream I saw both your past and your future. I have already spoken of it to many of you. I shall likewise tell the rest. Meanwhile, my children, see to it that the Blessed Virgin may always receive gifts from you which She will not have to refuse."
